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Reid urges Obama to act quickly on immigration

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nev. pauses during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2014. President Barack Obama does not support a Senate push to approve the Keystone XL oil pipeline from Canada to the Texas Gulf coast, White House press secretary Josh Earnest said Tuesday, hours before a scheduled vote. Republican leaders promised to take it up again next year if the Senate fails to advance the measure, or if Obama vetoes it. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nev. pauses during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2014. President Barack Obama does not support a Senate push to approve the Keystone XL oil pipeline from Canada to the Texas Gulf coast, White House press secretary Josh Earnest said Tuesday, hours before a scheduled vote. Republican leaders promised to take it up again next year if the Senate fails to advance the measure, or if Obama vetoes it. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

By Associated Press November 18, 2014 1 min read

WASHINGTON (AP) – Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid says President Barack Obama should take executive action as quickly as possible to curb deportations and remake the nation’s immigration system.

It’s a shift from last week when Reid said Obama should wait until Congress had completed work on must-pass spending legislation to fund the government into next year.

Other Democrats continue to argue that Obama should wait.

Timing remains uncertain, but Obama could act as early as this week to protect as many as 5 million people in the country illegally from deportation, and grant them work permits.

The planned move has infuriated Republicans fresh off midterm victories. GOP lawmakers in the House and Senate huddled Tuesday to weigh possible responses, with party leaders aiming for a solution that avoids a government shutdown.