Obama Introduces First Steps To Immigration Reform

By: Stephanie Condon
Topics: Domestic Issues

(CBS/AP)

President Obama on Thursday finally held a twice-delayed meeting with members of Congress to discuss immigration reform -- a goal the Obama administration claims to fully support but will keep on the backburner until it becomes more politically feasible. In the meantime, the president announced, the White House is implementing administrative changes that are meant to improve the country's immigration system.

After the meeting, Mr. Obama said immigration reform is "one of the most critical issues that I think this nation faces." Still, he added, "there is not by any means consensus across the table." (Watch a video of the president's remarks here.)

The White House said in a release the meeting aimed to "launch a policy conversation by having an honest discussion about the issues and identifying areas of agreement and areas where we still have work to do, with the hope of beginning the debate in earnest later this year."

The president restated his goals for immigration reform, which he laid out at the Esperanza National Hispanic Prayer Breakfast last week.

"The American people still want to see a solution in which we are tightening up our borders, (and) we're cracking down on employers who are using illegal workers in order to drive down wages," he said. "And we need an effective way to recognize and legalize the status of undocumented workers who are here."

Those goals will be hard to achieve, though. White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel said today that "the votes aren't there" for immigration reform, the LA Times reported.

"If the votes were there, you wouldn't need to have the meeting," Emanuel reportedly said. "You'd go to a roll call [vote]."

Mr. Obama announced today, however, improvements to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Office (USCIS). The office will collaborate with Mr. Obama's chief information officer, chief performance officer and chief technologies officer to make the agency more efficient, more transparent and more user-friendly. USCIS will also launch in the next 90 days a new Web site that will, for the first time ever, allow applicants to get updates on their status of their applications via e-mail and text message and online.

"It's an example of some things that we can do administratively even as we're working through difficult issues surrounding comprehensive immigration," the president said.

Mr. Obama also announced U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano will lead a group that will work with Congress to systematically work through immigration issues.

"I am confident that if we enter into this with the notion that this is a nation of laws that have to be observed and this is a nation of immigrants," he said, "then we're going to create a stronger nation for our children and our grandchildren."

Stephanie Condon
Stephanie Condon is a political reporter for CBSNews.com.
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by annieoakley48 July 4, 2010 8:14 PM EDT: I would take any job and have. They predominantely hire "hispanics - legal or not" in nearly every job a person could do - just to hang on. So, yes, they do take our jobs. My beef is with the social service agencies that allow them to turn in false information and give them benefits. I went with one such an "illegal" and saw this processed. This person was later reported and benefits taken back which is right. But you know how many millions do this. Our systems need to be "updated" "ID in particular". This person has since gone back on gotten benefits using other family members who are here temporarily (do possess green cards) from Mexico. This "sense of entitlement" is wrong. the family has good income but still wants "more" because to them - the US is Rich and they deserve more.; Reply to this comment


by f005 November 9, 2009 5:40 PM EST: Considering he himself doesn't have a valid birth certificate, spent millions in legal fees to keep the court from unsealing it and kept the media quiet during the election, its no surprise. It'll bend the demographics of the next election in his favor, and they already left off the question of citizenship off the next census. I can't believe media paints it like its a good thing and completely ignores the manipulation and motives. We need a media that will serve the people, not try to brainwash us.; Reply to this comment


by f005 November 9, 2009 5:38 PM EST: Considering he himself doesn't have a valid birth certificate, spent millions in legal fees to keep the court from unsealing it and kept the media quiet during the election, its no surprise. It'll bend the demographics of the next election in his favor, and they already left off the question of citizenship off the next census. I can't believe media paints it like its a good thing and completely ignores the manipulation and motives. We need a media that will serve the people, not the government.; Reply to this comment


by jhawilla July 5, 2009 3:47 AM EDT: This is all about fingerprint all this illegals to see who is who in here. Of course, the bad guys we`re gonna kik them off and the good ones we`re gonna give driver license, social security and work permit. We`re gonna make this ones pay taxes and contribute for our future retirement. We`re gonna take more controls of the borders and also, here inside our country. This way everybody will enjoy a better life.; Reply to this comment


by american_11-2009 July 3, 2009 9:01 AM EDT: Illegal pay taxes Argument!

