The White House blamed House Republicans for flaws in the immigration system on Tuesday, and said the uncertain futures of many undocumented people in the U.S. “underscore the need for Congress to act.”
“The obstruction by House Republicans have prevented the realization of that goal,” White House spokesman Josh Earnest said of the failure to implement comprehensive immigration reform.
Earnest said he hoped Republicans would come to accept the “significant economic benefits of commonsense comprehensive immigration reform.”
President-elect Trump has promised to enforce existing immigration laws. Critics have accused him of planning to round up undocumented families and deport them, an idea Trump appears to have abandoned.
Earnest said Trump’s most recent immigration focus aligns closely with policies the Obama administration has pursued.
“The president-elect, since the election, has given voice to the same kind of priorities and criteria that this administration has pursued,” Earnest said. “The president-elect had indicated that his emphasis, when it comes to deportations, should be on criminals.”
