WASHINGTON (Reuters) – US President Barack Obama reversed course yesterday and delayed taking executive action on immigration reform until after November congressional elections, bowing to concerns it could cost his fellow Democrats control of the US Senate.
Obama had promised in a high-profile White House appearance in June to announce unilateral measures by the end of summer if Congress did not enact immigration reform legislation.
A White House official cited partisan politics as the main reason for the delay.
“The reality the president has had to weigh is that we’re in the midst of the political season,” the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
“And because of the Republicans’ extreme politicization of this issue, the president believes it would be harmful to the policy itself and to the long-term prospects for comprehensive immigration reform to announce administrative action before the elections,” the official said.
Obama will take action on immigration before the end of the year, the White House said.
Immigration reform advocates called the delay a betrayal of the 11 million undocumented immigrants living in the United States and accused Obama of putting politics first.
“Today the president and the Senate Democrats have made it very clear that undocumented immigrants and Latinos are simply viewed as political pawns,” said Eddie Carmona, campaign manager for the PICO immigration reform group.
