Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said Monday that he supports the Obama administration's immigration decision, and that the policy decision not to deport younger illegal immigrants is acceptable from the White House because Congress has shown it is frozen on this issue.
"We've tried," Reid said on the Senate floor about Democratic efforts to pass the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act, which would create a pathway to citizenship for some illegal immigrants. "We can't get Republican votes. We've tried."
"Some Republicans suggest a solution to the dreamers' terrible dilemma should have been from Congress, not the president," Reid said on the Senate floor Monday. "I repeat ... it's Republican opposition that has prevented Congress from acting."
Reid's sentiments are the complete opposite of those held by Republicans, who argue that President Obama essentially announced that his administration would selectively enforce immigration law. The GOP says it is not up to Obama to re-write laws passed by Congress, but to enforce them evenly.
Reid spoke about an hour after a few House Republicans criticized Obama for announcing an "
imperial decree" without any input from Congress. Some Republicans have already threatened to sue the administration for the decision.
Elsewhere, Reid also announced that the Senate would continue to work on the farm bill this week, S. 3240. The two parties are still working out an agreement on which amendments would get a vote under the bill, but Reid said Republicans are being far more demanding on this issue.
Reid also indicated that he could file a motion to limit debate on the bill so the Senate can move ahead with the bill, and said that motion could be coming shortly.
"I hope that we'll be able to move forward today with this, otherwise we're going to have to file cloture on the bill, because ... this is the third week of jockeying around on this bill," he said.
