The President is ready to accept a piecemeal approach to passing immigration reform if the GOP is ready to let all pieces of the bill pass through. In an interview with Wall Street Journal Business Leaders forum, he made it clear that he preferred the Senate version of the bill; however, he is ready to support the piecemeal approach advocated by the Republican Leaders in the house.

Obama made it clear that as long as the core values are delivered, he doesn’t care if the Republicans chop the bill into pieces. However, he asserted that he didn’t want the easy parts such as agricultural jobs pass while leaving behind other tougher issues.

The Executives at Wall Street Journal CEO Council considered immigration reform their top priority believing it would provide an instant impetus to the US economy. Obama believes the Congress would pass the bill by the end of the year.

Shortly after the President finished the address, Rep. Paul Ryan said the bill would not get done this year as there wasn’t enough time to debate upon it. He further added that it was irresponsible to rush into the bill just because it is the end of the calendar year.

Ryan gave a ray of hope to Democrats when he said that some GOP House members supported the pathway to citizenship for the 11 million undocumented. However, he said the House wanted to intentionally make the pathway to citizenship tougher and longer to encourage future immigrants to immigrate legally. The Senate Bill provides a 13 year pathway to citizenship.

The House GOP is reluctant to take up the piecemeal approach as of now as they feel that the piecemeal approach would lose out to the Senate Bill in the House-Senate conference committee to resolve bill disagreements.

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