President Obama signaled Friday that he’s open to an election-year deal with Republicans on a law that would legalize many immigrants but stop short of granting citizenship.
His surprise comments came after House Speaker John Boehner pitched immigration reform to the GOP — but made clear his party would not accept a special path to full citizenship for people in the United States illegally.
Obama hoped that “if the speaker proposes something that says right away, folks aren’t being deported, families aren’t being separated, we’re able to attract top young students to provide the skills or start businesses here, and then there’s a regular process of citizenship.”