Rep. Ryan: Senate's Border Security Measure Likely to Boost House Prospects

Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin said on Tuesday that the Senate's border security amendment is likely to go a long way toward helping immigration reform pass in the House, reports The Washington Times.

"We're going to take our time," said Ryan, the GOP's vice presidential nominee last November.

"The border-security triggers are very important," he explained. "And so that’s going to be probably the keystone of the House legislation, which is, first, you've got to secure the border."

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The Senate on Monday approved the addition of 20,000 more border patrol agents for the Mexican border and put in place a requirement to install 700 miles of fencing within a decade.

"I think that that passing helps make this final passage even more likely," Ryan said.

"I think that making sure that we're emphasizing the border is going to be secure and under control so the rest of immigration reform can come alongside it after the border is secured makes getting a final law that much more likely," he added.

"But the House will do its own legislation. It won't do the Senate."

Ryan believes the Senate's emphasis on border security is more in tune with what House lawmakers want to see in immigration reform, according to The Hill.

"What the Senate just did is, they moved closer to the House's position, which obviously makes final legislation more likely," Ryan added.

Ryan said he had every expectation that the House plan would be "similar" to the Senate's bipartisan proposal.

"Similar, but we're going to make sure we do it right," Ryan said.

"We're going to make sure we secure the border. We're going to make sure we have the E-Verify system up and running and fix legal immigration.”

He added that the House intends to take up the immigration reform issue in July.