Immigration Reform 2014: President Obama, Eric Cantor Clash During Phone Call

President Barack Obama issued a statement on Tuesday calling for House Republicans to hold a vote on immigration reform legislation and criticizing them for their inaction on the issue. The president praised a comprehensive bill passed by the Senate last June, saying it would “boost our economy, strengthen our security, and live up to our most closely-held values as a society”, before accusing House GOP of “seemingly preferring the status quo of a broken immigration system over meaningful reform”.

“I urge House Republicans to listen to the will of the American people and bring immigration reform to the House floor for a vote,” he said. Later on Tuesday, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) responded with a sharply worded statement, saying that just hours after criticizing House GOP in the statement, Obama had called to discuss immigration reform. That statement, Cantor said, evinced “no sincere desire to work together” on the issue. “After five years, President Obama still has not learned how to effectively work with Congress to get things done. You do not attack the very people you hope to engage in a serious dialogue.”

Cantor continued, “I told the President the same thing I told him the last time we spoke. House Republicans do not support Senate Democrats' immigration bill and amnesty efforts, and it will not be considered in the House. I also reiterated to the President there are other issues where we can find common ground, build trust and get America working again.”

A spokesman from the office of House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) repeated what has become the House GOP chorus on why it won’t hold a vote on immigration reform, telling Roll Call that although the issue was “an important priority” for Boehner, “by regularly ignoring and manipulating laws like Obamacare, President Obama has created an environment in which too many question whether he can be trusted to follow whatever law is passed.”