Thread: Immigration activists weigh in on State of Union

Published: Jan. 26, 2011
Updated: 2:18 p.m.

Immigration activists weigh in on State of Union

BY CINDY CARCAMO
THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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One of the most divisive issues in America took up about two paragraphs in President Barack Obama's 14-page State of the Union address.

On Tuesday, he told both parties he'd be willing to work with them to protect the nation's borders and to pass some sort of immigration reform that would give millions of students who were brought to this country illegally a pathway to U.S. citizenship.

"I know that debate will be difficult. I know it will take time. But tonight, let's agree to make that effort," Obama said.

While the crowd met his comments with applause, activists on both sides had criticism.

Those pushing for immigration reform favoring those in the country illegally said it was just some of the same rhetoric of the past and questioned why he has yet to fulfill a promise he made two years ago.

Anti-illegal immigration activists blasted Obama, saying that he seemed to put illegal foreign workers and foreign students before the needs of unemployed Americans. They also questioned his support for unemployed American workers.

Angelica Salas, executive director for the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights in Los Angeles, said the Latino electorate is committed to seeing President Obama succeed but is disappointed that he hasn't kept his word.

"We are bereft, however, when one of candidate Obama's promises to our community, that of reforming our nation's broken immigration laws, remains unfulfilled after two years," Salas said in a written statement. "His promise to bring immigrants out of the shadows must turn into action that protects more than just talented students."

Salas referred to Obama's mention of the Dream Act, which sought to legalize some students who were brought at a young age to this country illegally.

"Today, there are hundreds of thousands of students excelling in our schools who are not American citizens. Some are the children of undocumented workers, who had nothing to do with the actions of their parents," Obama said. "They grew up as Americans and pledge allegiance to our flag, and yet they live every day with the threat of deportation."

The bill was defeated earlier this year by opponents who criticized the bill for having too many loopholes that reward illegal behavior. Read arguments for and against the Dream Act.

Anti-illegal immigration activist Roy Beck, who leads NumbersUSA, blasted Obama on his commitment to Americans without jobs.

"Pres. Obama spent most of the speech talking about preventing U.S. jobs from going overseas to be done by foreign workers there, and then incongruously argued for increasing the number of foreign workers to take the scarce jobs we keep in the U.S," he said.

Beck also criticized Obama for failing to push for mandatory E-Verify for all American employers. E-Verify is a free, Internet-based federal program that allows employers to check the eligibility of employees to work in the United States.

"...On immigration policy he failed American workers, declining to ask for reductions in immigration even though 24 million American and legal immigrants can't find a full-time job. And he declined to ask for mandatory E-Verify to put millions of them back to work by opening up 7 million jobs held by illegal foreign workers," Beck said. "Instead, he vaguely asked for work permits for illegal aliens and an increase in foreign workers."

Read more about E-Verify. For now, the system is only mandatory for employers with federal contracts, with few exceptions. The system is essentially voluntary for most employers in most states.

Read more about the issue in the Houston Chronicle and The Hill. Read reactions from other activists America's Voice and FAIR.

Contact the writer: 714-796-7924 or ccarcamo@ocregister.com or
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http://www.ocregister.com/news/obama-28 ... rkers.html

Sounds like the same old party line BS to me. They've been saying these same things for far too long. When are they actually going to DO SOMETHING? Talk is cheap, I want to see some real action.