Las Vegas (CNN) -- President Barack Obama threw his full support behind a comprehensive overhaul of U.S. immigration laws on Tuesday, saying "now's the time" to replace a system he called "out of date and badly broken."
Speaking at a majority Hispanic high school in Las Vegas, Obama said "a broad consensus is emerging" behind the issue across the country, with signs of progress in Congress.
However, he acknowledged a fierce debate ahead on an issue he described as emotional and challenging, but vital to economic growth and ensuring equal opportunity for all.
"At this moment, it looks like there's a genuine desire to get this done soon. And that's very encouraging," Obama said, later adding: "This time, action must follow. We can't allow immigration reform to get bogged down in an endless debate."
The president spoke a day after eight senators -- four from each party -- introduced a framework for overhauling the immigration system that would provide an eventual path to citizenship for most of the more than 11 million undocumented immigrants in America.
While touted as a breakthrough by its drafters, the plan was similar in many aspects to previous immigration reform efforts that have failed in recent years.
Exit polls in November indicated that Latino voters overwhelmingly supported Obama over GOP challenger Mitt Romney, who had advocated a policy that amounted to forcing undocumented immigrants to deport themselves. Obama won Nevada, a battleground state with a large Hispanic population.
Obama appeared on Tuesday at Del Sol High School, which has a 54% Hispanic student body, according to U.S. News and World Report rankings. The president, in his speech, specified three pillars of immigration reform: better enforcement of immigration laws, providing a path to citizenship for the more than 11 million undocumented immigrants already in the country, and reforming the legal immigration system.
To earn the opportunity for citizenship, Obama said undocumented immigrants must first pass a background check, learn English, pay a penalty, and then get "in the back of the line" behind people trying to come to America legally. Millions of undocumented immigrants would get immediate but provisional status to live and work in the United States, under the compromise plan crafted by the senate group. That outline also called for strengthening border controls, improved monitoring of visitors and cracking down on hiring undocumented workers. Only after those steps occurred could undocumented immigrants already in the country begin the process of getting permanent residence -- green cards -- as a step toward citizenship, the senators said at a news conference on Monday.
Before Obama spoke on Tuesday, Republican Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida said any legislation based on the framework he helped draft must include tougher law enforcement sought by conservatives to get his vote. "We need border security, we need workplace enforcement, we need a visa tracking system," Rubio said, adding later that would oppose a bill that lacked language guaranteeing that "nothing else will happen unless these enforcement mechanisms are in place."
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
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I think that anyone that's here illegally shouldn't be able to get jobs, or own guns, or anytihng like that. Because if they're not citizens why should we treat them like they are. They shouldn't have the privlige of buying guns, or cars. I only say that because we shouldn't be giving immigrants that are here illegally jobs because that either puts immigrants that are here legally out of jobs, or that puts americans that have been working there for many years out of jobs.
ReplyDeleteMatthew Hodek
Per. 3
I think that it is a good thing that Obama is trying to solve the immigration problem. I think that it would be a good thing if the illegals would come into the country the right way.I think there should be a punishment for the ones that sneak in.
ReplyDeleteAshleyotto p2
I agree with Matthew. It is a great idea for the safety of our country. It would be plain scary to live by the border and have a bunch of murders running around. I'm glad Obama had this plan. See he does have some good ideas.
ReplyDeleteDavid Hoang p3
I agree with both, Yes, Obama does have good idea and this one I think proves that he does care for this country and it's people. Why should illegally immigrants take our jobs? Shoot people in streets, and selling drugs? This is smart thinking.
ReplyDeleteRyan Tappe p7
I agree with Matthew and David I think it is good that Obama came up with this plan, but I don't think it will be very affective.Some Immigrants will still be able to get across the border. Immigration is a big problem and it would take a lot more to fix it.
ReplyDeleteI think immigrants should be able to take a test to be somewhat a legal citizen. I they do not pass, send them back from where they came. If they are considered a threat, eliminate them.
ReplyDeleteIt may be extreme, but sometimes doing the right thing has to come at a cost.
P:7
P. Kevin Bouphasavanh
I think that its a good idea to set up a system that would allow immigrants to become citizen. Some of the illegal immigrants are just trying to get back to their families that still live in the U.S. I also agree with Guine about its still going to be a problem to keep the drugs and the bad immigrants from crossing the border.
ReplyDeleteDanielle Knott
2nd hour
Reforming the immigration laws is truly needed but honestly we shouldn't let the illegal immigrants stay. They've come here illegally they should be deported like the law says. If the illegal immigrants want to be a citizen of this country they should earn it the way any other immigrant would have to. Even though they would have to pay fines for coming and living in this country, I don't think that's punishment enough. We're being too soft on the 11 million undocumented people in our country taking jobs away from American citezens.
ReplyDeleteCassie Pelland
per, 3
LAST COMMENT!
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