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Rank: Advanced Member  Joined: 9/9/2008 Posts: 2,849
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Obama, Activists To Push On Immigration Reform
By ERICA WERNER, Associated Press Writer Erica Werner, Associated Press Writer – Mon Jun 28, 9:54 pm ET
WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama is enlisting activists and labor leaders in a push for comprehensive immigration legislation that will showcase Republican opposition and include a speech by the president.
The strategy was discussed during a meeting Monday by a range of prominent labor leaders and activist groups. Participants said Obama reiterated his support for immigration legislation but noted the political realities that have stalled it in Congress.
Latino leaders say they will work in coming months to pressure Republicans to give way and support an immigration bill — and make opponents pay at the ballot box if they don't.
"We're going to make absolutely crystal clear who's at fault here," said Eliseo Medina, a leader of the Service Employees International Union.
Prospects for passage of comprehensive immigration legislation look bleak this election year, and even many Democrats are wary of wading into the hot-button issue. But Obama, who pledged as a candidate to make immigration reform a top priority during his first year in office, faces pressure from the Hispanic community to act — or at least to try.
That's only intensified in the wake of Arizona's passage of a controversial law that requires police officers to question a person's immigration status if there's reason to suspect the person is in the country illegally. Obama has spoken out against the law and asked the Justice Department to examine its legality. Activists anticipate that the Justice Department will sue to overturn the law, but in Monday's meeting Obama said that decision would be left up to the department, and he didn't give a timeline, participants said.
Also Monday, high-ranking federal officials visited Arizona to brief the governor and others on Obama's recently announced plans to send National Guard troops to the border. The National Guard decision dismayed some activists, who said there were complaints in the meeting with Obama about the administration's emphasis on enforcement. But after talking with administration officials Monday, Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer, a Republican, denounced the National Guard deployment as inadequate — illustrating the divide facing Obama over immigration.
The White House said Obama would deliver a speech soon on "the importance of passing comprehensive immigration reform" but didn't give more details.
Given the difficulties of achieving a comprehensive bill, participants in the White House meeting said there was also discussion of attempting to pass smaller pieces of legislation — such as a bill focused on agricultural workers, or one that would help illegal immigrant youths attend college.
Obama is to meet Tuesday with Hispanic members of Congress.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100629/ap_on_bi_ge/us_obama_immigration
~ Insults Should Be Written In Sand ~ Compliments Should Be Carved In Stone ~
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Rank: Advanced Member Joined: 9/9/2008 Posts: 2,849
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Obama: Immigration Reform Must Be Bipartisan Effort
By Gary Martin -
Express-News Web Posted: 07/01/2010 12:17 CDT President Barack Obama outlines the need for immigration policy overhaul during a speech at the American University School of International Service in Washington, Thursday. J. Scott Applewhite/Associated Press
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama launched a renewed fight for comprehensive immigration reform Thursday, saying attempts to fix a broken system have been “held hostage to political posturing and special-interest wrangling.”
The president singled out Republicans for blocking previous reform measures, and called on GOP senators to find consensus with Democrats on a practical approach that demands accountability from everyone.
“Reform that brings accountability to our immigration system cannot pass without Republicans votes,” Obama said in a speech to immigration reform supporters at the American University School of International Service.
“That is the political and mathematical reality,” Obama said.
The call for compromise was rejected by Texas Gov. Rick Perry, a Republican seeking re-election and an outspoken critic of Obama and his administration.
Perry said Texans are fed up with rhetoric and want to see more personnel, technology and strategic fencing along the Rio Grande.
“Secure the border, Mr. President, then we'll have a conversation about immigration reform,” Perry told reporters in Austin.
The speech is the first that Obama has delivered on the contentious issue since he became president. As a candidate, he promised to tackle immigration reform in his first year in office.
“Eighteen months later, he continues to deliver words, but no action,” said Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, who was instrumental in blocking Senate passage of a bipartisan immigration reform bill three years ago.
Obama's address pushed at Congress to pass immigration reform, but contained no new details or proposals.
~ Insults Should Be Written In Sand ~ Compliments Should Be Carved In Stone ~
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Rank: Advanced Member Joined: 9/9/2008 Posts: 2,849
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http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/obama-renews-push-comprehensive-immigration-reform/story?id=11062758President Obama Prods Republicans in Speech on Comprehensive Immigration Reform With Arizona Law Set to Take Effect, Obama Calls for 'Clear National Standard' and 'Accountability'
WASHINGTON, July 1, 2010
President Obama today sought to tap into national frustration over the country's "fundamentally broken" immigration system, calling on Republicans to join him in a renewed push for comprehensive immigration reform, which has largely foundered on the legislative agenda.
President Barack Obama delivers speech on immigration reform. Speaking at American University in Washington just one month before Arizona's new immigration law is set to take effect, Obama evoked the country's roots as a nation of immigrants, calling on lawmakers to establish a "clear national standard" for immigration policy, and prevent a patchwork of state immigration laws.
"The system is broken and everybody knows it," Obama said. "Unfortunately, reform has been held hostage to political posturing and special interest wrangling, to the pervasive sentiment in Washington that tackling such a thorny and emotional issue is inherently bad politics."
