McConnell: Romney should take GOP lead on immigration policy

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said Tuesday that GOP lawmakers will wait for Mitt Romney to take the lead on immigration policy.

Romney will meet with Hispanic leaders on Thursday and is then expected to reveal his position on President Obama’s Friday decision to halt deportations of some illegal immigrants who came to the nation at a young age, McConnell said.

“Both the president candidates, both the incumbent and the challenger, are going to be addressing this issue Thursday at an important meeting of Hispanic members,” he said. “Most of my members are interested in what Gov. Romney has to say about this issue and we’re going to withhold judgment, most of us, until that time.

“I think we’re going to wait and see what Gov. Romney has to say,” McConnell.

The GOP leader acknowledged that his conference is divided on the issue.

“Our members are going to be discussing his views on this and I think many of them will have similar views — others may not,” he said.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said McConnell might have to wait longer than a few days to get Romney’s view.

“I can’t imagine that he’s going to get an answer very soon. Romney has had four, five days and he was asked four different times on the Schieffer program this weekend what he wanted to do and he wouldn’t answer,” Reid said in reference to CBS’s “Face the Nation.”

“It’s too bad that he’s campaigned for a year and a half and he should have some semblance, idea how he feels about that,” said Reid.

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