Various representatives of undocumented immigrants lamented concerns over President Barrack Obama's decision to delay actions on immigration reform calling it a form of "betrayal". The long term effect, according to Senator Angus King, looks unpromising which could result into a bipartisan take of the Congress on immigration rights.
Senator King (ME-D) warned Chief of Staff Denis McDonough that White House might have underestimated the consequences of a broken promise to overhaul immigration reform. On Saturday, President Obama announced a postponement to his promise made on June 30 that puts his office on direct responsibility to address millions of undocumented immigrants crossing borders.
In an interview with NBC's Meet the Press, the president admitted that a political shift prompted the decision now that polls show Democrats' low favors from a portion of Hispanic populations in southern states.
Militant groups from Latino communities that make up Democrats' strongest political allies were angered of the current developments that took two years before the Congress was able to draft a bill. Frank Sharry, executive director of America's Voice, said that the concern mainly is whether the president will actually perform come the conclusion of midterm elections in November.
With White House's credibility issues and Republicans' aggressive ad attacks against the opposing party, the costs to repair the damage are much bigger, said Angela Kelly of the Center for American Progress. Kelly metaphorically compared President Obama's action to a failed marriage proposal, where the aggrieved parties expect him to take a more expansive implementation at a later time.
During the Congress' summer break, Representative Tom Cotton (AR-R) attacked Senator Mark Pryor (AR-D) of ignoring immigration issues in United States-Mexico border. Other Democrats who face similar aggressions took the concern to McDonough saying that if the president pushes with his executive action, it would cost the party's future in elections.
Neera Tanden, a former Obama aide who leads Center for American Progress, pointed out that it was the massive surge of immigrants crossing borders that delayed immigrants' reform. White House officials backed it up saying that there was a clear misunderstanding purporting a belief of security breach on United States borders.