Obama Preparing Immigration "Reform" - Citizenship for 12 Million Illegals

[Patranus]

WASHINGTON - The punishing battle over healthcare is still unresolved, but the Obama administration is quietly laying plans to take up another issue that could generate even more controversy and political division--a major overhaul of the nation's immigration system.

Already, senior White House aides have privately assured Latino activists that the president will back legislation in 2010 to provide a road to citizenship for the estimated 12 million undocumented workers now living in the United States.

In a conference call with proponents, White House deputy chief of staff Jim Messina, political director Patrick Gaspard and others recently delivered the message that the White House is committed to seeing a substantial immigration bill pass and wants to make sure allies are prepared for the fight.

In addition to the citizenship provision, the emerging plan will stress increased efforts to harden borders to make illegal entry more difficult. But that two-track approach has been rejected in the past by Republicans and other critics who insisted a border crackdown demonstrate its effectiveness before any action on citizenship could be considered.

As recently as the George W. Bush administration, efforts to win congressional approval for coupling the two issues were repeatedly stymied. And whatever proposal Obama eventually puts forward is likely to trigger equally determined opposition, especially with next November's congressional elections looming.

That makes embracing an immigration bill a significant gamble for the White House, which already has job creation, global warming curbs, and new regulations for financial institutions on the agenda for 2010.

Adding to the difficulty, polls show that the public is far more worried about the 10% unemployment rate and the fragile economy than anything else. By pushing an immigration bill, Obama risks appearing out of step with the everyday worries of the typical voter.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/health/sns-dc-immig29-final,0,5744314,full.story

Let me guess, the path to citizenship starts at the voter registration office.

 

[palehorse]

I'm not surprised at all... but, like any good critic, I'll wait for the bill in black and white before I pass judgment on its merits.

 

[boomerang]

Think of them as "Undocumented Democrats."

 

[werepossum]

http://www.baltimoresun.com/health/sns-dc-immig29-final,0,5744314,full.story

Let me guess, the path to citizenship starts at the voter registration office.

LOL
I've been expecting this; the easiest way to win re-election after alienating the voters is to make new voters. I really thought it would happen by the 2010 elections though, and that window is rapidly closing.

 

[CADsortaGUY]

I think those here illegally are now called "suspected illegal immigrants" not illegal immigrants.

 

[JohnOfSheffield]

I'm not surprised at all... but, like any good critic, I'll wait for the bill in black and white before I pass judgment on its merits.

That's one of the things i really like about you, withheld judgement until the facts are in.

Personally, i really don't care much except for one thing, i want to see canofworms victory dance now that the US has finally almost... well if you do this 20 times over you will have... caugth up with the EU nations.

 

[palehorse]

That's one of the things i really like about you, withheld judgement until the facts are in.

Personally, i really don't care much except for one thing, i want to see canofworms victory dance now that the US has finally almost... well if you do this 20 times over you will have... caugth up with the EU nations.

Thanks bro... but I'm pretty sure Canofworms will find a way to blame Mexican immigration on Germany as well... or England. You know he will...

 

[werepossum]

I think those here illegally are now called "suspected illegal immigrants" not illegal immigrants.

Nah, they are called "undocumented migrants". Also, drug dealers are now to be known as "undocumented pharmacists" and murderers are to be called "undocumented end-of-life services facilitators."

 

[Acanthus]

I would support a road to becoming a legal immigrant for the existing immigrants. However, I would want that road to be long and arduous, and involve migrants receiving no public assistance for 1 year. It sounds harsh in the context of the current recession where 1 in 8 families recieves some kind of subsidy, but i would want strict protection from deportation for people who were actively pursuing becoming a citizen. People who fail to meet guidelines for attempting citizenship can and will be deported.

Border security should be dramatically improved in florida, the mexican border, and the canadian border as part of ARRA.

 

[Moonbeam]

About the only thing you can do. Best of the bad.

 

[Hacp]

Illegal immigrants are already citizens, citizens of Mexico. They should go back to their home country.

 

[sandorski]

Amnesty is the only way to deal with those already in the country. It's pointless though if the Border still allows millions more to cross.

 

[Jaskalas]

We should not sustain an underclass in this nation. Especially not one with a bare minimum of 3x the entire population of my state. A bill that resolves that is a good thing.

On the other hand, I do not want the United States transformed into Del Norte. Those whose grandparents were part of our greatest generation who fought in WW2 will soon become a minority with no control of their nation.

The immigrants of the world should not be free to usurp the indigenous population. We've become a minority in our own land just as the natives did before us.

 

[Hacp]

We should not sustain an underclass in this nation. Especially not one with a bare minimum of 3x the entire population of my state. A bill that resolves that is a good thing.

