Immigration Rising on House GOP Agenda - Obama backs off while States charge ahead

Conservative blogger Jennifer Rubin finds cause for optimism on the immigration reform front in the house as leaders begin to stake out positions: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/right-turn/wp/2014/01/22/positive-signs-for-immigration-reform/

The Hill also reports that the 3rd ranking House Republican is calling for legal status, but not citizenship, for undocumented immigrants:  http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/right-turn/wp/2014/01/22/positive-signs-for-immigration-reform/

Meanwhile, President Obama is holding off on taking any executive action to allow the House time to work out a deal: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/right-turn/wp/2014/01/22/positive-signs-for-immigration-reform/

Meanwhile, states have been taking action on immigration in the absence of a bill passing at the federal level; http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/govbeat/wp/2014/01/21/states-take-action-on-immigration-as-congress-stalls/

Immigration Texas is back! Stories on the state of play in the House and Europe's concerns over intra-EU migration

The politics of immigration hasn't changed much since my last post in July.  The House of Representatives has not taken action on the Senate's comprehensive bill, and the current expectation is that some action might be taken in the Spring:
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/09/us/politics/house-republicans-preparing-plan-for-immigration-overhaul.html?_r=0
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is joining with business interests, labor and immigration advocates to push for action by the House: http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2014/01/08/us-chamber-of-commerce-immigration-election-tea-party/4372125/

In Europe, immigration from Bulgaria and Romania has raised issues about intra-EU migration:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/british-welcome-of-immigrants-wears-thin/2014/01/07/25f2b560-7568-11e3-bc6b-712d770c3715_story.html

The issue has impacted German politics as well as in Britain:
http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304347904579308380486793934
But some say the issue has been overblown:
http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/cities-say-southeastern-european-immigrants-not-a-massive-problem-a-942663.html#ref=nl-international