Immigration bargain in the works

House GOP moderates and conservatives have tentatively accepted a deal on an immigration proposal. The agreement would offer a measure of legal status to Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) participants who were brought to the country illegally as children. Rep. Jeff Denham, R-Calif., said the offer from the conservative House Freedom Caucus would give DACA recipients new visas that would let them stay in the country for eight years. He said he was unclear what the pathway to remaining legally after that would be. GOP leaders are working to fend off an effort by moderate Republicans to force a vote on immigration before a compromise is reached. As efforts stalled to craft an immigration bill on which the White House and Congress could agree, GOP moderates and Democrats pushed for a discharge petition to pull existing legislation out of committee. A discharge petition allows a majority of House members—218, to be exact—to move a bill to the floor after a committee has blocked its advance. As of Thursday, supporters needed just two more signatures for a successful discharge petition on immigration. Denham said moderate Republicans could keep pushing the effort if the proposed compromise falls through.