Well folks, we’re in it now.

The past week has given us a mountain of developments on the immigration reform front. Allow us to break down the basics:

Sen. Lindsay Graham backing out of immigration reform? Or not?

Following reports early last week that President Obama had begun work with Senate leaders to advance immigration reform, Senator Lindsay Graham—heretofore the only Republican in the Senate willing to go on record supporting reform and the man who had been calling on the White House for leadership on immigration—announced that things were moving too fast for his taste.

Last Thursday, Senator Graham told Politico:

“This comes out of left field…We haven’t done anything to prepare the body of the country for immigration.”

Senator Graham has also been working with Democrats in the Senate to introduce climate change legislation—he is now threatening to withdraw support from that effort if the White House and Senate leadership advance immigration reform first.

The sudden turnaround raises questions about Senator Graham’s commitment to seeing immigration reform passed this year and whether there will be any Republicans in the Senate supporting reform.

Sen. Reid Sets May 15th deadline for bipartisan immigration reform bill

Just as news of Senator Graham’s doubts about immigration spread, a story ran in the Washington Post revealing that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid had set an internal three-week deadline (ending around May 15th) a bipartisan deal on introducing an immigration reform bill.

After three weeks, he pledges the Senate Democrats will introduce their own legislation without Republican support.

What would a Democrat-only bill look like? How can it get passed without Republicans? Are Republicans risking a lot by refusing to support immigration reform? Is this good or bad news for immigration reform legislation?

There are no answers…yet.