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A week after signaling that House Republicans would pursue an overhaul of immigration laws, Speaker John A. Boehner declared Thursday that his caucus is unlikely to move forward until President Obama gains their trust.

Theres widespread doubt about whether this administration can be trusted to enforce our laws, Boehner (R-Ohio) said during a midday news conference at the Capitol. And its going to be difficult to move any immigration legislation until that changes.

Boehner was making his first extended public remarks since releasing a list of GOP standards for immigration policy at a conference retreat last week. His attempt to place the burden on Obama illustrated the mounting opposition from hard-line conservatives and laid the groundwork for blaming the White House if a deal fails.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) said this week that an immigration deal remains a long shot in a sharply divided Congress. Rep. Ral R. Labrador (R- Idaho) suggested that Boehner could lose his speakership if he pursues a bill in a midterm election year.

Aides emphasized that Boehner remains committed to immigration reform and said he raised concerns about Obama because they had emerged as a consensus during the retreat. But his remarks drew rebukes from advocacy groups frustrated by the verbal zigzags of a speaker who has spent 15 months calling immigration a top priority while refusing to bring any legislation to the House floor.

The White House and congressional Democrats were left searching for clues Thursday to determine whether Boehner was caving in the face of conservative opposition or merely trying to manage an unruly caucus to avoid a full-scale revolt.

Hes in a very difficult position, said Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.), a key architect of a comprehensive Senate immigration bill approved last summer. Hes trying to figure out, in my judgment, a way to get this done without his caucus too many in his caucus rebelling.

Other Democrats were more pessimistic.

He put a test balloon up there and I thank him for that but I dont think he got the majority support, so hes going to try to put blame on the president, said Rep. Henry Cuellar (Tex.), who added that Boehners comments confirmed things he has heard from his Republican colleagues in recent days.

If you were the Republicans and you think youve got the Democrats on a good issue, like Obamacare, why would you muddle the message before you go into an election? Cuellar said.

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