Immigration Reform News 2013: Key Republican Supports Bill After High-Tech Visa Compromise

Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee have finally won the support of a key Republican for the bipartisan immigration reform bill currently under debate.

Orrin Hatch of Utah threw his support behind the bill after a holding out for a compromise that would increase the number of H-1B high-tech visas available for highly-skilled foreign workers.

The immigration reform bill already increased the number of visas that will be issued in the coming years, but the planned increase to the cap of 180,000 visas per year will be steeper under the compromise. In exchange, Hatch agreed to a suspension of the increases if the unemployment rate in affected industries rises above 4.5 percent.

Labor leaders opposed an unregulated increase in visas, claiming it would harm American workers and drive down wages. They still oppose the compromise, but Democrats seem to think Hatch's support is worth it. "We have been and remain opposed to Hatch's amendments," said Jeff Hauser, an AFL-CIO spokesman. "On the same say day that the Senate is grilling Apple for tax avoidance, it is a mistake to support an amendment so that tech companies can avoid hiring qualified American workers."

As part of the deal, Hatch said he would vote the immigration reform bill out of committee so the entire Senate can begin to deliberate it. Hatch reserved the right to oppose the bill during the Senate vote if further changes aren't made.

Republican senators not part of the Judiciary Committee also lauded the compromise. "The Senate Judiciary Committee's approval of Senator Hatch's proposal to improve the H-1B visa provisions in the immigration legislation address key concerns shared by many conservatives. We must modernize our broken legal immigration system to meet the needs of America's 21st century economy and create jobs. Senator Hatch's amendment provides important protections for American workers while also ensuring that fast-growing and high-tech firms can continue to create jobs here in America," said Marco Rubio of Florida, a member of the Gang of Eight that drafted the initial bill.

Senate Republicans seem willing to allow the bill to make it to the floor for debate, at least for now, so there shouldn't be any filibuster shenanigans until later this summer.