Menendez Immigration Bill On The Horizon

With the Senate set to adjourn in a couple weeks and The DREAM Act currently in legislative limbo, attention has turned to Senator Robert Menendez who has indicated that he will drop his own immigration legislation before the Senate adjourns for the Mid-Term elections.

Earlier this month Senator Menendez and members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus  met with President Barrack Obama to discuss passing the DREAM Act and the possibility of immigration legislation in the lame duck. From USA Today, Oval Office blog, Obama still committed to 'comprehensive immigration reform':

The White House said that, in the meeting with Obama, Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., "discussed the comprehensive immigration reform bill that he plans to introduce in the coming weeks. The president told Senator Menendez that he looks forward to reviewing the bill, noting that he strongly supported the proposal that Senate Democrats outlined earlier this year."

After Senator Menendez's meeting at the White House he announced he was going to be moving forward on his own immigration bill in the Senate. Sam Youngman, of the Hill has more HERE:

Sen. Robert Menendez said Thursday he will introduce comprehensive immigration reform legislation in the Senate before the year's end.

He made the announcement at the White House after a meeting with President Obama.

Menendez also conceded the legislation will only serve as a vehicle that can be reintroduced in the next Congress, but added that Obama told him that he supports the senator's plan to move forward with a bill.

Politico's Scott Wong notes HERE that the legislation is likely to be heavy on border security:

His announcement Wednesday, before about 200 pro-immigration activists at a church near Capitol Hill, came a day after Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) signaled he would try to pass a separate bill next week providing citizenship to young, undocumented immigrants if they attend college for two years or join the military.

Sources familiar with the Menendez bill said it would include border security provisions, employment verification, a temporary-worker program and a path to citizenship for the 11 million illegal immigrants now living in the U.S

Senator Menendez said the following at a rally in front of 200 immigration activists:

“A journey of a 1,000 miles begin with a single step,” said Menendez, the Senate’s lone Hispanic member. “There can be no chance if there is no legislation. The reality is that legislation gives the process, the vehicle by which to garner support and to move forward.”