A key Democratic senator proposed to delay implementation of a proposed new law until after President Barack Obama leaves office.
The suggestion floated by Sen. Charles Schumer, D- N.Y., was an attempt to mollify Republican concerns about Obama not enforcing the law.
“Let’s enact the law this year, but simply not let it actually start ‘til 2017 after President Obama’s term is over,” he said on NBC’s Meet the Press.
Schumer acknowledged it has “been a tough week” for those who support an overhaul of immigration laws.
Last Sunday Rep. Paul Ryan, the 2012 Republican vice presidential candidate, said that one position that all Republicans agree on is “we don't trust the president to enforce the law.” A few days later House Speaker John Boehner said almost the same thing as he explained why any immigration overhaul is likely to be delayed past the end of this year.
GOP distrust of the Obama administration was also an issue last week as congressional Republicans complained that the administration took unilateral action by relaxing rules on asylum-seekers, refugees and others who want to come to the United States.
Under a rule issued last week by the Department of Homeland Security and the State Department. people who provide only "limited material support" to terrorists or terrorist groups will no longer be automatically stopped from entering the United States. House Judiciary Committee chairman Rep. Bob Goodlatte said, “The Obama Administration’s new policy provides another loophole in our immigration system.”