Advertisement

Obama and congressional leaders discuss how to move on immigration

 
From left: House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) listens as President Barack Obama speaks at a lunch meeting with congressional leaders including Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) at the White House in Washington, Nov. 7, 2014. (Doug Mills/The New York Times) XNYT79
From left: House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) listens as President Barack Obama speaks at a lunch meeting with congressional leaders including Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) at the White House in Washington, Nov. 7, 2014. (Doug Mills/The New York Times) XNYT79
Published Nov. 8, 2014

WASHINGTON — House Speaker John Boehner warned President Barack Obama in person Friday that taking unilateral action to ease deportation of undocumented immigrants would rupture relations with the new Republican majority and would kill efforts to overhaul immigration policy as congressional leaders gathered at the White House for the first time since Tuesday's elections.

At a session that also touched on efforts to fight Islamic terrorists and halt the spread of Ebola, Boehner tried to assure Obama and Democratic leaders that Republicans intended to pursue immigration law changes next year. But, despite prompting by Vice President Joe Biden, Boehner would say only that it would take months to make progress, according to accounts of the meeting provided by multiple people familiar with what took place.

The mostly cordial session was held in advance of a lame-duck session of Congress set to begin Wednesday, and the lawmakers each left with a six-pack of White House beer. But Obama's vow to take action on immigration is certain to hang over the return of lawmakers after an election that saw Republicans grab control of the Senate and increase their House majority as of January.

While it was not discussed at the White House session, Senate Democrats have begun weighing whether to allow Republicans a vote on their proposal to block any executive action by the president — a plan Democrats believe they can defeat on the floor.

During the meeting with 13 House and Senate leaders, officials said, Obama pushed back against Boehner, saying he had legitimate authority to act on his own as other presidents have. He was backed in that argument by Rep. Nancy Pelosi of California, the House Democratic leader.

"The president has the authority to act by executive order on immigration," Pelosi told reporters after the session. "It's in the law, but it's also in the precedent of other presidents, whether it's President Eisenhower, Kennedy, both Bushes, President Reagan — it just goes on and on."

The meeting also included a briefing by Pentagon officials on efforts to combat the Islamic State group. Obama told congressional leaders that he intended to work with them on a new authorization to use force against the group, most likely in the new Congress. Aides to Boehner said he welcomed that decision and reminded the president that, historically, the White House has drafted the resolution, sent it to Capitol Hill and helped push its passage.

The White House said the president urged congressional leaders "to pass a budget for the rest of the fiscal year in the same bipartisan, drama-free way they did earlier this year because there is no reason to create uncertainty for businesses that are putting Americans back to work."