President Obama's Immigration Policy

I was surprised today as I suddenly learned that President Obama scheduled a news conference on Thursday morning. I read the newspaper everyday and follow the news, so I was surprised that I did not know anything about this news conference. Of course, I could not wait to see the news conference. The President talked about immigration and his decision to support comprehensive immigration reform. So for everyone who missed the press conference, here is a chance to get up to date.

The Role of the President

First a word about the Presidency. The President is the only leader who is elected by all the people, so he has the responsibility to stake out his positions on issues and try to build a national consensus around his views. He certainly did that on health care, as he held his party together and got enough votes to reform the national health care system. Now he will try to do the same with immigration reform. Here is a summary of what the President had to say.

The President's Immigration Policy

The President explained his immigration policy at the news conference. The President supports a comprehensive overhaul of the immigration system. He is trying to be comprehensive and fair to everyone, American citizens, legal immigrants, and illegal immigrants. The President's policy has three parts; no universal amnesty for those who are here illegally, improved border security, and a path to citizenship.

The President believes universal amnesty will encourage many more to come and contribute to the chaos that already exists. At the same time, mass deportations are impractical and will have a negative economic impact as many illegal immigrants are important, producing members of our economy. This approach is in direct opposition to American Values, and we need an approach that reflects American Values.

We should secure our borders without having to wait for new laws. There are more boots along the border than at any time in American History. Crime along the border is down. The southern border is more secure than at any time in our history. Some argue that we should not move ahead with immigration reform until the border is totally secure. The President believes that the border is simply too vast to ever be totally secure and this is not realistic.

American business cannot just hire illegals without any penalty. We cannot have a significant portion of the economy outside of the law.

People who are here illegally must have a path to citizenship. They must admit that they broke American Law, pay a fine, and learn English. Being an American Citizen has rights as well as responsibilities.

Stopping illegal immigration must go hand in hand with making it easier for legal immigration to take place. The President noted that his administration has make progress in this area. Additionally, the President wants the best and brightest from foreign countries to come to the United States and contribute to the American Economy. The President wants immigrants to come here and establish new businesses and develop American jobs.

The President wants bipartisan support for his proposal in Congress. He has spoken with religious leaders on both sides of the aisle and both have a new sense of urgency. The United States has made progress in the area, and the President believes the majority of the American People are ready to move forward. Members of both political parties must be ready to solve the problem.

Source: President Obama's News Conference, July 1, 2010.