White House Chief of Staff Silent on Leaked Illegal Immigration Memo

WASHINGTON (AP/TheBlaze) -- President Barack Obama's chief of staff says the White House hasn't proposed "anything to Capitol Hill yet" on immigration even as a leading Republican criticizes a reported draft proposal regarding illegal immigrants.

That draft, according to USA Today, would create a visa for the estimated 11 million illegal immigrants in the United States and allow them to become legal permanent residents within eight years.

Obama aide Denis McDonough tells ABC's "This Week" that the White House is working with a bipartisan group of senators.

Politico reports:

"We've not proposed anything to Capitol Hill yet," McDonough said on ABC's "This Week." "We've got a bill, we're doing exactly what the president said we would do last month in Las Vegas, which is we're preparing. We're going to be ready.  We have developed each of these proposals so we have them in a position so that we can succeed."

White House chief of staff Denis McDonough said nothing about the administration's plan for illegal immigration has been proposed on Capitol Hill yet. (AP)

McDonough also pledged on CBS that the White House would push forward even if talks stall:

"The president laid out in Las Vegas just last week that we will be prepared with our own plan if these ongoing talks between Republicans and Democrats up on Capitol Hill break down," Denis McDonough said on CBS's "Face the Nation." "There’s no evidence that they’ve broken down yet. We’re continuing to support that. We’re involved in those efforts by providing them technical assistance and providing them ideas."

McDonough also slammed Republican senators for leaving critical national security nominations, especially CIA nominee John Brennan, in limbo. Host Bob Schieffer pressed the chief of staff on "70 emails that went back-and-forth during that week on what Susan Rice should say on this broadcast and on the other Sunday talk shows."

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) said if such a measure were proposed, it would be "dead on arrival" in Congress.

McDonough says "let's make sure that it doesn't have to be proposed" because the White House and Congress are able to work out a deal.