Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, the ranking Republican on the Senate Judiciary subcommittee on immigration, has not been invited, leading him to suggest the White House meeting is merely a "photo op" with Democrats.

"I do think there are divisions among Democrats on this issue that make is politically difficult for the president,'' Cornyn said, "The question I have is whether he is really interested in the topic or is this a photo opportunity."


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Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Democrat up for re-election in Nevada, which has a large Hispanic population, called immigration reform a top priority of this Congress.

But even Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., who heads the Senate Judiciary Committee where the legislation will be written, cast doubts on whether a bill could be crafted and passed in what is left of this year.

Another issue that distracts lawmakers on the Judiciary Committee from immigration reform is the Supreme Court nomination hearings that begin this summer for Judge Sonia Sotomayor.

There is not a lot of faith that Obama and Congress can rewrite the nation's immigration laws this year.