Obama’s move — seemingly an overture to win Republican support for immigration reform after meeting with GOP senators earlier today — earned a backhanded response from Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and was likewise chided by the leading pro-immigration reform group America’s Voice.

“Americans are hungry for real leadership on immigration, but this move by the President serves only to reward those who are standing in the way of real reform,” Frank Sharry, executive director of America’s Voice, told me in an e-mail, alleging Obama has taken “one step forward and two steps back.”

McCain, who reportedly requested a deployment during the meeting, said he “appreciate[s]” the president’s intention but thinks the move is “simply not enough” to tackle Arizona’s border woes. McCain “called for 6,000 National Guard troops to be sent, and he asked for $250 million more to pay for them,” The Associated Press reports.

Still, Sharry considers Obama’s decision a major concession to anti-immigration forces.

“Caving in to McCain and Kyl on ‘border-only’ immigration policy echoes the Democrats’ cave-in on immigration in the health care exchange following Joe Wilson’s rude outburst,” Sharry said. “It even echoes the eyebrow-raising White House announcement of support for offshore drilling.”

Neither of those moves, of course, won much Republican support.

Sahil Kapur is Washington correspondent for Raw Story and a regular contributor to the Huffington Post and The Guardian.

The Department of Defense announced today the deployment of two additional units to Afghanistan. A Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) that could have up to approximately 2,000 Marines will deploy to Afghanistan in November 2008 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. The MAGTF is composed of a headquarters and ground combat, aviation and logistics elements from units across the Marine Corps. The 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, from Ft. Drum, N.Y., will deploy approximately 3,700 soldiers to Afghanistan in January 2009 to increase the capabilities of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF). These units were previously scheduled to deploy to Iraq.

Upon the recommendation of commanders on the ground, the Secretary of Defense approved this request, which will increase the level of forces and military capability for NATO-ISAF and aid in the training and development of the Afghan National Security Forces.

The United States continues to be NATO-ISAF’s largest troop contributor, and remains committed to leading the offensive in counter-terrorism operations in Afghanistan, training and equipping the Afghan national security forces and assisting with reconstruction. Force levels in Afghanistan are conditions-based and will be determined in consultation with the Afghan government and NATO.