Obama puts immigration reform on docket

[AlphaCentauri]

Source: Boston Globe

On his very full plate, immigration was one issue that President Obama had yet to take on - until yesterday, when he discussed it with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.At a town hall meeting in southern California yesterday, Obama renewed his support for comprehensive reform, including a possible path to citizenship for law-abiding people who entered the country illegally, along the lines of the bill that stalled in Congress in 2007.

According to the White House account of yesterday's one-hour closed session, it was "a robust and strategic meeting" in which Obama announced he will go to Mexico next month to meet President Calderón and discuss, among other issues, effective, comprehensive immigration reform.

After the meeting, Representative Luis V. Gutierrez of Illinois, chairman of the Hispanic caucus's immigration task force, and advocacy groups said they were hopeful that Obama would address immigration reform this year.



Read more: http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2009/03/19/obama_puts_immigration_reform_on_docket/

[riverdeep]

1. As much as immigration reform is critical,

this is one area he can delay for the moment. It can wait until the economy is showing signs of rebounding. If he decides to go ahead with it now, and to go ahead with amnesty for illegals, I can guarantee you he will be a one term President. One of the few times that Bush's base became enraged and went into outright revolt was when he proposed amnesty. It will enrage not only Bush's base, but almost every range except the far far left and open border libertarians. It will cause nothing but a massive influx of illegals to come to this country before some cut off date. The Mexican President, of course, wants open borders. Why should they have to provide for their own citizens when another country is willing to?

Target business, penalize them severely if they knowingly hire illegals (including jail time), most will go back on their own accord. Do NOT grant amnesty to those who got here illegally; it is in no way fair to those immigrants that are taking a legal route. Secure the border as much as possible. Legalize or decriminalize drugs to eradicate the gang problem. The practice of kicking poor Mexican farmers off their land needs to stop. Work with pro democracy groups in Mexico that want to reform their corrupt government and do what we can to make Mexico a place that it's own citizens don't want to flee. This would be actual change, not the same pro-business and special interest group bullshit that passes for immigration policy.

[pampango]

2. Not sure that the Congression Hispanic caucus is a special interest group any more than the CBC

(Congressional Black Caucus) is.

If President Obama is and Senator Kennedy was behind comprehensive immigration reform, I'm willing to listen. It remains to be seen whether President Obama wants to take on such an explosive issue right away. If he does, he must really believe that it is an issue that needs to be dealt with expeditiously, because the political benefit is hard to see (given what happened in 2007).

He's an extremely smart person and politician, but he also seems to pursue policies that he believes in rather than doing what is politically expedient.

[JCMach1]

3. I agree... it would be toxic to touch this now

and possibly hurt any reasonable chance at reform when the economy improves.

[AlphaCentauri]

4. What is the relation between the economy the undocumented immigrants?

[JCMach1]

5. More about the 'perception' of illegals and employment

i.e. the scapegoating message of: 'they take our jobs'...

In a time of emotional job insecurity, it will be much rougher and possible toxic to push through MEANINGFUL and RATIONAL reform