News

MYTH: The immigration bill will be well over 1,500 pages.

FACT: The “Border Security, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Modernization Act of 2013” is 844 pages long. It is available in full online for everyone to read here.

Well before the bill was completed, reports the legislation would be over 1,500 pages were flying:

• “A GOP Senate aide involved in the negotiations said a deal is unlikely this week because writing the bill, which is expected to be up to 1,500 pages, is going slowly.” (David Nakamura, “Immigration Proposal Could be Delayed,” WaPo, 4/7/13)

• Eight senators “are set to unveil a massive immigration bill – some suggest it could 1,500 pages … “ (“Poll: Majority of Undocumented Immigrants Already Have Ties to U.S. Relatives,” The Miami Herald, 4/15/13)

• “[T]he bill, which reportedly includes more than 1,000 pages.” (Neil Munro, “Immigration bill to be released day before hearing,” Daily Caller, 4/12/13)

• Senator Jeff Sessions: “No member of Congress who believes in democratic procedure can acquiesce to the ramming through of a thousand-page bill … “ (Neil Munro, “Sessions Slams Leahy For Immigration Rush,” Daily Caller, 3/27/13)

• Senator Rand Paul: “I’m for immigration reform, but we have 1,600 pages.  We’re going to read the details and try to make it acceptable to conservatives.” (Russell Berman & Alexander Bolton, “Obama Hails Senate Immigration Proposal,” The Hill, 4/16/13)

• Byron York: “When it is finally unveiled next week, the immigration reform proposal crafted by the Senate’s bipartisan Gang of Eight will be long — possibly 1,500 pages … “ (Byron York, Op-Ed, “Rush Through Senate Will Kill Trust In Immigration Reform,” Washington Examiner, 4/11/13)

But the truth is the bill was only 844 pages and available for everyone to read online:

• Hot Air’s Ed Morrissey: “It’s about half as long as some feared, and less than a third as long as ObamaCare.” (Ed Morrissey, “Immigration Bill Drops Overnight,” Hot Air, 4/17/13)

• Politico’s Mike Allen: “It’s a breezy 844 pages – down from the previewed/threatened 1,500.” (Politico’s Playbook, 4/17/13)

• “The immigration reform bill released early Wednesday morning by a bipartisan group of eight senators is more than 800 pages long. … Early reports suggested that the bill could run to as many as 1,500 pages.” (Daniel Strauss, “Senate Immigration Bill Runs to 844 Pages,” The Hill, 4/17/13)

• “Full text: The 844-page immigration reform bill” (Charlie Spiering, “Full text: The 844-page immigration reform bill,” Washington Examiner, 4/17/13)

• “The so-called “Gang of 8” on Tuesday night rolled out its bill to overhaul the nation’s immigration system, a day after the bipartisan group of senators unveiled an outline of the proposal. Titled the ‘Border Security, Economic Opportunity & Immigration Modernization Act of 2013,’ the bill comes in at 844 pages.” (Tom Kludt, “Read All 844 Pages Of The Gang Of 8’s Immigration Bill,” TPM, 4/17/13)