Thread: Obama is vague on immigration reform timeline

Obama is vague on immigration reform timeline

The president supports a path for citizenship for undocumented workers in the U.S., but they must wait their turn behind others who are already in line to emigrate.

LA TIMES
By Michael Muskal
11:01 AM PDT, June 19, 2009

President Obama this morning again backed immigration reform, but left open the timing for any push through Congress.

Speaking before Latino leaders at the Esperanza National Hispanic Prayer Breakfast and Conference in Washington, Obama said he remained committed to changing the current immigration policies to include a path for citizenship for the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants in the United States. As he has in the past, Obama also called for strong border regulation.


"Together, we must build a future where the promise of America is kept for a new generation," Obama said. "We also know that keeping this promise means upholding America's tradition as a nation of laws and a nation of immigrants. Those things aren't contradictory; they're complementary.

"That's why I'm committed to passing comprehensive immigration reform as president of the United States," he said.

Obama's vague language on timing for immigration reform is in sharp contrast to the way he describes other issues. For example, on healthcare, Obama has called on Congress to send him a final bill by the fall. But polls show that immigration is a more touchy issue, lacking the broad-based consensus of some others like healthcare.


On the substance, Obama backed a policy including a path for citizenship for those undocumented workers in the United States. He also said he wanted illegal immigrants to take their turn at the end of the line of those seeking to come to the United States.

That type of provision is designed so that immigrants now in the United States do not get preference in citizenship over those who waited to emigrate. It is one of the more controversial parts of immigration reform, opposed by many in the Latino community.

"We must also clarify the status of millions who are here illegally, many who have put down roots," Obama said. "For those who wish to become citizens, we should require them to pay a penalty and pay taxes, learn English, go to the back of the line behind those who played by the rules. That is the fair, practical and promising way forward, and that's what I'm committed to passing as president of the United States."

Obama also called for protections against employers who exploit undocumented workers and insisted that borders must be tightened against illegal immigration.

michael.muskal@latimes.com

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld ... 9385.story

On the substance, Obama backed a policy including a path for citizenship for those undocumented workers in the United States. He also said he wanted illegal immigrants to take their turn at the end of the line of those seeking to come to the United States.

I'm seeing some serious contradictions in the above statement. How can you provide a path to legalization for those illegals already here and want to see the illegals take their turn at the end of the line behind those seeking to come here?

The back of the line does not start in the United States, it starts when folks submit an application in their own country. I'm sure there are a lot of folks with applications pending that are outside the U.S. The way I see it, those people are at the back of the line. All illegal must go home to get at the back of the line!

Sounds like a lot of evasive, ambiguous, high-flown language intended to deceive or confuse to me, doublespeak if you will.

"We must also clarify the status of millions who are here illegally

Here's a clue . . . their status is "criminal".