House group nears immigration deal

But lawmakers and leadership are carefully eying several significant lingering technical issues to bring it across the finish line.

The key issues causing concern are fears about the price tag of immigration reform, the pathway to citizenship for the nation’s 11 million illegal immigrants and the process by which a slow-moving House Republican Conference might introduce and vote on a bill that would overhaul the system.

(PHOTOS: 20 quotes on immigration reform)

These items — described by several sources involved in the secret talks — are under active consideration by the group and the senior members of the Republican leadership as the House group readies for its roll-out when Congress returns from a two-week long break.

That the House is this far along is significant because of the deep partisanship that has slowed legislative action on the issue over the last three years. Historically, the House has stuck to small-bore immigration fixes, like securing the border, instead of comprehensive reform. Talks have progressed to the level that both Democratic and Republican leadership are being kept in the loop.

The elements of the plan, which were described by multiple sources, are very fluid and subject to change.

Sources describe the House plan as not differing to starkly from a compromise being drafted by the Senate’s Gang of Eight, a bipartisan group that is also nearing the finish line. Business and labor interests reached a deal Saturday on a long-thorny issue regarding visas for low-skilled workers, which significantly increases the chances of an overall deal in the Senate.

(PHOTOS: At a glance: The Senate immigration deal)

But the GOP-controlled House has always been seen as a less hospitable place for full-scale immigration reform. Nonetheless, the recent progress made by the House group is promising. Among Republicans, Reps. Raul Labrador of Idaho and Mario Diaz-Balart of Florida are seen as key.

There are still issues to work out.

One is cost — the price of securing the border is steep. People involved in the talks are hopeful that the cost can be offset with increased visa fees. But Republicans are more concerned about the burden undocumented workers could put on the nation’s entitlement structure — that is, the massive cost that are absorbed officially into the nation’s newly implemented health care system. The GOP is considering demanding that language be inserted into any bill to make it clear that 11 million new immigrants cannot get plopped onto the nation’s social safety net.

Sources describe the House GOP plan for a pathway to citizenship as more of an obstacle course — people involved in the negotiations prefer to call it a “pathway to status.” The plan does eventually lead to citizenship, according to sources familiar with it, but such a step could take roughly two decades.

(CARTOONS: Matt Wuerker on immigration)

Under the House plan, it would take more than 10 years to get a green card, and will require paying back taxes, a hefty penalty, sources say. Undocumented immigrants would have to gain proficiency in English and make some sort of admission that the law was broken. Some negotiators have floated the idea of having an undocumented immigrant “plead guilty” to breaking immigration laws, according to sources involved,. The lengthy time it would take for undocumented immigrants to get a green card and citizenship will also help lower the cost of the bill, since the Congressional Budget Office assesses budgetary impact in a 10-year period, the sources said.

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