White House Giving Boehner Room On Immigration

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House is hoping Republican resistance to overhauling immigration is temporary and tactical. That's why President Barack Obama continues resisting pressure from allies to take matters into his own hands and ease his administration's deportation record.

For Obama, it's a high-wire act. If he acts alone to slow deportations, he probably dooms any chance of comprehensive legislation. If he shows too much patience, the opportunity to fix immigration laws as he wants could slip away.

White House officials say they believe House Speaker John Boehner ultimately wants immigration legislation. But they are giving Boehner space to tamp down the conservative outcry over immigration principles that he brought forward last week. And Obama doesn't want to appear as if he is telling Boehner how to lead the Republican House.

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