On the other hand, I do not want the United States transformed into Del Norte. Those whose grandparents were part of our greatest generation who fought in WW2 will soon become a minority with no control of their nation.

The immigrants of the world should not be free to usurp the indigenous population. We've become a minority in the land we've fought and died for as the natives before us.

No its not a good thing. These people cheated, they cut in front of all the law abiding immigrants who applied for legal green cards and now you want them to enter the club first?

 

[sandorski]

We should not sustain an underclass in this nation. Especially not one with a bare minimum of 3x the entire population of my state. A bill that resolves that is a good thing.

On the other hand, I do not want the United States transformed into Del Norte. Those whose grandparents were part of our greatest generation who fought in WW2 will soon become a minority with no control of their nation.

The immigrants of the world should not be free to usurp the indigenous population. We've become a minority in our own land just as the natives did before us.

Sears will have a White Sale soon. I hope you're saving your pennies, cause me and some of the boys are getting tired of your Funk.

 

[woolfe9999]

So Obama has a political motive for wanting to legalize these undocumenteds, but republicans have no political motive in opposing it? The hypocrisy in this thread is thick enough to cut with a knife. The propopsed immigration reform is supposed to finish the job of closing off the border, and legalize whoever is already here. The replubicans want to sever the two issues, and address the issue of legalization after the border interdiction is complete and we can see "how effective it is." Fascinating. Border interdiction has been the republican mantra on immigration forever, yet suddenly its effectivness is in doubt? Seriously? Anything to delay the inevitable legalization right? Look, it's better to lay off the glass houses and just call the political motive gambit a wash and move on to whether it is in the public interest to do this.

It is ludicrous to not find a way to legalize the existing undocumenteds. They are not paying taxes and they are undercutting legal workers by working outside the system for less pay. Furthermore, illegals exist in a cultural vacuum because they are undocumented, meaning they tend not to assimilate, and especially tend not to learn English. Make them go through a national service program, give them a green card when it is done, then have them go through naturalization, including taking English classes.

There is only one real solution - slam the border shut and legalize whoever is already here. I don't get why this is even a partisan issue. It's a no-brainer.

- wolf

 

[Hacp]

So Obama has a political motive for wanting to legalize these undocumenteds, but republicans have no political motive in opposing it? The hypocrisy in this thread is thick enough to cut with a knife. The propopsed immigration reform is supposed to finish the job of closing off the border, and legalize whoever is already here. The replubicans want to sever the two issues, and address the issue of legalization after the border interdiction is complete and we can see "how effective it is." Fascinating. Border interdiction has been the republican mantra on immigration forever, yet suddenly its effectivness is in doubt? Seriously? Anything to delay the inevitable legalization right? Look, it's better to lay off the glass houses and just call the political motive gambit a wash and move on to whether it is in the public interest to do this.

It is ludicrous to not find a way to legalize the existing undocumenteds. They are not paying taxes and they are undercutting legal workers by working outside the system for less pay. Furthermore, illegals exist in a cultural vacuum because they are undocumented, meaning they tend not to assimilate, and especially tend not to learn English. Make them go through a national service program, give them a green card when it is done, then have them go through naturalization, including taking English classes.

There is only one real solution - slam the border shut and legalize whoever is already here. I don't get why this is even a partisan issue. It's a no-brainer.

- wolf

Yes there is a political motive. Its to get rid of the illegals so jobs can be freed for legal immigrants and citizens. Unemployment is at 10%, we don't need mexican citizens stealing them.

 

[sandorski]

Yes there is a political motive. Its to get rid of the illegals so jobs can be freed for legal immigrants and citizens. Unemployment is at 10%, we don't need mexican citizens stealing them.

If any are/were "stolen", they are already "stolen". Your complaint/issue is stupid.

 

[Patranus]

So Obama has a political motive for wanting to legalize these undocumenteds, but republicans have no political motive in opposing it? The hypocrisy in this thread is thick enough to cut with a knife. The propopsed immigration reform is supposed to finish the job of closing off the border, and legalize whoever is already here. The replubicans want to sever the two issues, and address the issue of legalization after the border interdiction is complete and we can see "how effective it is." Fascinating. Border interdiction has been the republican mantra on immigration forever, yet suddenly its effectivness is in doubt? Seriously? Anything to delay the inevitable legalization right? Look, it's better to lay off the glass houses and just call the political motive gambit a wash and move on to whether it is in the public interest to do this.

It is ludicrous to not find a way to legalize the existing undocumenteds. They are not paying taxes and they are undercutting legal workers by working outside the system for less pay. Furthermore, illegals exist in a cultural vacuum because they are undocumented, meaning they tend not to assimilate, and especially tend not to learn English. Make them go through a national service program, give them a green card when it is done, then have them go through naturalization, including taking English classes.

