Senate Votes to Tackle Immigration, Cruz Votes Against

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, was the only senator to vote against a measure to advance the immigration debate to the chamber floor Monday.

According to The Hill, the final vote was 97-1 as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell moves to have lawmakers take on the immigration debate ahead of a crucial deadline next month.

Cruz has not commented on his no vote, but he has made it clear he is against offering people who have benefited from the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program any form of citizenship.

Lawmakers have until March 5 to pass legislation to protect DACA recipients, who have been able to stay in the United States despite coming here illegally as children with their parents. If no legislation is passed, 800,000 or so DREAMers could be subject to deportation.

Immigration legislation was not included in the recent two-year budget deal, which leaves the House and Senate a few weeks to come up with something.

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