Bloomberg View: Mischief, Politics, and Immigration Reform

It’s been looking pretty good for immigration reform. Big Business and Big Labor, represented by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the AFL-CIO, say they have reached a deal to regulate the flow and status of temporary work visas. Democrats and Republicans, represented by Senators Charles Schumer of New York and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, say they may have legislation within days.

Or maybe not. Republican Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, another member of the bipartisan “Gang of Eight” that has been working on immigration reform, called reports of progress premature. Rubio is at the center of the action on comprehensive immigration reform for one reason only: He placed himself there. But unlike Graham or Schumer, it’s not entirely clear whose interests Rubio represents.