Senate parliamentarian rejects Democrats' latest immigration plan in spending bill
CBSN
The top Senate official who interprets the chamber's rules said Thursday that Democrats can't include a provision in President Biden's social spending plan that would offer work permits to unauthorized immigrants, yet again thwarting Democratic efforts to pass a longstanding policy goal without Republican votes, according to guidance obtained by CBS News.
Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough said a plan to allow 6.5 million immigrants living in the U.S. without legal status to apply for work permits and temporary protections from deportation could not be passed through the budget reconciliation process, which allows bills to be approved by a simple majority.
As parliamentarian, Macdonough is tasked with determining whether reconciliation proposals have a direct impact on the federal budget — a requirement for the procedure. She determined Democrats' latest proposal was not primarily related to the budget.
