House Republican Backs Dem Immigration Bill

WASHINGTON (AP) – Republican Rep. David Valadao is backing a comprehensive House Democratic bill to overhaul the nation’s immigration system. The California congressman said in a statement Wednesday that he is joining with likeminded Republicans to show to the House GOP leadership that it should deal with immigration legislation before the end of the year.

Valadao is the third Republican to back a Democratic bill that would provide a path to citizenship for the 11 million immigrants living here illegally and tighten border security. California Rep. Jeff Denham and Florida Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen have announced their support for the bill. Most Republicans have shown little interest in a comprehensive bill, favoring a piecemeal approach to addressing the issue.