New Jersey U.S. Senator Robert Menendez is seeking support for an immigration reform bill.
The New Jersey Democrat indicated Monday that he plans to reach out to a South Carolina Republican to craft a bipartisan immigration reform bill in the next Congress.
The move comes after the DREAM Act, which Mr. Menendez championed, failed to pass the U.S. Senate. The initiative was a key priority for President Obama and the Democratic Congress. With Republicans resuming control of the House on Wednesday, passage of an pre-conceived immigration reform bills is likely dead.
Among those most likely to support the measure include South Carolina U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham. Mr. Graham, who has supported bipartisan measures in the past, has called for immigration reform and border security.
Whether the New Jersey U.S. Senator can find support from Mr. Graham remains unclear. The South Carolina Republican has says he is focused on increasing border security before immigration reform.
Mr. Menendez introduced an immigration reform bill just before the Nov. 2 elections that he said takes a middle-of-the-road approach. The bill would combine proposals from both Mr. Graham and Arizona Republican U.S. Senator Jon Kyl.
