Rand Paul now supports a plan that would allow undocumented residents to eventually obtain citizenship. (Photo by Gage Skidmore via Creative Commons)

The Latino population in the US has boomed within the past decade; their vote was a major factor in President Barack Obama's win over Mitt Romney in the 2012 election. In order frame themselves as viable candidates in the 2016 election and beyond, many Republicans are starting to reconsider their attitudes towards immigration. 

While many Republicans still ardently oppose a "pathway to citizenship” it appears that both parties are putting aside their personal preferences in order to create a lasting piece of legislation that will address many issues regarding immigration today.

Here are five Republicans who have softened their stance on immigration reform:

1. Eric Cantor

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor of Virginia recently came out in support of the Dream Act, a piece of legislation that he had publically opposed in 2010. In a speech at the American Enterprise Institution in February, Cantor expressed his chance of heart, claiming that it was “time to provide an opportunity for legal residence and citizenship for those who were brought to this country as children."

2. Rand Paul

Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky now endoses a comprehensive policy that allows undocumented immigrants to obtain legal residency and eventually citizenship.  In regard to his stance on immigration, Paul explained, "as long as those here want to work, I would get them work visas. And as long as they want to apply, then you would get in the normal line for citizenship that's already available so it's not a new pathway. It's an existing pathway and then what we have to figure out is if the existing pathway isn't working; how do we fix the existing pathway and I'm willing to look at all of those things."

Such sentiments differ from Paul's past position on the immigration debate. A statement issued by Paul's 2010 campaign, taken from the website OnTheIssues:

Dr. Paul does not support amnesty. Those who come here should respect our laws. Dr. Paul supports legal immigration and recognizes that the country has been enriched by those who seek the freedom to make a life for themselves.

3. John Boehner

Speaker of the House John Boehner of Ohio did not go so far as to suggest a pathway to citizenship of his own, but he has seemed relatively supportive of bipartisan immigration policies recently, claiming that the current proposal "is frankly a pretty responsible solution."

4. Raúl Labrador

Representative Raúl Labrador of Idaho is not fully embracing a route to citizenship for all undocumented residents, but he does not want to deprive them of the opportunity to eventually attain legal citizenship either. “We must create a system for the 21st century and beyond, one that honors the rule of law, provides a fair path for those seeking to come to the United States and fixes our broken borders,” Labrador explains in an article published in the Los Angeles Times under the headline “A Conservative Approach to Immigration Reform.”

Despite its harsh title, Labrador’s position is fairly accommodating, stating “to those who wish to come legally, we can provide a fair path. To those who are here illegally, we can offer a fair chance to redeem themselves”.

5. Bob Goodlatte 

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte of Virginia recently said that he would support a bipartisan “consensus” in establishing legal guidelines for undocumented immigrants to obtain citizenship. He also hinted that he would consider lowering the ban on obtaining a green card from ten years to three years for immigrants who had illegally entered the country. Sounding particularly open to negotiation, he remarked, "There are millions of people who are not U.S. citizens who are in long lines waiting to avail themselves of those opportunities who have followed the legal process….so focusing on where we can find that common ground on legal status would be a good step."

Contact staff reporter Sara Newman here or follow her on Twitter.