Troop-Supporting GOP Blocks ENLIST Bill Which Would Grant Citizenship to Veterans

House Republicans stepped in on Friday to block legislation that would offer a path to citizenship to undocumented immigrants served honorably in the U.S. military.

Representative Jeff Denham (R-CA) proposed the bill, which he labeled the ENLIST Act, and said that he would submit it for a vote as an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), the annual defense bill which usually receives high levels of support from both sides of the political aisle.

The bill would not grant immediate citizenship, but it would allow those who qualified to become legal permanent residents — the first step to naturalization.

“No proposed ENLIST amendments to NDAA will be made in order,” said Doug Heyes, a spokesman for House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA).

Cantor is fighting a contentious primary campaign against Tea Party favorite, Dave Brat, who opposes any form of immigration reform and has labeled Cantor as “too liberal” in a deep red district where he recently lost face when Tea Partier Fred Gruber won control of the Republican state convention over Cantor’s hand picked choice for Chairman.  Gruber supports Brat.

Denham’s bill had been enjoying bipartisan support until the Heritage Foundation’s political arm Heritage Action announced opposition to the measure and said that a vote for the bill which they labeled as “deplorable” would affect their rating for any legislator who did so.

Previously, Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) and Cantor expressed a desire to pass immigration reform, even though the chances of that happening have never been good. The House has already rejected the Senate’s comprehensive reform bill and with this announcement it appears that there is little hope that any measure will be passed before the mid-term elections in November.

There is widespread support in the nation for such reform, however, there are many Republican members of Congress — from very conservative districts — who do not dare support any legislation that will allow a path to citizenship for any immigrant for fear of a backlash from their constituency.

Denham, who represents a heavily Hispanic district, has not made any public statements since the announcement from Cantor’s office but had said previously that he expects getting his bill passed will be a long and difficult fight.

“I am prepared for a long-term fight on this,” he said.