Rep. Cedric Richmond Cedric Levon RichmondRep. Bill Pascrell named chair of House oversight panel Rep. Cedric Richmond set to join House Ways and Means Committee Biden campaign ratchets up courting of Black voters, specifically Black men MORE (D-La.) suggested Sunday that Congress could more easily reach an agreement on immigration legislation if President Trump Donald John TrumpBiden on Trump's refusal to commit to peaceful transfer of power: 'What country are we in?' Romney: 'Unthinkable and unacceptable' to not commit to peaceful transition of power Two Louisville police officers shot amid Breonna Taylor grand jury protests MORE did not get involved on the issue.

Richmond said on CBS's "Face the Nation" that he believes Congress should vote on immigration bills ahead of November's midterm elections to show voters where each lawmaker stands on the issue.

But, he said, passing legislation "gets complicated" with Trump's involvement.

"I mean, the head of their party who occupies the White House said very early on, 'If you give me border security, if you give me a wall, then I'm willing to create a pathway to citizenship for [Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program recipients]. If you all get it passed I'll sign it,' " Richmond said, referencing remarks Trump made during a January meeting with bipartisan lawmakers.

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While Trump initially said he was willing to "take the heat" and sign a bipartisan immigration bill, he later backed off his pledge, instead issuing a list of four pillars that he would require in any piece of legislation.

Richmond said Sunday that the president's additional criteria have made it difficult to come to consensus.

"[Trump's] role in Congress gets complicated a little bit because you have to introduce the president," Richmond said. "If we didn't have a White House involved, I think there are a bunch of issues we could have — we could come together on."

Richmond's comments come after some House Republicans pushed party leadership to take up immigration legislation that would address border security and the fate of young immigrants in the country illegally.

Republican leaders reached an agreement to hold two votes next week on a pair of immigration bills. However, those plans were complicated when Trump declared in a "Fox & Friends" interview that he "certainly" would not sign the compromise bill being presented.

The White House later clarified that Trump would sign either bill.

The debate over immigration policy has intensified in recent weeks after the Trump administration enacted a "zero tolerance" policy to criminally prosecute adults attempting to cross into the U.S. illegally via the southern border. The policy has led to the separation of parents and children who illegally cross together.

Both Democrats and Republicans have spoken out against the policy, but the White House has pinned the blame for the practice on Democrats.

Amid ongoing partisan strife, Richmond said Sunday that it falls to Congress to bridge the divide.

"It will have to come from Congress. That's clear," he said. "But we just need to make sure that we judge people by a whole bunch of factors, but it shouldn't be political parties, shouldn't be race, shouldn't be gender, shouldn't be sexual orientation."

"It should just be whether the person is a nice person or not," he continued. "And to the extent that you agree that the person is a nice person, then you try to find common ground."