Little progress has been made since the Republican National Committee released a report last year urging the GOP to take on immigration reform and shore up Latino support.

Republicans have actually moved backwards on the issue.

House Speaker John Boehner has backed away from his promise to push for immigration reform in 2014, citing his doubt that President Obama will enforce immigration laws. House GOP members also passed a bill last week that aims to curb Obama's executive authority to stop deportations in certain circumstances.

But while the Senate-passed bill has stalled the House, some Republicans are actively working to pass state immigration reform laws ahead of federal legislation.

Michigan Republican Gov. Rick Snyder has been more progressive in pushing for immigration reform in an effort to save his state's ailing economy, according to the U.S. News & World Report.

In his January State of the Union address, Snyder introduced a plan to embrace immigrants currently living in Michigan, as well as encourage them to come to Detroit to jumpstart the economy.

Snyder's plan includes an executive action to create the Michigan Office for New Americans, which is designed to help integrate new immigrants move to Michigan, and specifically Detroit. He also introduced a visa program to attract a goal of 50,000 immigrants to the state.

Snyder says that he wants Congress to fix the "dumb" immigration system, and says that he cannot wait for Congress to make a move. "People have different styles," Snyder told U.S. News. "I try to focus in on what the positive solution is to a problem. Don't worry about blame or credit. Solve the problem."

Also, instead of trying to limit Obama's executive authority on reform, Snyder is asking the president to use his executive power to bring more high-skilled worker visas to Michigan.

"This is a way for the federal government to help without a financial bailout," Snyder says. "I hope this can be done through executive action."

Republican pro-immigration reform strategist Alfonso Aguilar said it is not surprising that Snyder is one of the Republicans leading the push for immigration reform. He said governors have historically put pragmatism ahead of politics.

"The governors understand the need for immigration reform. Politicians in Washington say they are in touch with the people, but they are in a bubble," Aguilar says. "The disconnect is that ironically, conservative members in Washington are responding to the anti-immigrant lobby and talking heads rather than listening to the governors who understand the issue better."

Yet, Snyder is simultaneously focusing on potential political gain; Snyder is up for re-election this year in a state where Obama won twice by sizable margins.

Nevertheless, Snyder continues to be a divergent force in the GOP by actively arguing for reform.