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# Republicans Back Off Obama's Immigration Policy
- URL: https://ivn.us/republicans-back-off-obamas-immigration-policy/
- Published: 2012-06-18T16:46:10.000Z
- Updated: 2026-06-22T19:26:04.000Z
- Author: Jane Susskind
- Tags: News

Republican backlash to the [changes](https://ivn.us/2012/06/15/obamas-immigration-policy-spurs-gop-criticism/) in immigration policy made Friday by the president has been relatively mild, with GOP leaders backing down from attacks.

In case you missed it, Obama halted deportation of illegal immigrants who have met a certain criteria and gave them the opportunity to apply for work permits in the country.

In response to Obama's immigration plan, presidential candidate Mitt Romney told CBS News' Bob Schieffer:

> If he really wanted to make a solution that dealt with these kids or with the illegal immigration in America, then this is something he would have taken up in his first three and a half years, not in his last few months.

Schieffer asked Romney five times if he would repeal Obama's "mini-DREAM Act," but Romney refused to answer. Salon's Alex Seitz-Wald [explains](http://www.salon.com/2012/06/18/gop%5Ftakes%5Fa%5Fpass%5Fon%5Fimmigration/?ref=ivn.us) Romney's options:

> He can’t praise Obama, but he can’t slam the new policy too hard and risk looking like he hates Latinos.Also, House Republicans canceled an afternoon news conference on Obama's policy, refusing to state why.