House Speaker Paul Ryan told reporters Friday that President Obama is untrustworthy on the issue of immigration, a sign the House is not about to take up any kind of comprehensive immigration bill under Ryan’s watch.
It would be “ridiculous” to bring up legislation aimed at overhauling the country’s immigration laws to the House floor when “a president that we can’t trust” is in office, Ryan told a small group of Wisconsin reporters during a conference call Friday morning.
Ryan has previously supported some immigration reform legislation. But without consensus among Republicans on “such a controversial issue,” he won’t bring any legislation to the floor except border security provisions, Ryan said.
Ryan was speaking specifically about immigration legislation, but his remarks demonstrate how difficult it may be for Ryan and the Obama administration to work together now that Ryan leads House Republicans. His comments also came just a day after Ryan called for a “clean slate” and an effort to work with Democrats in order to make progress on legislation.
When Ryan sought support from members of the House Freedom Caucus, he said he wouldn’t move on immigration-related legislation while Obama was in office and while the GOP Conference is divided on the issue. The House Republican Conference “needs consensus to proceed,” Ryan said, reiterating his pledge Thursday to abide by the so-called Hastert Rule when it comes to immigration legislation.
The Hastert Rule, named for now-disgraced former House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., prevents legislation from coming to the floor if a majority of Republicans do not support it.
Ryan said he was merely being “spirited” in his criticism of Obama on the issue, which is his prerogative, but that doesn’t mean he won’t look for areas of agreement with Obama.
“I believe we have an obligation to look for common ground where we can find it,” Ryan said. But he’s also obligated to speak out when he disagrees and offer his views, he said.
“I can walk and chew gum at the same time,” Ryan said.
Ryan cited trade promotion authority and the 2013 budget deal struck with Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., as a time when he worked collaboratively with the Obama administration. A White House spokesman on Thursday said he was disappointed that Ryan wasn’t willing to add immigration to that list.
“Well, we’ve made no effort to hide the deep level of disappointment here in the White House on the part of many Republicans to put the perceived political interests of the Republican Party ahead of the best interests of the United States of America,” White House spokesman Josh Earnest said.
Although pledging to abide by the Hastert Rule on immigration, Ryan made clear that he was only committing to following it on this issue. He left open the possibility of bringing other bills equally unpopular among Republicans to the House floor for votes.
