Vox Sentences - Immigration reform is in trouble

Senate official closes the door on this round of immigration reform; Pro-Putin party wins flawed Russian election.

Tonight's Sentences was written by Jariel Arvin.

Immigration overhaul blocked

Stefani Reynolds/ Bloomberg via GettyImages

• The Senate official in charge of interpreting the chamber’s rules, known as the parliamentarian, said on Sunday that Democrats cannot include in their wide-ranging budget bill a pathway to citizenship for millions of immigrants currently residing in the country. [CNBC / Jacob Pramuk]
• Democrats hoped to provide 8 million immigrants a pathway to citizenship through reconciliation, a partisan budgeting process that allows for policy to be passed by a simple majority (Democrats possess 51 votes in the Senate) rather than by the 60 votes bills usually require. [Washington Post / Amber Phillips]
• Only policy related to the budget can be included in reconciliation; Democrats argued immigration reform would increase the budget deficit by $139 billion — but parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough disagreed. [NPR / Claudia Grisales]
• MacDonough argued the proposal was less about the budget and more about circumventing regular order to create “a broad, new immigration policy.” She also warned Democrats that had she allowed the policy to go through, those granted a pathway to citizenship could later have it revoked via reconciliation. [Politico]
• The Democrats’ changes would’ve opened avenues to legal permanent residence — and possibly citizenship — for people with Temporary Protected Status fleeing countries torn by disaster or conflict, those whose parents brought them to the United States as children, and other essential and agricultural workers. [AP / Alan Fram]
• In a statement, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Democrats would keep pursuing other options on immigration reform: “We are deeply disappointed in this decision but the fight to provide lawful status for immigrants in budget reconciliation continues.” [Reuters / David Shepardson]

Putin’s party wins flawed election

• Russian President Vladimir Putin’s United Russia party won an election marred by accusations of fraud with about 50 percent of votes, slightly less than its support in 2016. [BBC / Steve Rosenberg]
• Most of the opposition’s frustration centered on Moscow where anti-Kremlin sentiment is generally high. Although candidates for Pro-Putin party United Russia trailed in a number of electoral districts before online votes were counted, in each of those districts, the pro-Kremlin choice was ultimately declared the winner following a delay that ended Monday. [NYT / Anton Troianovski]
• United Russia currently has a supermajority of seats in the State Duma, which handles federal law, and this dominance has led to accusations that it is a rubber stamp for Putin. For instance, the body recently voted to change the constitution at Putin’s behest to allow him to run for two more terms after his current term is over. [Al Jazeera]
• Russia’s Central Election Commission rejected claims of irregularities. However, independent vote monitor Golos says it received complaints of ballot stuffing and threats against election observers, and the US, UK, and EU called the election proceedings unfair and undemocratic. [Reuters / Andrew Osborn and Polina Nikolskaya]
• Despite United Russia’s win, Russia expert Timothy Ash told CNBC the low voter turnout of 45 percent was “hardly a vote of confidence in Putin,” but rather a form of protest that could eventually lead to “a crisis of legitimacy.” [CNBC / Holly Ellyatt]

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Emmy voters are facing criticism after only white actors took home acting trophies at Sunday’s Emmy Awards, despite a record number of nominations for people of color. [NBC / Wilson Wong]

• After coming up short in three previous attempts, Lamar Jackson led the Baltimore Ravens to a wild 36-35 victory over fellow one-time NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs. [AP / Barry Wilner]
• Pfizer says its Covid-19 vaccine is safe for and produces strong antibody responses in 5- to 11-year-olds. [CNN / Amanda Sealy]
• Paul Rusesabagina, made famous by Hotel Rwanda, the 1994 film about genocide, was convicted of terrorism and sentenced to 25 years in prison. His supporters claim the charges are politically motivated and stem from his opposition to current Rwandan President Paul Kagame. [Reuters/ Clement Uwiringiyimana]

“The reasons that people risk their lives to come to this country — to escape religious and political persecution, famine, war, unspeakable violence and lack of opportunity in their home countries — cannot be measured in federal dollars.”

[Senate parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough explains her ruling]

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