With the Republican Party securing control of Congress, President Barack Obama has maintained his expressed determination to issue an executive action order on immigration reform if lawmakers don't act soon.

Obama acknowledged the Republican-controlled Congress may pass legislation that he will not sign, but he's "pretty sure to take some action" the Congress "will not like" it.

"That's natural," he added. "That's how our democracy works."

The "action" Obama referred to is on the topic of immigration. Obama reiterated that he prefers that Congress act on comprehensive immigration reform that would "strengthen our borders [and] would streamline our legal immigration system so that it works better and we're attracting the best and the brightest from around the world; and that we give an opportunity for folks who've lived here."

Obama has previously stated he supports the bipartisan Senate bill passed in June 2013, but admitted the legislation "wasn't perfect" and "wasn't exactly what I wanted." Obama said the Senate immigration bill was still "sound, smart" legislation that would improve both the immigration and economic system of the U.S.

The House of Representatives, led by Republican Rep. John Boehner of Ohio, decided not to introduce the Senate bill for representatives to debate and vote. As a result, Obama told Boehner he would "feel obliged to do everything I can lawfully with my executive authority to make sure that we don't keep on making the system worse, but that whatever executive actions that I take will be replaced and supplanted by action by Congress."

"You send me a bill that I can sign, and those executive actions go away," said Obama on Wednesday. "That's a commitment I made not just to the American people -- and to businesses and the evangelical community and the law enforcement folks and everybody who's looked at this issue and thinks that we need immigration reform -- that's a commitment that I also made to John Boehner, that I would act in the absence of action by Congress."

As Latin Post reported, Obama said he would issue an immigration reform executive action after the midterm Election Day. Based on Wednesday's press conference, Obama said the executive action may come "before the end of the year."

"We're going to take whatever lawful actions that I can take that I believe will improve the functioning of our immigration system that will allow us to surge additional resources to the border, where I think the vast majority of Americans have the deepest concern," said Obama, adding he will be in contact with Boehner and reelected Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky -- who is expected to become the next Senate Majority Leader -- on how they want to proceed on handling immigration.

Obama said if Congress wants to get an immigration bill passed, whether during the lame duck session or next year, he's "eager to see" what's offered in the bill.

"But what I'm not going to do is just wait. I think it's fair to say that I've shown a lot of patience and have tried to work on a bipartisan basis as much as possible, and I'm going to keep on doing so," Obama added. "But in the meantime, let's figure out what we can do lawfully through executive actions to improve the functioning of the existing system."

According to the president, he wanted immigration reform passed during his first term. He labeled immigration reform as his top legislative priority for his second term. Obama said he's open to engage with congressional lawmakers who are interested in working with him on how to shape legislation. The longer the inaction occurs, as Obama commented, the more likely there will be a cost to the economy and misallocation of resources.

"When the issue of unaccompanied children cropped up during this summer, there was a lot of folks who perceived this as a major crisis in our immigration system. Now, the fact is, is that those numbers have now come down ... but it did identify a real problem in a certain portion of the border where we got to get more resources," said Obama. "But those resources may be misallocated, separating families right now that most of us, most Americans would say probably we'd rather have them just pay their back taxes, pay a fine, learn English, get to the back of the line, but we'll give you a pathway where you can be legal in this country."

Obama said his executive authority could enable the aforementioned ideas undocumented immigrants could be doing, but he further emphasized Congress still has the opportunity to act, especially as the Republicans hold the majority in the House and Senate.

"I have no doubt that there will be some Republicans who are angered or frustrated by any executive action that I may take," said Obama. "Those are folks, I just have to say, who are also deeply opposed to immigration reform in any form and blocked the House from being able to pass a bipartisan bill."

McConnell, who held a press conference before Obama, said an executive action by Obama "would be a big mistake."

"It's like waving a red flag in front of a bull to say, 'If you guys don't do what I want, I'm going to do it on my own,'" McConnell said. "The president's done that on Obamacare, he's done it on immigration, and he's threatening to do it again."

McConnell's press conference comes after he won reelection in Kentucky against Democratic candidate Alison Lundergan Grimes.

Obama is scheduled to meet with Republican and Democratic congressional leaders, including Boehner and McConnell, at the White House on Friday to, according to Obama, "chart a new course forward."

__

For the latest updates, follow Latin Post's Michael Oleaga on Twitter: @EditorMikeO or contact via email: m.oleaga@latinpost.com.

Related