There is only one real solution - slam the border shut and legalize whoever is already here. I don't get why this is even a partisan issue. It's a no-brainer.

- wolf

If you read the article the GOP stated that if the government can prove that it can in fact police the border than it is open to talks.

Its like all of this health care debate stuff. Show that the savings exist before implementing new entitlement programs.

The Democrats know that they do not have the will to actually secure the border and the savings do not exist. Simple as that.

 

[palehorse]

There is only one real solution - slam the border shut and legalize whoever is already here. I don't get why this is even a partisan issue. It's a no-brainer.

I don't think the opposition falls along partisan lines. I think the opposition is based on the first portion of that proposal not happening, thus making the second part of the solution completely pointless... and costly.

I agree with any opposition to half-assed proposals -- not because of party affiliation (I have none), or some sort of objection to a bill that hasn't even been written yet, but because it seems rather obvious that the border must be totally and completely locked down before any amnesty can be effectively dolled out.

To this day, I have yet to see a proposal, by any party, that would finally and effectively secure our southern border -- not one. The "right" is too addicted to their cheap labor pool, and the "left" is too addicted to their Latin constituents.

So, now what? More of the same stalemate "legislation"? Swell...

 

[fskimospy]

I don't think the opposition falls along partisan lines. I think the opposition is based on the first portion of that proposal not happening, thus making the second part of the solution completely pointless... and costly.

I agree with any opposition to half-assed proposals -- not because of party affiliation (I have none), or some sort of objection to a bill that hasn't even been written yet, but because it seems rather obvious that the border must be totally and completely locked down before any amnesty can be effectively dolled out.

To this day, I have yet to see a proposal, by any party, that would finally and effectively secure our southern border -- not one. The "right" is too addicted to their cheap labor pool, and the "left" is too addicted to their Latin constituents.

So, now what? More of the same stalemate "legislation"? Swell...

I find it strange that in some issues people shriek for bipartisan solutions (that are inevitably these sort of halfway solutions), but on other things seem to view bipartisan solutions as weak.

I believe you are an advocate for bipartisan legislation on health care (correct me if I'm wrong), and you appear to be against the bipartisan compromise on immigration that we currently use. Why the difference?

 

[werepossum]

I don't think the opposition falls along partisan lines. I think the opposition is based on the first portion of that proposal not happening, thus making the second part of the solution completely pointless... and costly.

I agree with any opposition to half-assed proposals -- not because of party affiliation (I have none), or some sort of objection to a bill that hasn't even been written yet, but because it seems rather obvious that the border must be totally and completely locked down before any amnesty can be effectively dolled out.

To this day, I have yet to see a proposal, by any party, that would finally and effectively secure our southern border -- not one. The "right" is too addicted to their cheap labor pool, and the "left" is too addicted to their Latin constituents.

So, now what? More of the same stalemate "legislation"? Swell...

Quoted for truth. Both parties see advantages in a permanent underclass, so a permanent underclass we shall have. The only question is how many of us get forced into it.

 

[Zebo]

80% of Americans are against amnesty but our congress critters will do it anyway. Done deal. Republicans, being the mercantilist party for cheap labor for their buddies at Tyson et al and as a way to sink labor unions once and for all. what a better way than import viturally limitless unskilled labor. Make no mistake 12 million is just ones here, does not include inevitable 'family' reunification which will follow nor the children who are already classified as citizens. Democrats are doing it for votes.

We will be a third world country. And like all third world coutries including Mexico 10% is very rich and the rest live in squalor. Prepare. Won't be all bad for 10%ers....

 

[stateofbeasley]

No its not a good thing. These people cheated, they cut in front of all the law abiding immigrants who applied for legal green cards and now you want them to enter the club first?

The hand of the Free Market does not bend to the law.

Yes there is a political motive. Its to get rid of the illegals so jobs can be freed for legal immigrants and citizens. Unemployment is at 10%, we don't need mexican citizens stealing them.

Unfortunately, corporations and businesses FAVOR illegal immigrants because it means higher productivity and less wages paid out.

Capitalism, like technology, cannot easily be controlled by the government. Illegal immigrants will continue to stream across the border as long as there is market demand for their services.

 

[Patranus]

I find it strange that in some issues people shriek for bipartisan solutions (that are inevitably these sort of halfway solutions), but on other things seem to view bipartisan solutions as weak.

I believe you are an advocate for bipartisan legislation on health care (correct me if I'm wrong), and you appear to be against the bipartisan compromise on immigration that we currently use. Why the difference?

Some issues are the role of government and should be carried out in a bipartisan manner.

Some issues are NOT the role of (the federal) government and that is why they cannot be carried out in a bipartisan manner.

What many issues come down to is the role of government in the day to day lives of Americans. Everyone agrees the the federal government should regulate immigration.