According to a new National Journal Poll, 73% of Democratic respondents and 69% of Republican respondents believe that their representatives in Congress are unlikely to pass immigration reform.
Democratic Congresswoman from Texas, Sheila Jackson Lee, however, said Sunday on Weekends with Alex Witt that she was not discouraged by the poll numbers.
“I’m going to be optimistic because I don’t think Speaker Boehner has any choice, I don’t think the Republican Party has any choice,” Jackson Lee said. “I believe this government will not be able to stand up to the voices of the people.”
The Congresswoman highlighted the importance of empowering voters through participation and input. She mentioned that members of the Texas delegation would be holding an immigration hearing at City Hall to listen and create a dialogue between representatives and their constituents.
A ranking member on the Board of Security Committee, Jackson Lee talked about a border security bill that “was passed by a bi-partisan vote, not one single ‘no’ vote in the Homeland security committee.” The bill represented a holistic approach to border security and included amendments to prohibit racial profiling, protect civil rights, and regulate trade, she said. Jackson Lee also commented on the civil liberties of voters within Texas with msnbc’s Alex Witt. Last week Attorney General Eric Holder announced that the Justice Department is asking a court to require Texas to have federal permission before making voting law changes. “I celebrate enthusiastically the Obama administration, General Holder for doing the right thing”
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