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Boehner Prods Obama on 2008 Migrants Law

House Speaker slams White House for failing to include changes to law in $3.7 billion funding request to deal with the border crisis.
Image: Kevin McCarthy, John Boehner
Speaker of the House John Boehner of Ohio, joined at right by incoming Majority Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy of Calif., talks with reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, July 23, 2014, following a Republican strategy session. House Republicans want to slash President Barack Obama's emergency spending request for the border, speed young migrants back home to Central America, and send in the National Guard. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)J. Scott Applewhite / AP

House Speaker John Boehner is asking President Barack Obama to speak out in favor of changes to a 2008 law that requires additional processing for undocumented migrants from Central America and other nations.

In a letter, Boehner slams Obama for initially voicing support for changes to the law but failing to include the proposal in his $3.7 billion funding request to deal with the influx of unaccompanied minors at the border. Those changes were included in a GOP working group's recommendations - released today - to deal with the crisis.

“Frankly, it is difficult to see how we can make progress on this issue without strong, public support from the White House for much-needed reforms, including changes to the 2008 law,” Boehner said.

Many of Obama’s fellow Democrats oppose changes to the law, saying that it was put into place to protect children who are fleeing very dangerous environments at home. Republicans say the changes are necessary to expedite processing of the minors and disincentivize parents from sending their children to the border.

IN-DEPTH

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