Leading Republican senator says will 'take a look' at immigration legislation

Thomson Reuters

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate Republican conference chairman sounded a cautious note on Thursday about the prospects of passing immigration legislation, saying in a Fox News Channel interview only that his Republican-led chamber would have see if it can pass any bill that comes out of the House of Representatives.

"I think what we ought to be able to pass, if nothing else, in the Senate is something that does codify the president's executive order so we can address this issue of keeping families together," said Senator John Thune, referring to President Donald Trump's order on Wednesday allowing immigrant children detained at the country's southern border to remain with their parents.

He added that if the House musters enough votes to pass wider-reaching immigration legislation "we'll certainly take a look at it and see if it's something we can pass and that the president would sign."

(Reporting by Lisa Lambert; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)

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