POLITICO:
Dems to make the case for immigration reform in $3.5T spending bill
The chamber's rules referee will hear reasoning on whether Democrats can include a legal path to citizenship for certain immigrant groups in their partisan spending bill.
The Senate parliamentarian is planning to hear dueling arguments Friday over whether Democrats can include a pathway to legal status for certain undocumented immigrants in their $3.5 trillion social spending plan, according to two sources familiar with the matter.
A final decision from the chamber’s nonpartisan rules referee is not expected imminently, but the arguments come as the Senate prepares to return from recess next week and assemble the massive bill. With bipartisan talks stalled, Democrats largely view the so-called reconciliation process, which allows them to pass legislation without Republican support and bypass a filibuster in the Senate, as their best opportunity to enact immigration reform this Congress.
The Senate Judiciary Committee is taking the lead on crafting the immigration provisions of the bill. But it's far from certain that the Senate parliamentarian would rule in favor of including them.