South Florida

Two Fla. GOP Representatives Break Ranks on Immigration Bill

The two Republican lawmakers represent heavily Latino districts and have long supported immigration reform with a path to legalization for some 11 million immigrants.

South Florida U.S. Reps. Mario Diaz-Balart and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen say President Barack Obama's actions on immigration are limited, and it's up to Congress to act.

Their joint statement Friday followed their vote against a Republican-backed bill to block Obama's executive order to lift the threat of deportation for millions of immigrants in the country illegally.

The two Republican lawmakers represent heavily Latino districts and have long supported immigration reform with a path to legalization for some 11 million immigrants.

The representatives said they agreed with the president that "there's a limit on what (he) can do," and that it's still up to Congress to pass a broad bill that would strengthen U.S. borders, help those in the country illegally, modernize the nation's visa system and benefit the economy. 

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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