Thread: Could this be the year for immigration reform?

Immigration reform
All together now

Apr 16th 2009 | AUSTIN, CHICAGO AND NEW YORK
From The Economist print edition
Could this be the year for immigration reform?

AFP

AMERICA receives more immigrants than any other country. But its system for dealing with them is a model of dysfunctionality, with 11.9m illegally present in 2008, up 42% since 2000. Past efforts at reform have failed dismally. In 2006 protesters filled city streets after the House of Representatives passed a bill making illegal immigration a felony; but the proposal failed to pass muster in the Senate. The Senate’s own effort in 2007 fared even worse. Police clashed with a crowd in Los Angeles. Opponents of reform barraged senators with so many calls that their phone system crashed. The Senate’s bill, designed to please all sides, ended up pleasing no one.

Now Washington may try again. With a wretched economy and long to-do list, it hardly seems an opportune moment. Yet on April 14th America’s two biggest unions, including one that helped block reform in 2007, unveiled a plan to push it forward. Luis Gutierrez, a congressman from Chicago, has visited 17 cities to build momentum for reform. A coalition of advocacy groups is planning an $18m campaign to make immigration a priority. Several big cities will hold rallies on May 1st.

The White House says only that Barack Obama will begin a debate later this year, but many reformers are giddy. “We expect something in May,â€

So 22 percentage are getting their way in our country by this poll. I wish these 22 percent would let us know who they are: elected official, employers, illegals, liberals, or what?

[quote]When Mr Obama may dip his toe in these choppy waters, let alone dive in, remains unclear. “The president has consistently said that he wants to start the discussion later this year,â€

I apologize for not reading the story. I just thought the picture in the original post was cool. All of those immigrants proud to be here. God bless them all!!! They surely do not look like illegal aliens showing their disdain for the United States.

Asia town? Maybe? I didn't know they rallied and marched in the street in the United States.