Boehner Going to Take 'Incremental' Approach on Immigration Without Majority of the Majority

New York Republican Rep. Pete King told PJ Media that House Speaker John Boehner is going to take an “incremental” approach to immigration reform, adding that some Republicans are concerned that President Obama might delay increased border security measures like he has done with Obamacare’s employer mandate.

“My own feeling right now is that a solid majority of, a clear majority of Republicans will not support the Senate bill as of now. I think what we’re going to see Speaker Boehner doing is bringing up incremental pieces and basically see where it goes,” King told PJ Media at the Capitol on Wednesday.

He commented hours before House Republicans met in the Capitol basement to discuss immigration reform.

“All I can say is that the bill itself right now will not be satisfactory to a majority of Republicans and they will, again, I think Boehner’s going to try to address it step-by-step and see where it leads,” he said.

King, a member of the House Homeland Security Committee, said more security on the border does not necessarily have to come before legalization. Many Republicans want the border more secure before giving any illegal immigrants permanent status.

“My main issue is security. If I’m confident that security is good, then I can see legalizing the 11 million,” King said.

“I’m not saying it has to come first. We have to make sure that it’s in the bill and that it’s real, it’s going to be enforced and that the president can’t waive it or the secretary of Homeland Security can’t waive it.”

King added that the Obama administration’s recent decision to delay the employer mandate in the healthcare law has sent off “shock signals” among Republicans. The law requires businesses with more than 50 full-time employees to buy insurance for their workers or pay a penalty of $2,000 per worker.

“I think what sent off some shock signals is that where the president has waived Obamacare for a year – could you just go ahead and waive border security for a year or two years or three years?” King asked.

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