Nicholas Thompson from the White House checks back in with The Corner:

Mark R. Levin asked about the point of conducting background checks if we currently won’t deport known gang members. The immigration laws right now do not permit DHS to deport a known gang member simply for being part of a gang. But the Senate bill, if passed, would mark an historic change. For the first time, the Government would be allowed to deport aliens solely for their participation in criminal gangs — without having to show criminal activity or some other independent ground of deportation. Of course, if this bill fails, it may be years before Congress takes up immigration reform again, and in the meantime, the government will have to fight alien gangs without this powerful new tool.