Is immigration reform dead?

Democrats’ growing concern about losing control of the Senate this fall and the fear of a potential debacle in 2016 is now increasing doubts about…

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) (2nd L) speaks as Rep. Mo Brooks (R-AL) (R) and Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) (L) listen during a news conference September 9, 2014 on Capitol Hill. If an ultra-conservative such as Ted Cruz throws his hat at the presidential nomination, comprehensive immigration reform could be dead for good. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Democrats’ growing concern about losing control of the Senate this fall and the fear of a potential debacle in 2016 is now increasing doubts about whether any immigration reform bill can be passed during President Obama’s final two years in office.

Not only are Democrats pressing Obama to hold off indefinitely on unilaterally making immigration changes — not just until after the election — they are also saying he shouldn’t use executive authority to ease deportations at any time.

SEE ALSO: What Obama’s delay on executive action means for immigrant families

Perhaps, more importantly, Republicans appear to be turning away from comprehensive immigration reform, and even Democrats and independents appear less enthusiastic than at any time during the Obama presidency.

The cruelest cut, though, may have come from House Democratic Caucus Chairman Xavier Becerra, who defended Obama’s recent decision holding off executive action?even as he acknowledged the disappointment that came with the delay.

That disillusionment among immigration reform advocates was underscored by the arrest of Dreamers outside Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s office this week.

How soon is soon for immigration reform?

“The difficult side of that for many of us is that that won’t happen soon enough because we’re going to wait a couple more months,” Becerra said.

But that may be optimistic, considering the opposition lining up against Obama’s possible use of executive action on a major issue that many – including Democrats in Congress – believe should be something done through congressional legislation.

For it would appear that a certain amount of desperation has taken over the immigration reform movement, and how could it not?

President Obama’s record low unpopularity is clear to Democrats, especially those running for reelection this year who also recognize the warning from other vital political signs: A stagnant economic recovery, another costly war to be waged, mounting internal division over the tens of thousands of Central American immigrant children who have stormed into the country this year.

Just this week, a Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll reported that 35 percent of Americans believe the GOP would do a better job handling immigration, compared with 27 percent who supported what Democrats are doing.

Only last December, 31 percent of the public had more faith in Democrats on immigration reform while only 26 percent favored the Republicans.

With the 2016 presidential campaign effectively kicking off the day after this November election, how much chance is there — given these pressures — that the country’s political climate will have improved from what it is today for whoever lands the Democratic nomination?

President Obama considering immigration system changes

FILE-On September 6, 2014, President Obama announced that–contrary to his previous promise–he wouldn’t be taking any executive action on immigration reform until after  elections. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

But in the presidential campaign season, the GOP is likely to be pulled even more to the right, especially if Texas Senator Ted Cruz gets in the race and takes a tough anti-immigration reform position to win over the Republican conservative base.

Not to mention that another potential Latino presidential contender, Florida Senator Marco Rubio, appears to have done a turnaround on his position of only a year ago and says that he would now vote against immigration reform legislation.

The hope among immigration reform advocates is that enough Republicans in Congress will eventually bolt the hard-line opposition conservatives on the issue and join in helping pass the legislation, which has no chance without the help of GOP party leaders who say they want to get something done.

Even now, Republicans continue doing their best to tease the hopes of immigration reform advocates.

House Speaker John Boehner again recently even held out the possibility that immigration reform has a chance to pass in 2015.

SEE ALSO: What President Obama could learn from Jorge Ramos

“I would hope that the president would continue to follow the law, and begin to take steps that would better secure our border,” the House ranking Republican told an interviewer. “It would create an environment where you could do immigration reform in a responsible way next year.”

Sadly, though, the fate of immigration reform has become a mañana promise — it’s always going to happen next year.

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elections immigration immigrationreform impremedia

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