Thread: ILL-Activists: Immigration reform can't wait

Activists: Immigration reform can't wait

Monday, August 10, 2009 | 5:46 PM

By Theresa GutierrezAugust 10, 2009

(CHICAGO) (WLS) -- President Obama says immigration reform will have to be put on hold until next year. The president says the issue is important, but there are other matters his administration must tackle first.
A number of activists say they are disappointed that the Obama administration has not given immigration top billing. Many believe it has been a roller coaster ride for immigrant rights and now is the time to push ahead, not wait until later.
President Barack Obama, meeting with the president of Mexico and the Canadian prime minister, announced Monday that immigration reform is important, but other priorities such as his health care overhaul and financial regulation are going to come first.
"I would anticipate that before the year is out, we will have draft legislation, along with sponsors potentially in the House and the Senate who are ready to move this forward. And when we come back next year that we should be in a position to start after," President Obama said.
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Emma Lozano, a longtime Chicago activist, says immigration reform should not be put on the backburner.
"I am disappointed in Obama because he said he was going to do it in the first 100 days and that didn't happen...Hell yes, we are disappointed, because that they continue to enforce the broken law, families are being separated, and we can't wait any longer," said Emma Lozano, Centro sin Fronteras.
Jose Melendez is co-founder of Immigration PAC, an organization that promotes national immigration reform.
"We do believe that this is an important issue, and we're happy that it's being mentioned, we don't want it to wait, obviously. We do feel that this is something that needs attention," said Jose Melendez, Immigration PAC.
Congressman Luis Gutierrez, chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Immigration Taskforce, issued this response to President Obama:
"While it is a serious disappointment that the White House does not foresee a resolution by the end of this year, it is clear that the president understands the perils of our current immigration crisis. The American people want this done."
Many activists believe every day that passes without comprehensive immigration reform means another US citizen child is separated from her mother and another husband is torn from his wife.
"People are being hurt, the nation is not getting solutions, and the longer we delay this the more people are hurt, the more nation needs to wait for solutions," said Joshua Hoyt, Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights.
Lozano says just this weekend a member of her church was deported and taken away from his US-born children. She says another 40 are expected to be deported
"Barack Obama made a promise and he needs to keep it," Lozano said. "without separating families, because that's a sin."
The activists say it is up to them to make sure that immigration reform becomes a priority. On October 12 they will be in Washington to bring attention to their cause and to keep this issue at the forefront.


http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?sectio ... le-6958068

While it is a serious disappointment that the White House does not foresee a resolution by the end of this year, it is clear that the president understands the perils of our current immigration crisis. The American people want this done.

No , the American people do not want this done .

"Barack Obama made a promise and he needs to keep it," Lozano said. "without separating families, because that's a sin."

But...the Lord will make a way! Vaya con Dios!

Guitterez, the ethnic-hustling Latino political opportunist of all time...no sir, the AMERICAN people do not care about the demands of illegal aliens, nor the profiteers of illegal immigration, nor the race-hustling illegal immigrant advocates like yourself. End of story.

Just say NO MAS to illegal aliens' demands. NO MAS to amnesty. NO MAS to CIR. NO MAS to free health care for illegals. NO MAS to anchor babies. NO MAS....JAMAS!

Separating families is real big horse manure. The kids can go back to whatever country their parents came from if they are deported and even if they are US citizens. That would be the actions of a responsible parent, and a lot of them are not proving they are responsible parents. Instead they are crying over the unfairness of being caught breaking our laws.
As for Mr. Guttierez, I have a lot of unpublishable words for his wimpering.
A promise of CIR in the first 100 days was before Obama was sworn in and realized what humongous mess we were really in. Hope he gently pushes it off to 2045.

Comment on this story from alienmother52:

Why do everyone expect the man to fix things all at once. He only been in office for eight months. Give him a chance. Most of you said nothing when Bush was messy things up, now that we have a black President, it seem like you all are waiting for him to mess up. He got 3 more years to go, and besides he said everything won't be fix during his administration. We had to deal your Presidents, deal with ours.

That last sentence really makes you go hmmmmmm. Maybe Barack really is an illegal alien since according to her way of thinking he is the alien mothers president and not ours.

I think we'll be in a better position to fight amnesty in 2010 since it's an election year.

Furthermore, I'm guessing our economical ills will still be present next year. Basically, I think 2010 is as good a time as any to suit up in our battle armor againt the amnesty zealots.

And with so many Americans out of work their attempt for amnesty will be a harder sell than before. Maybe Obama is hoping by the turn of the year employment will improve but doubt it as they say that's usually the last area that improves when an economy turns around. And, yes, if he addresses it next year he'll want to do it early in the year it being an election year.