Escobar, whose district includes El Paso along the border, said she sees a chance this time around to be different from the 2013 effort. She pointed to recent bipartisan successes in Congress, including on bipartisan legislation on gun control and infrastructure.
“There is, I think, an opportunity with a House of Representatives and with a Senate where there isn’t an overwhelming majority on either side,” Escobar said in an interview Monday. “In other words, there is an opportunity through the middle to find a solution.”
The legislation is also supported by Democratic representatives. Hillary Scholten of Michigan and Kathy Manning of North Carolina and Republican Representatives. Mike Lawler of New York, Lori Chavez-Deremer of Oregon and Del. Jennifer Gonzalez-Columbus from Puerto Rico.
Still, the legislation will face challenges in the divided Congress, with Republicans wary of provisions legalizing undocumented immigrants and Democrats reluctant to accept more money for border security.
Earlier this month, House Republicans passed a sweeping border security bill without a single Democratic vote, reducing any chance the bill would pass as it was drafted in the Senate. controlled by Democrats. Additionally, the White House said President Joe Biden would veto the bill.