WASHINGTON (AP) — The Republican chairman of the House Judiciary Committee says he sees the need to bring illegal immigrants already in this country into legal status, and potentially allow some of them to eventually obtain citizenship — though not through any special pathway.

Rep. Bob Goodlatte of Virginia has said in the past that he opposes a pathway to citizenship for the estimated 11 million illegal immigrants in the U.S.

He expanded on his position Wednesday at a Christian Science Monitor breakfast with media, suggesting that, once legalized, illegal immigrants could avail themselves of the existing ways to attain citizenship — either through family or employer sponsorship.

The comments suggested there could be some common ground between House Republicans and a bipartisan group of senators working to write a comprehensive immigration bill.

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