Thread: ALIPAC Obama calls for comprehensive immigration bill at Ame

Obama calls for comprehensive immigration bill at American University

By Michael W. Savage, Anne E. Kornblut and Debbi Wilgoren
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, July 1, 2010; 1:24 PM

President Obama on Thursday acknowledged that a failure by Washington to address immigration has led to a system that is "broken and dangerous," as he attempted to make the case for comprehensive immigration reform.

Speaking at American University, Obama conceded that pressure had grown over the issue because of what he said was Congress's reluctance to act. He backed a plan to give America's 11 million undocumented migrants a pathway to citizenship, together with measures to further secure the southwestern border. But he said reform would be impossible while the GOP blocked attempts.

"I'm ready to move, the majority of Democrats are ready to move and I believe the majority of Americans are ready to move," Obama said. He urged Republicans to put partisanship to one side to "resolve this problem once and for all."

However, the president did not outline any details for immigration reform or set a timetable for dealing with a reform bill during the half-hour speech. That will disappoint those pushing Obama to fulfill his election pledge to take up the issue.

He said that "years of patchwork fixes" had led to an immigration system that was creaking, adding that Arizona's controversial law clamping down on illegal immigration was the result of the impasse in Congress. However, he criticized the law, which gives officers more power to check the status of those suspected of entering the country illegally, as "ill-conceived."

"It is the constant flow of immigration that helped make America what it is," he said, adding that recent migrants had helped America's economy stay competitive.

"The process of who is and who isn't allowed to enter this country and on what terms has always been contentious, and that remains true," Obama told an audience of 250, including lawmakers and reform advocates.

While he said amnesty would be "unwise and unfair," he also said apprehending all undocumented migrants would be impossible. He argued the border was now more secure than at any time in the past 20 years and that reform in other areas was now needed.

"We can create a pathway for legal status that is fair, reflective of our values, and works," he said. "The question now is whether we will have the courage and political will."

A stream of headlines on immigration has increased pressure on the White House to intervene. Campaigners on both sides of the debate have complained about Congress's inaction.

The speech drew quick criticism from those who want more enforcement of immigration laws. "Obama's speech was the same old tricks, since he confused legal immigrants with illegal aliens and offered the false choice of blanket amnesty vs. mass deportations," said William Gheen, of the anti-illegal-immigrant group, Americans for Legal Immigration. "Obama is trying to trick the American public by confusing legal and illegal and offering false choices, instead of doing his job properly."


But there was an enthusiastic response from one Republican group backing reform. "This was the first real time the president has addressed immigration reform, and this is the speech we wanted," said Juan Hernandez, founder of Hispanic Republicans of Texas.

"He now needs to get on the phone. There are Republicans who will work with him, but they needed him to move first. We got health care done. We can get this done," Hernandez said.

Obama's plea to Republicans came in a week in which he has indicated a renewed push on immigration reform, a topic he had promised, during his presidential election campaign, to take on early in his first term.

He met with reform advocates Monday to talk about his commitment to the issue. In an hour-long meeting Tuesday, the president and a group of Hispanic members of Congress discussed how to proceed.

Hispanics could play an important part in the Democrats' fortunes in the midterm elections. Two-thirds of Hispanic voters backed Obama in 2008. Most members of Congress still believe pushing ahead with immigration reform this year is unlikely.

Most Americans support the Arizona law, according to a recent Washington Post-ABC News poll, but most also still back a program giving those here illegally the right to earn legal documentation. In Virginia's suburban Prince William County, about 40 minutes from Washington, local leaders have called for passage of legislation similar to the Arizona statute.

Democrats are pessimistic about passing any new immigration laws this year, in part because their lead Republican partner in Congress, Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (S.C.), has said Congress should proceed with other issues instead.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... id=topnews

You can always find my quote in Quadrant 3, just past the half way mark in any article.

Yes, you can always find me placed in the least read and least remembered section of any article surrounded by quotes and sources supporting Amnesty before and after my comments.

W

Isn't that nice. They got a quote from Juan Hernandez, McCain's former adviser and staff member.

Dixie

Originally Posted by Dixie

Isn't that nice. They got a quote from Juan Hernandez, McCain's former adviser and staff member.

Dixie

One of my reasons for not voting McCain was Juan Hernandez. Let's just wave another red flag at the American people.