WASHINGTON -- Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) attempted on Thursday to call Republicans' bluff on immigration reform: If they're truly concerned about how President Barack Obama will enforce the law, he said, they should pass a bill that would go into effect after he leaves office.
"Here's a suggestion to resolve the impasse. I think it's fairly reasonable," Reid said at a press conference. "Let's pass immigration reform today and make it take effect at the beginning of 2017. Republicans don't trust President Obama. Let's give them the chance to implement the bill under President Rand Paul or President Theodore Cruz."
It's not a new idea -- Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) floated the idea in February. But as House Republicans continue to stall on voting on any immigration legislation, Reid's statement indicated that Senate Democrats aren't quite ready to give up.
Instead, they're continuing to go after the House GOP and calling for a vote over the next six weeks, warning that if the lower chamber doesn't act, they'll fully support Obama in taking administrative action to slow deportations.
Reid was challenged on why they are still pressing the House to act rather than changing their focus and asking the president to halt deportations.
"We've waited 329 days," Reid replied, referring to the time elapsed since the Senatepassed its immigration bill. "We're willing to wait another six weeks. But at the end of six weeks, if something hasn't been done, then there's going to have to be a move made. And it's too bad we have to do that, because we all know things can be done administratively, but it's better to change the law."