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Republicans favoring a broad revision of U.S. immigration policies are questioning why business groups arent doing more to force the issue with the partys majority in the House of Representatives.

Its been very soft, and we want them to go a little bit stronger, said Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, a Florida Republican in favor of easing immigration laws.

These Republicans say the party faces greater pressure to act quickly, particularly as President Barack Obama indicates he may curry favor with Hispanic voters by dialing back deportations that are averaging about 1,000 a day, more than under any other president. Such a move would jeopardize any remaining chance this year to pass immigration legislation sought by companies from Microsoft (MSFT) to Caterpillar. (CAT)

That would kill it, Senator Orrin Hatch, a Utah Republican, said of an executive act to decrease deportations.

A comprehensive immigration bill Hatch helped craft that the Senate approved with bipartisan support last June expires Jan. 3 without action by the Republican-controlled House. The measure includes an expansion of worker visas sought by many businesses, including the tech industry.

House Speaker John Boehner, an Ohio Republican, has put a hold on his framework for immigration legislation amid signs it would divide his party ahead of Novembers elections.

Unfortunately, those of us who want immigration reform dont control the House, said Senator Jeff Flake, an Arizona Republican who helped write the Senate bill.

Business groups have helped advance the issue, and are still meeting with lawmakers to push for changes, said Carl Guardino, president chief executive officer of Silicon Valley Leadership Group, a San Jose, California-based group.

Other than physically tackling a member of Congress, which is probably against the law, Im not sure how much more aggressive we can be, Guardino said at a Bloomberg Government event yesterday. What we cannot do is go on to the House floor and vote for them.

Representative Greg Walden, an Oregon Republican in charge of his partys 2014 House races, said in February that action in the chamber this year on immigration policy may have to wait until after most state deadlines pass for candidates to file to challenge incumbent lawmakers in party primaries.

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Immigration Advocates Asking Business Leaders for Push