Immigration Reform 2014: Obama Delays Deportation Policy Review As Advocates Ready Last Push

The Los Angeles Times reports that President Barack Obama has ordered Homeland Security secretary Jeh Johnson to delay the release of recommendations stemming from his review of the department’s immigration-enforcement and deportation policies. Johnson will continue carrying out the review, including holding meetings with reform advocates and opponents, but where the president had asked him to put final recommendations on his desk in early June, the administration will instead concentrate on a last push for reform before the August congressional recess.

One administration official told the Washington Post that Obama is asking for Johnson to hold off because he believed “there is an opportunity for congressional action this summer.” As pressure on the president to take executive action to change deportation policy has mounted, he has resisted, saying he does not have the authority to bring them to a complete halt. Johnson’s review is likely to contain recommendations for less sweeping -- but still hugely consequential -- actions, such as limiting deportations to immigrants with a record of serious crime.

But most reform advocates see any executive action from the president as the death of hopes for a legislative compromise, at least until Obama leaves office, as House Republicans point to other examples of executive action as reason for distrusting that he would comply with border-security laws. After huddling with an array of immigrant advocates last week, Senate Democrats laid out the approach for reform supporters: pressure House GOP to start passing immigration reform bills before Congress goes on break in August, and if nothing happens, let the president take action.