Sen. Rand Paul's idea of the Democrats meeting Republicans "halfway" on immigration reform sounds a whole lot like all the way to me. Republicans know they're on the wrong side of this issue, with more and more Americans now supporting a path to citizenship, but the GOP's nativist base is never going to go for that. And as Paul let slip during his interview on ABC's This Week, we know the real reason they don't want to allow the 11 million who are here to have the same rights as the rest of us -- they don't want them voting.

STEPHANOPOULOS: A final question. I want to get you on the record on immigration. Our next guest, Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, is confident that it's going to get done, a comprehensive bill will eventually get done this year.

Is he right? I know you were opposed to the comprehensive bill earlier in the year, but can you support Speaker Boehner's call for a series of measures on immigration?

PAUL: Yes. The reason -- and I've had this conversation with Senator Schumer before -- is that the reason it has failed is that the Senate bill that he proposed actually limited work visas and, I think, creates an incentive for more illegal immigration.

I'm for very expansive work visas. If you want to come to our country or if you're one of the 11 million who are here, I'm for giving you a work visa.

There is a debate, though, over citizenship and how quickly. I don't think the House is ready for citizenship.

So, really, the question to Democrats is will you go halfway?

Are you willing to try to bring the 11 million people who are here, bring them out of the shadows, give them an existence, try to have -- be more humane and try to get them a better situation for them?

That could happen tomorrow. The problem is, is the sticking point going to be we have to have immediate voting privileges for those who came here illegally?

I think that's more of a sticking point.

If the Democrats are willing to come halfway, I think we can pass something -- some meaningful reform that would help the 11 million who are here.

President Obama has said he won't sign a bill without a path to citizenship. Sen. Chuck Schumer who was on after Paul was optimistic that there was finally going to be enough pressure put on House members to get them to act. I'll believe it when I see it.