Obama delays action on immigration reform until after November elections

President Obama is delaying action on the immigration reform that he promised to take until after the November midterm elections, a White House official said Saturday.

Obama had promised to act by the end of summer, but with the elections looming, worried Senate Democrats have turned up the heat on him to postpone any action.

'The President has made clear that while nothing replaces Congress acting on comprehensive immigration reform, given the House Republicans' refusal to act for over a year, the President will use his executive authority to take significant steps to reform our broken immigration system,' said a White House official.

JOSHUA LOTT/REUTERS

The official added that Obama 'wants to do this in a way that is sustainable for the long-term, that is most effective and good for the country,' and would commit to action before the end of the year.

The White House has blamed the Republicans for blocking the passage of comprehensive immigration reform.

HANDOUT/REUTERS

'The reality the President has had to weigh is that we're in the midst of the political season, and because of the Republicans' extreme politicization of this issue, the President believes it would be harmful to the policy itself and to the long-term prospects for comprehensive immigration reform to announce administrative action before the elections,' the official said.

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