WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate's top Republican is moving to disentangle contested immigration measures from stalled legislation to fund the Department of Homeland Security.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell wants to try stand-alone legislation to reverse President Barack Obama's November orders to allow some undocumented immigrants to live and work in the U.S.

The Kentucky Republican said Tuesday that he's "ready to try another way."

Passage of such legislation could set the stage for passage of a Homeland Security budget bill that's free of the immigration controversy that has sparked a series of Democratic filibusters.

But top Senate Democrat Harry Reid insists that a "clean" Homeland Security funding bill pass first before any immigration debate.