Posted on 03/14/2014 6:24:08 PM PDT by kristinn
The deportation policy review President Barack Obama announced this week was actually ordered months ago, the president told immigration reform activists at the White House Friday.
Obama told the group of 17 immigration reformers that he directed Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson to review deportation policies and see what could be done about them “on his first day” as secretary, one official in the meeting said.
“He said since Secretary Johnson came on board he’s been looking at administrative review and exploring implementation” of new policies, said Eddie Carmona of the Pico Network.
People in the meeting said Obama, who expressed his concern for families of the deported, was clearly aggravated by remarks blaming him for deportations, and told activists their energy would be better spent pressuring House Republicans to act.
The president pleaded with the groups — which have mounted a broad campaign to pressure him on deportations — to focus their efforts not on the White House but on Congress.
“The general message from the president was to focus on legislation,” United We Dream’s Lorella Praeli said. “He still believes that a legislative solution is within reach and that we should all be focused on … working to get Republicans to deliver on reform.”
The president and activists also discussed the idea of an upcoming 90-day window to pass legislation.
(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com ...
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.