Conservative Republicans are ruling out any immigration legislation this year in the House. They insist the GOP should wait until next year, when the party might also control the Senate.
The adamant statements on Wednesday came as Douglas Elmendorf, the head of the Congressional Budget Office, told a House panel that overhauling immigration would boost the economy and reduce the deficit.
Rep. Raul Labrador of Idaho, who was part of a group of lawmakers working on immigration last year, said the House GOP leaders' principles unveiled last week were vague enough to garner support. But procedurally, he said most Republicans are unified behind doing nothing.
Rep. Joe Barton of Texas told reporters the issue was not ready for prime time legislatively. They spoke at a Capitol Hill meeting of conservatives.
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