Rep. Jeffries: President Obama has the electoral mandate to act on immigration reform
By: Rep. Hakeem Jeffries
Read this article:
Rep. Jeffries: President Obama has the electoral mandate to act on immigration reform - Video
Reid: Obama Should #39;go Big #39; on Immigration
Senate Majority leader Harry Reid urges President Barack Obama to #39;go big #39; as he weighs executive action on immigration reform. (Nov. 18) Subscribe for more Breaking News: http://smarturl.it/Assoc...
By: Associated Press
Go here to read the rest:
Reid: Obama Should 'go Big' on Immigration - Video
By Elizabeth Aranda and Isabel Sousa-Rodriguez
updated 5:27 PM EST, Tue November 18, 2014
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
Editor's note: Elizabeth Aranda is an associate professor and chairwoman of the department of sociology at the University of South Florida, and Isabel Sousa-Rodriguez is a central Florida organizer with the Florida Immigrant Coalition and a research assistant at the University of South Florida. The views expressed are their own.
(CNN) -- Back in 2010, one of us -- Isabel -- was faced with the question of whether to shake the President's hand. And, despite having been invited to the White House, he decided not to. Why? Because the families and communities of 11 million U.S. residents were still waiting years for President Obama to fulfill his promise of immigration reform. And they are still waiting, and have been left feeling betrayed by the failure of this administration to act.
Isabel Sousa-Rodriguez
Elizabeth Aranda
The meeting to discuss U.S. immigration policy in 2010 followed what was dubbed the "Trail of Dreams" walk by four immigrant college students, including Sousa-Rodriguez, from Miami to Washington to call attention to the plight of the undocumented in the United States. The 1,500 mile walk took place as the number of deportations was hitting historic highs, numbers that have resulted in some 2 million immigrants being deported. Why are we still waiting for change? The recent election results are sufficient proof of the folly of the Obama administration's approach.
After all, the Congressional Budget Office determined in June 2013 that immigration reform would boost economic output and could help cut federal budget deficits by $197 billion over the next 10 years. But just as important as the lost economic benefits of the failure to act is the human cost. In our ongoing research on undocumented youth and their mothers living in Florida, we find harrowing patterns of fear, exploitation and dehumanization. Denying opportunities for lawful status results in barriers to employment, physical and social mobility, education and health, and the lack of opportunities has a particularly troubling impact on immigrants' mental and emotional well-being.
True, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, has helped those young adults who are eligible. But our research suggests their families need relief from deportation, too, and cannot afford to continue waiting for the President to deliver on his promises.
Link:
Immigration reform will save lives (Opinion) - CNN.com
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
Washington (CNN) -- President Barack Obama, who will act on immigration reform by the end of the year, and his administration have not finalized plans on the issue, but he's aware of the general details in the expected plan, according to sources in the government and elsewhere who have been briefed on the White House plans.
At the end of the day it will all come down to what the legal team thinks can be defended in court, in addition to some political considerations, sources say.
"It's not like this is the Academy Awards," one official told CNN recently, meaning that the contents of the envelope are not a surprise.
Citing his legal authority as chief executive of the United States, Obama said in a press conference in Myanmar Friday that he would act on immigration reform by the end of the year.
"I believe that America is a nation of immigrants," the President said. Everybody agrees that the system is broken; there has been ample opportunity for Congress to pass a bipartisan immigration bill that would strengthen our borders, improve the legal immigration system and lift millions of people out of the shadows so that they are paying taxes and getting right by the law."
The senior White House official who spoke to CNN said that any executive action could come as soon as this week. The White House is also not going to yield to threats of a shutdown.
Asked Tuesday about a potential scenario in which Congressional Republicans would try to defund Obama's immigration action in an upcoming spending bill. White House spokesman Josh Earnest said Wednesday that the president's actions would be within the law.
"We would consider it to be unwarranted for Republicans in Congress to try to undo that executive action using the budget process," Earnest told reporters, casting doubt that such an a move would "determine the outcome at all" of Obama's actions.
Warnings from Republicans are not affecting White House plans, according to the official, who said the White House is not going to command less in the executive action order just to appease furious lawmakers. Obama Friday encouraged Congress to act on immigration and said he told Republican congressional leaders that he was interested in working on a legislative solution, but without that he would act.
Continue reading here:
Clock counts down on immigration
More ABC US news | ABC World NewsCopy
It has been a long road to immigration reform -- and quite a transition for President Obama.
It all started during a 2008 town hall with Univision anchor Jorge Ramos.
"I cannot guarantee that it is going to be in the first 100 days," Obama said. "But what I can guarantee is that we will have in the first year an immigration bill that I strongly support and that I'm promoting. And I want to move that forward as quickly as possible."
Six years later, with President Obama set to deliver a prime time address to announce his executive action on immigration, here is a look at how we got here:
Robert Giroux/MCT/Getty Images
PHOTO: President Barack Obama gives his State of the Union address to Congress on Capitol Hill, Jan. 27, 2010 in Washington.
As you remind me, my biggest failure is that we havent gotten comprehensive immigration reform done, Obama responded. So were going to be continuing to work on that. But its not for lack of trying or desire.
J. Scott Applewhite / AP Photo, File
PHOTO: This July 16, 2014, file photo shows the U.S. Senate on Capitol Hill in Washington.
Visit link:
Obama's Evolution On Immigration In 60 Seconds