Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT), chairing of the Judiciary Committee examining immigration on Wednesday, led off his hearing by denouncing proposals floated by House Republicans to legalize undocumented immigrants but prevent them from becoming citizens.
“I want the goal of citizenship to be available and attainable,” Leahy said, saying he was “troubled” by any bill that would offer the “false promise” of legalization without a “fair and straightforward path to citizenship.”