New Report: White House Interference Blocks Immigration Reform

New Report: White House Interference Blocks Immigration Reform

Bipartisan House Negotiations Break Down – "A Senate victory was the strategy."

(Washington, D.C.) – According to a new report from The Hill, White House intervention in immigration talks earlier this year sabotaged the effort to pass a consensus immigration reform bill through the House of Representatives. Congressman Luis Gutierrez (D-IL) – a key member of the bipartisan House group seeking to pass immigration reform legislation – said the President's opposition to an important part of the reform package rendered it unable to move forward. The White House intervention came at a time when Speaker Boehner was urging negotiators to complete their work, so that the House could vote on the package.

According to Congressman Gutierrez, the White House opposed House action while the Senate was debating its version of reform. Gutierrez said, "It is clear to me that there was no strategy on the White House's part post-Senate victory. Because the Senate victory was the strategy." While the Senate did pass a major reform package earlier this year, it is not clear that the bill will be taken up by the House. Additionally, the reform effort that Gutierrez was leading with a number of Democrats and Republicans lost momentum after the President made his opposition clear.

Daniel Garza, Executive Director of The LIBRE Initiative released the following statement:

"With The President's job approval rating reaching all-time lows , and his proven unwillingness or inability to work with Congress on immigration reform, on pro-growth jobs legislation, or on measures to fix health care reform, the White House will be hard-pressed to get anything done within or outside the halls of Congress.

The President needs to stop making speeches declaring what he wants in a reform package. If he is not willing to sit down with House leaders and negotiate what is achievable, this will never get done." 

Read more about LIBRE's Statement of Principles on Immigration Reform.

For interviews with a LIBRE representative, please contact: Judy Pino, 202-578-6424 or Brian Faughnan, 571-257-3309.