Obama won’t take immigration executive action until after elections

(CNN) — President Obama will not take any executive actions on immigration until after November’s elections, a White House official confirmed to CNN on Saturday.

The decision to postpone means any political repercussions for such action would come after the congressional midterm contests.

Obama, who has been weighing ways to change the immigration system on his own after congressional action on the issue stalled, decided to delay any move to “take this issue away from those who would use it to score points as a kind of grandstanding issue,” the official said.

“It’s too big of an issue to allow it to be used as a tool for people trying to get votes,” the White House official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. “It isn’t about votes for any particular candidate; it’s about dealing with this issue in an environment that avoids the grandstanding we’ve seen in the past.”

The White House informed members of Congress about the President’s decision, said a Democratic source, also speaking on condition of anonymity.

Pro-immigration reform groups reacted angrily.

Cristina Jimenez of United We Dream said: “The President’s latest broken promise is another slap to the face of the Latino and immigrant community.”

Asked Friday whether he was considering a delay, Obama said: “I want to be very clear: My intention is, in the absence of action by Congress, I’m going to do what I can do within the legal constraints of my office — because it’s the right thing to do for the country.”