"Our task now is to make our national laws actually work, to shape the system that reflects our values as a nation of laws and a nation of immigrants. That means being honest about the problem and getting past the false debates that divide the country rather than bring it together," he said.
Related
Border Debate: How Secure is Secure Enough? Obama Sends out the National Guard Nearly 6 in 10 Back Arizona Immigration Law Obama's remarks come on the heels of separate meetings earlier this week with immigration and labor advocates and members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus at the White House, during which Obama sought to offer reassurances that the administration is committed to comprehensive reform.
"I'm ready to move forward, the majority of Democrats are ready to move forward, and I believe the majority of American people are ready to move forward," Obama said. "But the fact is that it cannot pass without Republican votes. That is the political and mathematical reality."
So far, no Republican Senators have publicly backed a bipartisan comprehensive immigration reform bill, and no Republicans have co-sponsored Democratic Rep. Luis Gutierrez's pending legislation in the House.
Obama reiterated his support for the reform framework reached by Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., earlier this year that calls for a "tough but fair path forward" for undocumented immigrants, and mirrors a plan laid out by Gutierrez that now has more than 100 co-sponsors in the House.
The proposals would allow illegal immigrants who have jobs, are in school or serve in the U.S. military to "earn legalization" by registering with the government, passing background checks, learning English and paying taxes and fees
"Our nation has the right to control its borders and set laws for residency and citizenship," Obama said of the nation's 10.8 million undocumented immigrants. "And no matter how decent they are or their reasons for being here, they broke these laws and should be held accountable."
But, Obama acknowledged, the country needs to develop a reasonable solution to the problem.
"Americans are skeptical of amnesty but they're also skeptical of rounding up and deporting all these people," he said. Deporting all of them "would tear at the fabric of this nation because immigrants who are here illegally are already woven into that fabric."
~ Insults Should Be Written In Sand ~ Compliments Should Be Carved In Stone ~
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Rank: Advanced Member Joined: 9/9/2008 Posts: 2,849
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QpukG6bCSmE&feature=popularIf anyone has doubt in regards to the serious problems at our borders then you need to watch the videos on the link above.
Sarge
~ Insults Should Be Written In Sand ~ Compliments Should Be Carved In Stone ~
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Rank: Advanced Member  Joined: 1/4/2010 Posts: 2,741 Location: on a hill in the hollow
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I just love the way Republicans do absolutely nothing for 8 years and then block every attempt to address a problem... then they actually have the gall to blame a Democrat claiming “Eighteen months later, he continues to deliver words, but no action,” said Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas. With the Party of No, how can anyone expect him to deliver more than words?
Governor Rick Perry is a prime example of Republican hubris and hypocrisy. Apparently, the word "compromise" is not in the Republican dictionary or they don't know the meaning of it. "The call for compromise was rejected by Texas Gov. Rick Perry, a Republican seeking re-election and an outspoken critic of Obama and his administration." Every call for compromise has been hit with a resounding NO! by Republicans, not because they have any ideas or prospects, but simply because a Democrat has called for compromise. If Obama put 100,000 troops on our border, it is a certainty that Republicans would try to block it even though it is exactly what they have asked for from Obama.Never argue with an idiot. They will drag you down to their level, then beat you with experience.
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Rank: Advanced Member Joined: 1/4/2010 Posts: 2,741 Location: on a hill in the hollow
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The president had put immigration reform at the top of his agenda while campaigning for the presidency, but after the financial meltdown, it was placed on the back burner. "I oppose amnesty, placing undocumented workers on the automatic path to citizenship, granting amnesty encourages violation of our laws and perpetuates illegal immigration" the president said. "America is a welcoming country, but citizenship must not be the automatic reward for violating the laws of America." "We must make our immigration law more rational and more humane, and I believe we can do so without jeopardizing the livelihood of American citizens." "Over the generations, we have received energetic, ambitious, optimistic people from all over the world ... our country is a welcoming society. America is a stronger and better nation because of the hard work and faith and the entrepreneurial spirit of immigrants." "As a nation that values immigrants and depends on immigrants, we should have immigration laws that work and make us proud," the president said. "Yet today we do not. Instead we see many employers turning to the illegal labor market. We see millions of hard-working men and women condemned to fear and insecurity in a massive undocumented economy." "Illegal entry across our borders makes more difficult the urgent task of securing..." our borders. "America's acting on a basic belief that our borders should be open to legal travel and honest trade. Our borders should be shut and barred tight to criminals, drug traders, drug traffickers … and terrorists." The proposal is likely to sit well with business leaders who already employ illegal workers in low-wage jobs. Officials estimate that about 12 million illegal immigrants, half of them Mexican, live in the United States already. The president's plan would allow workers who live in the United States a reprieve from deportation if employers agree to give them jobs for three years and are unable to find American citizens willing to do the job. Would-be immigrants would also be allowed to apply if they line up a job in the United States. Illegal workers would pay a fee to apply immediately for a green card for permanent U.S. residency. The applicant would still have to compete for the visa, but would not be deported for three years while the application is under consideration. Conservatives opposed to the idea of rewarding immigrants who break the law by illegally entering the United States say the president is basically giving blanket amnesty and encouraging more illegal immigration. Never argue with an idiot. They will drag you down to their level, then beat you with experience.
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