McConnell: Senate needs to move on from immigration

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said Tuesday that three days is enough to wrap up the immigration debate and the Senate needs to move on to other issues.

“We have other things to do,” he said in response to a question about whether he’d allow the floor debate, which began on Monday, to continue beyond the week.

McConnell argued that senators are well-versed in the issue after passing comprehensive immigration reform in 2013 and negotiating behind closed doors in recent months.

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“This is an issue we’ve been talking about literally for years,” he told reporters after a GOP policy lunch.

“We spent three months talking to the Democrats about this,” he said of recent talks.

McConnell pushed back on a suggestion from one reporter that he is tilting the playing field by voicing support for a GOP plan that codifies President Trump’s four-point immigration proposal.

“I’m not trying to dictate to [Democrats],” he said, but also chastised them for blocking a vote in an amendment backed by Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) addressing so-called sanctuary cities.

“We need to get to started on the debate,” he said.

McConnell is expected to file cloture on Tuesday afternoon on several immigration proposals, setting up votes on Thursday unless there is unanimous consent to act sooner.