President Obama announced his plans for immigration reform on Thursday.
The President is using his executive power to implement the plan for millions of the undocumented. The Senate already passed the immigration bill, and the Republican dominated House has not taken up the issue.
The statement from the President addressed issues with securing borders, expanding the visa programs for tech skilled workers, and the undocumented and already here striving for their living.
For the latter group, the President spent some time selling out his plans. We are exploiting those people; they work hard for their families at lower wages. They should not living in fear, but in hopes. He calls out for bipartisan effort on tackling on this issue. The announced plan suggests legalizing those who have been here in the States for more than five years, whose family members have resident status or citizenship, having no criminal background, and pay taxes.
It is not possible to deport millions of the undocumented, the President emphasized. We are deporting more felons, criminals, and gangs. Those illegal border crossing is at the lowest levels since 70's. He told the stories of parents working for their families, and students that are assets for our businesses and military. The Republicans must deal with it and another government shutdown does not solve any problems.
Since he did not mention any oppositions from his party members, there only be 'guesses' about the opposition from the union members, which may or may not explain how the major TV stations boycotted the broadcast of his speech today.
Considering the importance of winning the votes from one of the most important voting blocks of the party, perhaps it might be wiser at least to present themselves not as excluding them out, and this should be a warning. The President again showed his political wisdom that could lead a win for his party, or even a win for this nation, if not for humanity.
Let us hope that his leadership will bring results.
The President is using his executive power to implement the plan for millions of the undocumented. The Senate already passed the immigration bill, and the Republican dominated House has not taken up the issue.
The statement from the President addressed issues with securing borders, expanding the visa programs for tech skilled workers, and the undocumented and already here striving for their living.
For the latter group, the President spent some time selling out his plans. We are exploiting those people; they work hard for their families at lower wages. They should not living in fear, but in hopes. He calls out for bipartisan effort on tackling on this issue. The announced plan suggests legalizing those who have been here in the States for more than five years, whose family members have resident status or citizenship, having no criminal background, and pay taxes.
It is not possible to deport millions of the undocumented, the President emphasized. We are deporting more felons, criminals, and gangs. Those illegal border crossing is at the lowest levels since 70's. He told the stories of parents working for their families, and students that are assets for our businesses and military. The Republicans must deal with it and another government shutdown does not solve any problems.
The actions I'm taking are not only lawful, they're the kinds of actions taken by every single Republican President and every single Democratic President for the past half century. And to those Members of Congress who question my authority to make our immigration system work better, or question the wisdom of me acting where Congress has failed, I have one answer: Pass a bill. I want to work with both parties to pass a more permanent legislative solution. And the day I sign that bill into law, the actions I take will no longer be necessary. Meanwhile, don't let a disagreement over a single issue be a deal-breaker on every issue. That's not how our democracy works, and Congress certainly shouldn't shut down our government again just because we disagree on this. Americans are tired of gridlock. What our country needs from us right now is a common purpose – a higher purpose.
Most Americans support the types of reforms I've talked about tonight. But I understand the disagreements held by many of you at home. Millions of us, myself included, go back generations in this country, with ancestors who put in the painstaking work to become citizens. So we don't like the notion that anyone might get a free pass to American citizenship. I know that some worry immigration will change the very fabric of who we are, or take our jobs, or stick it to middle-class families at a time when they already feel like they've gotten the raw end of the deal for over a decade. I hear these concerns. But that's not what these steps would do. Our history and the facts show that immigrants are a net plus for our economy and our society. And I believe it's important that all of us have this debate without impugning each other's character.
Because for all the back-and-forth of Washington, we have to remember that this debate is about something bigger. It's about who we are as a country, and who we want to be for future generations.
Since he did not mention any oppositions from his party members, there only be 'guesses' about the opposition from the union members, which may or may not explain how the major TV stations boycotted the broadcast of his speech today.
Considering the importance of winning the votes from one of the most important voting blocks of the party, perhaps it might be wiser at least to present themselves not as excluding them out, and this should be a warning. The President again showed his political wisdom that could lead a win for his party, or even a win for this nation, if not for humanity.
Let us hope that his leadership will bring results.