Sen. Dick Durbin: Immigration package will include pathway to citizenship

The Senate's second-ranking Democrat said Sunday that a soon-to-be-proposed set of principles to reform the nation's immigration laws will be a broad package that will include a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants.

"We are committed to a comprehensive approach," Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) said on "Fox News Sunday."

Durbin is part of a bipartisan working group of senators nearing an agreement on proposed reforms to the nation's immigration laws. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), who is also part of the group, said it will outline joint principles for action this week.

"We've been working together for some weeks now. We'll be coming forward," McCain said on ABC News's "This Week With George Stephanopoulos."

McCain and Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), another senator in the working group, each expressed cautious optimism on "This Week" that the reforms they will be proposing can be passed.

McCain said the outcome of the 2012 election should convince Republicans that a pathway to citizenship should be passed.

“Let me give you a little straight talk,” McCain said. “Look at the last election. Look at the last election. We are losing dramatically the Hispanic vote, which we think should be ours, for a variety of reasons, and we've got to understand that.”