Conventional political wisdom suggests that immigration reform in a midterm election year has a snowball's chance in July of getting any traction. But maybe that wisdom isn't so conventional. Some Republicans say they are warily preparing for the possibility that President Barack Obama could use executive action this summer to bypass congressional gridlock and act on immigration reform. Those changes could include making noncriminals and minor offenders the lowest deportation priorities, a recommendation the Congressional Hispanic Caucus stressed in its meeting earlier this month with Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson. Republicans have good reason to worry, said Stephen Yale-Loehr, a professor at Cornell University Law School.
@highlight
Immigration reform could get a second life under the threat of executive action
@highlight
President Barack Obama has suggested he might act to curb deportations
@highlight
Some Republicans backing reform worry the President will act by late summer
@highlight
The next few months offer a narrow window for the GOP to sidestep executive action
"The only way to truly fix it is through congressional action," @placeholder told reporters on Thursday."