President Says Immigration Reform being held hostage by politics

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 1, 2010

Contact:
Francisco Lopez, Executive Director: (503) 269-5694
Erik Sorensen, Communications Director: (503) 488-0263

President Says Immigration Reform being held hostage by politics

Calls for passage of comprehensive reform and for Republican Leadership to stop obstruction

Salem, Ore. - In a speech at American University today, President Obama reiterated the urgent need to fix our broken immigration system through comprehensive immigration reform. The following is a statement by Francisco Lopez, Executive Director of CAUSA.

"This morning, the President gave a public speech on immigration. The speech reflected what Americans already know: the need for comprehensive immigration reform is urgent.

During his speech, he pointed out the bogus and stale rhetoric of "border security first" proponents, the demonization of immigrants, obstructionism by Republican Leadership and the idea that we cannot ever achieve comprehensive reform because it's an election year.

President Obama reiterated his administration's commitment to comprehensive immigration reform legislation that provides a path to citizenship for the millions of immigrant working families. He also called for a comprehensive fix that would secure the border, crack down on illegal hiring, and require illegal immigrants to register, pay a fine and taxes, go through background checks, and study English, in order to apply for legal status and eventually citizenship. Now we need to see action that backs up those words.

Americans need to see that the administration is serious in tackling this tough and important issue, and is willing to assert federal authority to create order out of the chaos. The current immigration system has left states like Arizona and others to take matters into their own hands. We cannot have a patchwork of 50 different immigration laws for 50 different states. Our broken system is a national crisis that requires strong and relentless presidential leadership and bold action from the United States Congress.

Our country desperately needs an immigration system that works. Close to a thousand families are being torn apart every single day by a broken and inhumane system. Senators and members of Congress must stop playing political games with the lives of families and pass comprehensive reform legislation. "

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CAUSA, Oregon's Immigrant Rights Coalition, is a member of the Reform Immigration FOR America coalition and is the largest Latino and Latina civil and human rights and advocacy organization in the Pacific Northwest. We work to defend and advance immigrant rights through coordination with local, state, and national coalitions and allies. For more information, visit http://www.causaoregon.org/

ABOUT THE CAMPAIGN: The Reform Immigration FOR America campaign is a coalition of more than 600 faith, labor, business, progressive, and immigration reform groups that have joined together to get comprehensive immigration reform passed. For more information please visit www.reformimmigrationforamerica.org or http://www.reformamigratoriaproamerica.org/

Resources:

Transcript of the President's full remarks: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/remarks-president-comprehensive-immigration-reform

Posted in: Comprehensive Immigration Reform,Obstructionism,President Barack Obama