US News

Immigration deal woos left and right

WASHINGTON — The immigration deal being written in the Senate will include a dual approach to the issue, that both provides a path to citizenship and a institutes a crackdown on illegal crossings on the Southwest border with Mexico.

Capitol Hill sources claim that a new immigration deal will include increased border security in an attempt to attract more Republican support to the bill.

The security effort will focus on nearly 90 percent of the illegal crossings on the Southwest border.

Under the plan, $1.5 billion would be given to a help construct a new border fence.

The security details emerge as Republicans negotiating the bipartisan deal, including Sens. Marco Rubio of Florida and John McCain of Arizona, are catching heat for engaing in a deal that could give legal status to millions who entered the country illegally.

“A lot of people are going to have to remember what they told their constituents these last several elections about their principles of immigration reform,” Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) told The Post. “It’s clear that Sen. [Charles] Schumer’s proposal will be amnesty first, enforcement later,” he added.

If and when the bipartisan group, which includes Schumer (D-NY), is able to release its bill, it will also draw fire from the left.

“I am not enthusiastic about bringing in large numbers of people from other countries to take jobs” from American workers, said Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).