Krauthammer: Romney Right Not to Take Immigration Bait

Mitt Romney is playing it smart by refusing to be drawn into the debate on President Barack Obama’s new immigration policy, Washington Post columnist Charles Krauthammer said.

Obama announced last week that federal authorities would stop deporting illegal immigrants who had come to the United States as children. Krauthammer told Fox News’ “Special Report” on Monday night that the president’s action bypasses Congress, and Congress should be the body to respond.

“This is essentially a punt and I think Romney is wise to do it,” Krauthammer said. “First of all, this isn’t a presidential issue — it’s a congressional issue. This is an almost unprecedented grab of power by the executive from the Congress by essentially saying it’s not going to enforce a law. And I think it’s the Congress that ought to protest, and ought to be offended at the least — including Democrats in Congress — over appropriation of their power by the executive.”

Krauthammer said the Republican presidential candidate needs to keep the focus on the economy and not allow himself to be sidetracked.

“There is a clever trap by Obama. It’s a way to lure, first of all, Romney away from talking about the main issue — economics. Any day that Romney is talking about anything other than economics is a day Obama wins,” he said.