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There were about 30, all Mexican nationals desperate to avoid deportations that would separate them from their families. Living in Illinois, they appealed for help from their new U.S. senator, Barack Obama.

He turned them down.

It was one of the first times Obama could have used the power of his office to help defer the removal of immigrants who were in the United States illegally. Eight years later, with his powers magnified as president, such a decision is upon him again, this time with the status of millions of immigrants at stake.

That episode in 2006 represents just one early marker in Obama's complicated history with the politics of immigration. The son of a Kenyan immigrant, Obama has been embraced and scorned by immigrant advocates who have viewed him as both a champion and an obstacle to their cause.

Now, perhaps paradoxically, in their anger over his delay of executive actions that potentially could give work permits to millions of immigrants living illegally in this country, these advocacy groups also hold out hope that when Obama does act, he will be aggressive and leave a mark for posterity.

"Some of the hard feelings could be forgotten at the end of the day if he acts boldly," said Janet Murguia, the president of the National Council of La Raza, a leading Latino advocacy group.

Obama's record on immigration, however, is one of caution and deliberation punctuated by moments of determination amid some broken promises. With the president delaying executive action until after the November congressional elections, some Democrats worry that expectations have been raised beyond what he can deliver.

"If they weren't sky high before, they are now," said Jim Manley, a former top aide to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. "I'm not convinced they will meet the expectations of the Hispanic community."

White House officials say the delay will not affect the scope of what Obama intends to do. And they play down suggestions he is looking to build his legacy with the decision.

"The goal is going to be to do as meaningful a package of reforms as is available to the president through his executive authority," White House communications director Jennifer Palmieri said. "I don't think that is going to manifestly change from September to when we do this later this year."

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Obama and Immigration: High Hopes, a Mixed Record

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Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) told the San Francisco Chronicle over the weekend that he "is in the process" of opening an office in the Bay Area.

Unorthodox? Yes. Unexpected? No.

While you're not going to find many Republicans with presidential ambitions focusing their efforts on such deeply liberal terrain, Paul's move is his latest play to distinguish himself as the Republican leading the charge to expand the GOP. It's also part of his effort to endear himself to some powerful donors ahead of a possible 2016 presidential campaign.

Paul has spent the past two years talking to anyone who will listen about the importance of building the GOP brand beyond its traditional base. To that end, he has appeared in settings conservatives rarely venture into. He has givenhigh-profile speeches at historically black colleges, delivered an economic address in Detroit and has courted young voters nationwide with his libertarian-leaning views.

Now he's adding San Francisco, the home of House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), to his list. Paul has experienced some hiccups in his bid to broaden the GOP tent. But as the unofficial start of the 2016 presidential campaign nears, he's clearly not deterred and plans to continue his efforts to make himself stand out in the prospective Republican field.

The second reason it makes sense for Paul to build inroads in Northern California is money. You can't successfully run for president without a lot of it. And some of the most prolific donors are wealthy technology executives from Silicon Valley.

Many of them give mostly to Democrats. But Paul clearly sees potential worth cultivating.Politico reportedearlier this year that he huddled with PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel and Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg. Thiel donated millions to a group supporting Paul's father, former congressman Ron Paul (R-Tex.), in his bid for president in 2012.

As the Los Angeles Times reported in July, Rand Paul brought his limited government message to a San Francisco technology confab. "Dont be depressed with how bad government is. Use your ingenuity, use your big head to think of solutions the marketplace can figure out, that the idiots and trolls in Washington will never come up with," he said is his remarks.

Nothing Paul does happens by accident, even if it may seem random on the surface. Opening up an office in the Bay Area is a clear example of why.

Sean Sullivan has covered national politics for The Washington Post since 2012.

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Why Rand Paul is opening an office in Northern California