WASHINGTON — The White House is downplaying its draft proposal as merely a backup plan if lawmakers don't come up with an immigration overhaul of their own. It won't be necessary, Republican and Democratic lawmakers alike are telling the Obama administration.
White House chief of staff Denis McDonough said Sunday that President Barack Obama wants to "be prepared" in case the small bipartisan group of senators fails to devise a plan for the estimated 11 million illegal immigrants in the United States. In response, lawmakers assured the White House they are working on their own plan — and warned that Obama would be heading toward failure if the White House gets ahead of them.
"We will be prepared with our own plan if these ongoing talks between Republicans and Democrats up on Capitol Hill break down," McDonough said, adding he's optimistic they would not crumble.
But he was equally realistic about the fierce partisanship on Capitol Hill.
"Well, let's make sure that it doesn't have to be proposed," McDonough said of the president's pitch, first reported on USA Today's website late Saturday.
Even so, the administration is moving forward on its own immigration agenda should one of Obama's top priorities get derailed.
The administration's proposal would create a visa for those in the country illegally and allow them to become legal permanent residents within eight years. The proposal also requires businesses to know the immigration status of their workers and adds more funding for border security.
It drew immediate criticism from Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., one of the eight lawmakers searching for a comprehensive plan.
"If actually proposed, the president's bill would be dead on arrival in Congress, leaving us with unsecured borders and a broken legal immigration system for years to come," said Rubio, who has been a leading GOP spokesman on immigration.
Many of the details in the administration's draft proposal follow the broad principles that Obama previously outlined. But the fact the administration is writing its own alternative signaled Obama wants to address immigration sooner rather than later and perhaps was looking to nudge lawmakers to move more quickly.
The tactic could complicate the administration's work with Congress.
Republican Rep. Paul Ryan, the Wisconsin lawmaker who was his party's vice presidential nominee last year, said the timing of the leak suggests the White House was looking for "a partisan advantage and not a bipartisan solution."
"Leaking this out does set things in the wrong direction," said Ryan. "There are groups in the House and the Senate working together to get this done and when he does things like this, it makes that much more difficult to do that."
Freshman Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, called the leaked plan "incomplete" and said both parties in Congress and the White House need to work together on a solution.
"It hasn't happened yet. It will happen before something is acted upon and certainly before something is passed," he said.
Republican Sen. John McCain predicted the administration's efforts would come up short if the White House went forward with a proposal, and he encouraged the White House to give senators a chance to finish their work.
McCain, the Arizona senator whose previous efforts at an immigration overhaul ended in failure in 2007, predicted the White House proposal's demise if it were sent to Congress. He strongly urged the president to pocket the drafted measures.
"I believe we are making progress in a bipartisan basis," said McCain, who is in the Senate group working on legislation.
And Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer, who met with Obama on Wednesday at the White House to discuss progress, urged his allies in the administration to give a bipartisan group of eight lawmakers the time to hammer out a deal on their own.
Schumer, a New York Democrat and a close ally of the White House, said he has not seen the draft proposals but, along with the Democrats working on a compromise, met with Obama this week to talk about progress being made on Capitol Hill.
Schumer acknowledged that a single-party proposal would have a much more difficult time becoming law and urged the bipartisan group of senators to keep meeting to find common ground.
"I am very hopeful that in March we will have a bipartisan bill," Schumer said. "And, you know, it's obvious if a Democrat — the president or anyone else — puts out what they want on their own, (it) is going to be different than when you have a bipartisan agreement. But the only way we're going to get something done is with a bipartisan agreement."
McDonough appeared on ABC's "This Week," NBC's "Meet the Press" and CBS' "Face the Nation." Ryan and Castro spoke to "This Week." McCain spoke to "Meet the Press." Schumer appeared on CNN's "State of the Union."
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Comments » 18
AmericasTrueRecoveryBeginsIn2016 writes:
Here we go again, tampering with immigration laws that we aren't even enforcing in the first place.
No matter what the law says - whether current law or whatever new laws Congress and Obama are trying to come up with - it is useless unless it is fully and consistently enforced, and unless those found breaking it are prosecuted to the fullest extent of it.
This adminstration isn't the only one failing miserably to enforce immigration law, this is an epic failure that goes back decades through many administrations.
Amnesty for illegal immigrants (and that's what the visas being proposed are, no matter what else you try to call them) not only does nothing to disuade people from crossing the border and entering this country illegally, it penalizes everyone who has taken the time and made the effort to enter this country legally according to our laws.
Both sides need to stop with the amnesty plans and the half-baked, half-hearted reform plans that ultimately do nothing but pander to voters, and start fully enforcing the laws that we already have on the books.
