Radical Change for America

So Long, Uncle Sam

by

thelastcrusade.org

President Obama, attending a North American summit with the leaders of Mexico and Canada, vowed to pursue comprehensive U.S. immigration reform later this year with a view to enacting legislation in 2010 that would provide a “pathway to citizenship” for the 12 to 32 million illegal immigrants now in the United States.

In a joint news conference in Guadalajara with Mexican President Felipe Calderón and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Mr. Obama said he regards immigration reform as being in the long-term interest of the United States. “We have a broken immigration system,” he told the press. “Nobody denies it.”

Mr. Obama maintained that the present immigration policies spell tensions with Mexico, danger for those trying to cross into the United States illegally, unfairness for those trying to immigrate legally, exploitation by unscrupulous employers, the depression of U.S. wages and other ills.

“It’s not fair, and it’s not right, and we’re going to change it,” the President insisted. But he added it was “very important for us to sequence these big initiatives in way where they don’t all just crash at the same time.” He said meetings have begun on immigration reform among House and Senate Democrats and Republicans, with Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano coordinating the discussions.

“I would anticipate that before the year is out we will have draft legislation, along with sponsors potentially in the House and Senate, who are ready to move this forward,” Obama said. Then, next year, “we should be in a position to start acting,” he said, although he acknowledged that “this is going to be difficult.”

The overhaul would give illegal immigrants in the United States the opportunity “to achieve a pathway to citizenship so that they don’t have to live in the shadows,” Obama said. “So I’m confident we can get it done.”

The push for amnesty is being spearheaded by Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Mr. Schumer says that the borders are now “secure enough to move forward on immigration reform.”

His statement comes on the heels of the murder of U.S. Border Patrol agent Robert Rosas, who was gunned down by members of a Mexican smuggling ring in July.

Five suspects have been taken into custody by Mexican law enforcement officials.

Mr. Schumer has pledged that a comprehensive immigration plan, which includes the granting of amnesty, will be readied for consideration by Labor Day.