Villaraigosa: ‘Political Consequences’ if Immigration Reform Does Not Pass

Former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa says it would be “political malpractice” if Congress does not pass the Senate’s immigration overhaul.

In an interview with Fusion’s Jorge Ramos, former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said despite the concerns with the Senate’s comprehensive immigration reform bill, Congress needs to pass something similar. If not, lawmakers could feel the heat in the next election.

“I think it would be a dereliction of duty and political malpractice for the Congress not to pass the Senate version of comprehensive immigration reform,” he said. “They have to pass comprehensive immigration reform, and if they don’t, I think there will be political consequences.”

Earlier this year, Villaraigosa appeared on CBS’s “Face the Nation,” saying, “The time is now. We can’t wait another political season to pass comprehensive immigration reform…We can’t do this piecemeal and we can’t have second-class citizenship. This has to be a pathway to full citizenship.”