Once we are doing that and we see whether or not those efforts are actually effective, then we can see what changes need to be made to improve the results.
brianfl writes:
I suggest everyone watch the following video. It's senator Chuck Grassley reading over highlights from the 1986 amnesty bill. It proposes the same stuff we are proposing now.
http://youtu.be/CK8MSMgeISY
Will this be a repeat of 1986? Will we be having this conversation in another 25 years? Probably so if we wind up with a watered down bill lobbied by the pro open border/illegal immigrant advocacy groups.
brianfl writes:
What these people don't realize is that Obama has been playing them all along. I'll admit he is a smart guy. The reason why immigration reform never got done in his first term is because he had no intention if doing it. He held that card in his back pocket the whole time. He knows the majority of Americans don't support a full amnesty program like he is proposing now because it means the jobless have to compete with illegals for jobs. Notice how he only talked about the "dreamers" in the campaign. He knows americans have sympathy for those people but not the ones who sneaked in knowingly breaking the law. He pulled it at just the right time around the elections to use it for the Hispanic vote. He dangled it in front of you people. He used to try an make the GOP look bad and it worked. But the GOP didn't lose because they didn't get the Hispanic vote. They lost because of their crazy religious views, anti gay, and abortion crap. Obama knows its about setting up future generation Hispanic voters. You know the ones that are the anchor babies growing up and turning into legal voters.
queen writes:
Is really important to have Obama's picture with every report? I think everyone knows what he looks like by now!
keekee writes:
We didn’t need this comprehensive article, all we need to know is, we better draft the “back-up” plan first, otherwise, nothing moves.
Might as well get it through our heads, it’s Obama’s way or the highway, or another disaster in the Houses or another cliff or another let’s hold the people hostage and blame it on the Republicans or let’s call everyone that does not draft My plan “racist” because in our politically correct climate We can use that one for everything that does not work out for us and for the rest we can just blame the Republicans! Oh ha ha ha life is good my fellow Americans!
Just draft the “back-up” and get it over with, save us all the drama.
ruf462 writes:
I agree.
There is another point which is missed entirely by Congress, the press and many writers. Amnesty for illegals will guarantee permanent financial harm to those poor and unskilled American citizens who are having trouble in finding employment. The working AMERICAN poor are being ignored completely. They have been marginalized with dubious statistics, unprovable claims and slogans aimed at convincing the voting public that little harm will come from legalization of illegals.
Not long ago, we were told that approx 15-20 million illegals were in the country and that it would be too costly and otherwise impossible to toss them out. Now, we're told that only about 11 million are here and the costs would not burden the economy. Talk about manufacturing numbers and transforming stats into "darn" lies.
We're told that illegals pay taxes and support themselves. Here's the real point. No one can possibly know or prove such a ridiculous claim. They are faceless, nameless ghosts living under the radar. We dont know if they're paying anything. Supporting themselves? No, they're either taking away employment opportunities from Americans or they are using social assistance intended for Americans. Otherwise, illegals can only be getting money from illegal activity. Either way, it's the poor American worker who loses the work opportunity or the additional support that could come from social services if the money had not been drained away for illegals. The very people who need the most protections - the working American poor - are being sold out in this debate.
"Doing the jobs that Americans won't do" should be changed to "Stealing jobs so Americans won't have a job to go to". On this point, I agree with organized labor.
Ironic that the "left" is selling out the American poor on this issue. This should tell you something about their sincerity.
Aqua writes:
I hear you keekee. Clearly, Obama does not care what I and many Americans think on this subject. He sides with lawbreakers over me.
Silent1nomore writes:
What Obama says and what he does always seems to be the opposite! Make way for the Prevaricator-in-Chief!
keekee writes:
ruf462 and 2016,
however much I appreciate your intelligence and good sense, you must know by now, good and common sense means nothing these days, nothing.
We need to give it all away now. There may be one or two of us “middle class” (whatever that is) citizens left and while we are still bringing home a paycheck, we need to tax it hard, tax what little we have left to take home out of that paycheck so that we can pay for our up and coming free health care, thereby decimating any “middle class” that may be left in America.
Oh wait, I forgot. According to the plan laid out, the Affordable Health Care isn’t going to cost the “middle class” a cent, we are shoring up waste in other areas to pay for it, oh yeah, remember?! Oh ha ha ha ha ha Oh yeah! I forgot, whew!
It’s so simple. Why don’t you just fall in line, get with the program. Get it over with.
Aoxomoxoa writes:
Love it.
Thanks President Obama!
Klaatu writes:
Give the all amnesty
JUST LIKE SUPER REPUBLICAN RONALD REAGAN DID !
Beachglow writes:
Let's get the debt down first and concentrate on that instead of playing golf with Tiger and speaking at Morehouse College in ATL. This guy can't stay in Washington and get anything done.
Until he quits spending so much, everything, gas, food, whatever is going to continue to go up. I'm not particularly interested in immigration as a priority....
marcari writes:
But Reagan had the guts to admit it was the biggest mistake he made during his presidency. Actually his biggest mistake was trusting the Democrats who promised to close the border in return for the amnesty. The former happened the latter never did.
Leon writes:
Bring 'em all in and give them stuff. Of course, there is no lesson to be learned from our National Parks policy of not feeding the animals because they lose the ability to take care of themselves and become dependent on man! That couldn't happen to mankind, could it?
unfatcat writes:
Per Obama's State of the Union address, he is prepared to use multiple executive orders (pertaining to what? he didn't say) in the future. Immigration Reform along with others will pass.
AbeFrohman writes:
I'm glad to see Obama isn't waiting on this incompetent Congress to do anything. Although I don't agree with amnesty at least he's trying to find a middle ground.
Leon writes:
Obama will NEVER try to find the "middle" ground! That is why he and his kind must be fought at every turn!
dab writes:
The POS of POTUS will do and say anything to campaign and keep the Dems in power. It's amazing that despite the obvious contradictions and lies that he still has the support of the media and low-information voter. People will believe anything and the fact that this dud is in a second term is an excellent example.
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