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In a speech he gave in DC, President Obama today made the case for a comprehensive overhaul of the nation's immigration system, which would focus on increased border protection, more accountability from businesses, and a pathway to citizenship for the nation's estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants.
Obama said this hot-button topic often led to "demagoguery," but he again urged both parties in Congress to come together on this issue -- just as they did in 2006, when a bill sponsored by the late Sen. Ted Kennedy (D) and Sen. John McCain (R) passed the Senate, only to eventually languish.
"The system is broken and everybody knows it," Obama told an audience of some 250 business, labor, and community leaders; immigration advocates; and law enforcement and elected officials at American University's School of International Service. "Unfortunately, reform has been held hostage to political posturing and special interest wrangling and to the pervasive sentiment in Washington that tackling such a thorny and emotional issue is inherently bad politics."
The president's professorial, 35-minute speech -- in which he made the case for reform in a detailed, point-by-point argument -- came after he hosted two private meetings on back-to-back days this week at the White House to discuss immigration.
Obama said that several of the 11 Republican senators who had supported the 2006 effort had backed away under political pressure. And he added that in the absence of a bipartisan deal on this issue at the national level, states like Arizona had decided to take matters into their own hands, which threatened to create a patchwork of local immigration rules where one clear national standard is what is needed.
Arizona's law, which requires that police making lawful stops inquire about the immigration status of people suspected of being here illegally, is "ill-conceived" and "divisive," Obama said, arguing that it also puts pressure on local law enforcement to enforce rules that are unenforceable, strains state and local budgets, and drives a wedge between communities and law enforcement.
In noting the steps taken to increase border protection, the president said the government had doubled the personnel assigned to Border Enforcement Security Task Forces; tripled the number of intelligence analysts along the border; and was screening 100% of south-bound rail shipments to halt the transport of illegal guns, cash, and drugs.
"Today, we have more boots on the ground near the Southwest border than at any time in our history," Obama said. "So the bottom line is this: The southern border is more secure today than at any time in the past 20 years. That doesn't mean we don't have more work to do. We have to do that work, but it's important that we acknowledge the facts."
Obama called an overhaul not just an economic or political issue but a "moral imperative."
"I'm ready to move forward. The majority of Democrats are ready to move forward. And I believe the majority of Americans are ready to move forward," he said. "But the fact is, without bipartisan support, as we had just a few years ago, we cannot solve this problem. Reform that brings accountability to our immigration system cannot pass without Republican votes. That is the political and mathematical reality."
The prospects for a comprehensive immigration bill passing Congress this year remain low in the current political climate, despite a framework put together by a bipartisan group of senators -- Lindsey Graham (R) and Chuck Schumer (D). And the president set no timeline today for passage of the sweeping changes he seeks.
Obama mentioned accomplished immigrants like Albert Einstein and Google co-founder Sergey Brin in talking about the contributions of immigrants who've helped America reap "incredible economic rewards." And he closed by quoting Emma Lazarus' "The New Colossus" -- the poem on the tablet of the Statue of Liberty. The president said it was up to each generation to ensure that the lamp she wrote about "continues to shine as a source of hope around the world, and a source of our prosperity here at home."
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When was the last time we saw a sitting president embark on a voter registration drive?
Spanky made a good point: by giving the equivalent of a 'death sentence' to businesses hiring illegal immigrants, the incentive to stay in the U.S. to work is curtailed.
But another point has been lost in this discussion: without an adequate labor force, many countries, ie. Germany, Japan and others with low borth rates will not have the workforce necessary to sustain their standard of living.
It's not just that illegals do jobs others won't--it's that they are a vital part of the economy who pay taxes, FICA (which they'll never collect) and provide a sufficient workforce to keep out standard of living high. Giving them a path to citizenship, perhaps with a substantial penalty fee to acknowledge they entered the country illegally (though not committing a felony by any means), is a legitimate solution to the problem. But it can only work with more secure borders and draconian measures to prevent businesses from hiring the undocumented worker.
Honest to Pete, this guy has ADD!! He is completely incapable of getting any one thing done. Hey, Mr. Obama how about you (1) take care of the economy (2) take care of the oil spill (3) take care of controlling our borders, you are not capable of taking on another task. You are so out of your league with this gig. Give it up.
The President should get prime air time and tell the American people that our government has come to a halt. He should have a chart, and explained to America what the Republicans have not done and how their no-votes are hurting America progress toward finanical reform and job creation.
Have a chart about what the Democrats have done and want to know- then tell the American people that the Republicans have decided to use the filibuster as a weapon to turn American against it's own in an effort to win votes in November.
Then this will stir an outrage for which the Republicans will have their backs against the wall and will need to start working for the America people or get voted out by them.
Thank you and GOD BLESS AMERICA
It would be a big lie because all Obama and the democrats have done is spend, spend, and spend all for their pet projects. The Obama administration and democratic congress have caused unemployment to rise and pass a bunch of pork laden bills that haven't helped anyone, except maybe some of Obama's union buddies. Obama is in over his head and cannot figure out what to do. He has no one in his administration that has met a payroll, ran a business or did anything constructive. A community organizer that somehow got the people to drink the cool-aid.
To fix the illegal immigration problem 1st start a round up, send them back from theie country of origin, and prosecute the businesses that hire them, and rent to them. If they have no job and no where to live they don't come.
I agree with Jan Brewer about her legislation, Its high time that Americans wake up, say enough is enough, elect the right people and do the right thing. Why should we let illegals in and get a head of the line of the ones that are trying to get here legally. Secure the borders first find every illegal send them home and keep on kicking them out if they reenter. And how come every time I apply for a job, im always filling out an I-9 form, that says Im legal to work in this country. Dont immigrants fill this form out too.
Ron Indiana, the immigration system isn't broken, the enforcement is broken. We haven't had a president with the intestinal fortitude (GUTS) to enforce the existing law since Dwight . Eisenhower. As for Gov. Brewer telling dumbama to do his job, somebody needs to, 'cause he sure as hell ain't doin' it.
Pat Boston, I notice you live about 2,000 miles from Ariz, Tex, New Mex, and probably have never set foot in either state. Yes, it's easy to complain about hard hearted, oppressive people when it's not your land being trespassed on, your property being stolen, your fences being torn down, and, oh yes, your neighbors or yourself being shot! You just sit up there in " BOSTON" in your ivory tower and judge the truly oppressed, the AMERICAN CITIZENS who are in fear for their lives on a daily basis from an invasion from Mexico. Oh, and by the way,those immigrants you mentioned, did they come here by plane or boat with legal certified papers or did they swim the Rio Grande or crawl under the fence with an AK-47 stapped to their back?
It would be nice if the president had his facts right, but he doesn't. He talks to what people what to hear and not what is true. The Statue of Liberty was given to recognize our quest for freedom from France.
The statue is not a beacon for the wretch, homeless, poor. The flame is a light to freedom of all from oppression - not a light to immigrate at your will. The Emma Lazarus poem is not on the tablet, it was a poem for the pedestal and is on a plaque inside the statue pedestal. Can we believe anything else he said for immigration. Note: He failed to mention that he and his DOJ is suing Arizona for their immigration law.
This does not sound reasonable, nor does it appear he is trying to get an unbias resolution to a complex problem. If he had said, the government is required to provide the immigration law to protect our borders and citizens, and we will work with Arizona to resolve the differences between their law and the current federal law. We will enforce our law to insure the safety of our country. This would have shown he has an interest in solving our immigration problems. Since he made it a partisan speech, no easy solution will be had. He must always have it his way. Sorry Mr President, this is not burger king and you can't solve this problem with one of your speeches. This problem requires action.