Rubio’s switch on immigration not winning fans

WASHINGTON — Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., is backing off his push for comprehensive immigration reform, opting instead to pursue a piecemeal approach favored by House Republican leaders.Rubio was a key player on the bipartisan “Gang of Eight” that conceived, wrote and pushed a Senate bill aimed at tightening border security, revamping the nation’s visa program and providing a path to citizenship for an estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants.The bill was approved 68-32 in June, a remarkably decisive outcome in a divided Senate. It has stalled in the House, where GOP leaders oppose the citizenship provision. They would rather address immigration through a series of smaller bills, most dealing with security.Immigration activists praised Rubio for his courage following the Senate vote. Tea party activists denounced him for backing what they call “amnesty” for immigrants in the country illegally and said they were rethinking their support for him if he runs for president in 2016.Now, Rubio’s immigration strategy has abruptly pivoted from a comprehensive approach to the go-slow strategy backed by the House.In interviews with reporters this week, the son of Cuban-American immigrants said he still supports a comprehensive bill but is being “realistic” about what can be achieved given the House’s… Read full this story

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