Mitt Romney carefully answered a question Sunday about President Obama's Friday directive that in effect stops the deportation of thousands of younger people whose parents entered the country illegallly.

Romney, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, told CBS' "Fact the Nation: "With regard to these kids who were brought in by their parents through no fault of their own, there needs to be a long term solution so they know what their status is."

Romney did not criticize the substance of Obama's act, but he did criticize Obama, saying he has had three and a half years to work on that solution but has done little.

But Romney would not say if he'd overturn Obama's directive. "We'll look at that setting as we reach that," Romney said. "But my anticipation is, I'd come into office and say we need to get this done on a long-term basis, not this kind of stopgap measure."

The Obama campaign was highly critical of this approach, issuing a statement saying it showed "a complete lack of political courage and leadership."

But former GOP rival Rick Santorum seemed to understand. He told CNN Romney "is trying to walk a line as not to sound like he is hostile to Latinos."