Immigration embers could turn into political fire for Obama
By Susan Ferrechio
Chief Congressional Correspondent 3/21/09


"Stop the racist raids" signs are held by Latino activists as they protest recent immigration raids across the country at a demonstration and news conference in front of the downtown Federal Building December 19, 2006 in Los Angeles, California. (File photo by David McNew/Getty Images) President Barack Obama and congressional Democrats, already burdened with pushing through the president's massive agenda, seem to be sidestepping the issue of illegal immigration.
But with Hispanics expecting big things from the party they helped put in control of Washington last year, fancy footwork won¹t be enough. Hispanic lawmakers went to the White House last week to find out why Obama's
overflowing agenda left out the immigration reform he promised during his campaign.

Days before, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi had drawn criticism when she told an audience in San Francisco that some raids by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency are "un-American" because they separate illegal immigrant parents from their U.S.-born children.

The remarks brought quick denunciations from opponents of illegal immigration and amnesty for illegal immigrants.

But putting a halt to such raids has been one of the top priorities for Hispanic leaders. At their meeting with Obama last week, the Hispanic lawmakers managed to get the president to pledge that he is "pursuing ways"
to end such raids.

That may be the closest Obama gets to reforming immigration anytime soon.

"Immigration reform makes Social Security reform look like a walk in the park," said former Rep. Martin Frost, D-Texas., who chaired the House Democratic Caucus from 1999-2003. "It is the single toughest, meanest subject Congress has to deal with. Given the scope of the problems they are facing right now it would be very hard to put immigration reform into the mix."

If Frost is right, and many congressional lawmakers believe that he is, Obama could face the wrath of not only the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, but Hispanic voters in general, who voted for him by a margin of 2 to 1 over
Republican candidate John McCain and whose growing numbers helped Obama capture key swing states including New Mexico, Florida and Colorado.

"The President showed the CHC that, although it is very early in his administration, he understands that for the immigrant community it's the 11th hour, and there is no time to waste," said Rep. Luis Gutierrez , D-Ill., after the meeting with Obama.

The White House reaction to the meeting was much more subdued. "The President discussed how the administration will work with the Hispanic caucus to address immigration concerns in both the short and long term," a statement read. Obama also announced to the Hispanic Caucus he plans to travel to Mexico next month and immigration reform will be a topic of discussion.

Even if Obama wants to dive into immigration reform, he cannot do it without the cooperation of Congress and few there seem eager to put it on the schedule.

Lawmakers are preparing for a potentially colossal fight over Obama's $3.6 trillion budget and when that battle is over, they are anticipating the even more divisive fights over a proposed global warming tax and health care
reform legislation.

The chances of getting to immigration reform this year, speculated Rep. Michael Capuano, D-Mass., "are probably mediocre. It's a tough issue even if nothing else is going on." Capuano said it would be possible for Congress to pass immigration reform in pieces.

"I don't know how we can get a full-blown bill through," he said.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said he believes the 111th Congress will pass immigration reform. "The question is whether it will happen this year," he told The Examiner.

Peloso has tasked the Hispanic caucus with rounding up enough support in the House to get a bill through. Her top aides say the caucus needs to whip the issue with the members, "and see what numbers they get to."

Those numbers might be low, said Rep. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., one of the House's biggest proponents of immigration reform.

"There are a lot of us who are anxious to get it done, but I think a lot
more of us are anxious to put it on the back burner," Flake said.

www.washingtonexaminer.com