There's the "illegal aliens pay tons of taxes" argument. Sure, they all pay real estate taxes (in rent) and sales taxes (most states). Those working on the books (typically using stolen Social Security numbers) pay FICA and, perhaps, income taxes. But they're mostly ill-educated, prolific breeders, low-skilled and pay little or no taxes connected to their working -- in fact, most claim the Earned Income Tax Credit, i.e. negative income tax! If a family with both parents working has two kids in school, that's at least $15k/year just for schooling, way more than the taxes on, say, $35k/year aggregate income.

Robert Rector at the Heritage Foundation has done the systematic accounting on all this. A typical household headed by a low-skilled illegal alien is a net drain of about $20k/year for the rest of us, year after year. (Low-skilled Americans are a similar burden, but they're part of the national family, not gate crashers from other societies.)

Illegal Bad..Amnesty good Argument!

There's the "illegal immigration is bad, but make them citizens and problem solved" argument. Nope. If that were the case, legalizing (i.e. amnestying) the illegal aliens would solve the problem. But they'd still be (on average) low-skilled workers whose burden on the rest of us would continue. In fact, once legal they'd be able to access more public benefits programs, so their cost to the rest of us would actually rise substantially. In addition to bringing in their relatives under chain immigration in a never ending chain! In short, all of the problems of mass illegal immigration are shared & increased by mass amnestying them.

Then there is the straw man Argument this Nation cannot afford to deport 12 million people!

Never noting if our Politicians had abide by our Constitution and enforced our Laws there would not be 12 millions to deport. Even worse, there is not 12 million but between 20 and 30 million but the government prefers to lie and down play the number! ( Same as the 1986 Amnesty was more than double the government estimate, so will this one be) At any rate deportation would save billions in the long run over what they will cost this Nation in welfare in the coming years. Every person with less that a high school education cost a average of 55 thousand over their life time, so apply that times the 12 million plus all their relatives & their relatives in a never ending chain & deportation would be a great bargain and save billions if not trillions in the coming years! But deportations is not necessary, just close our borders and enforcing our Laws with E-Verify. Fine companies, imprison executives and cut out the welfare they will self deport. No jobs, No Welfare equals no Illegal Aliens!

The flood of immigrants drives wages and living conditions in our central cities toward those of the Third World & has already destroyed Calif..

This tidal wave imposes sprawl, gridlock, pollution, and environmental damage on our metropolitan areas & Nation.

Immigrant families needing services overwhelm our schools, taxpayer-funded health care facilities, and other public agencies.

Those requiring services don?t assimilate and, instead, expect to be served in their native languages.

American civic culture frays as each ethnic group establishes its own grievance lobby and pushes for preferences.

Communicable diseases such as tuberculosis (new, drug-resistant strains) return & New diseases like Mexican Swine flu break out!

Shortages of water and other resources loom, especially in immigration-blitzed Southwest.

Most that come across our open borders come from countries where, Crime, Corruption, Poverty, Misery, Anti-education, and hate for Americans has existed for centuries and is normal. Should anyone be surprised they bring those same family values across the border with them?; Reply to this comment


by american_11-2009 July 3, 2009 9:01 AM EDT: Then there is they are all God,s children argument.

Isn't everyone God,s children? If so, then guess the open borders crowd are saying everyone and anyone has the right to Invade this Nation, waving their flags, demand their rights, while feasting at the trough of public welfare and Kill, Rape and Rob thousands of American citizens each year!

There are 100,s of millions probably billions from India, China, Africa, etc. that would like to immigrate to the USA. If it ok for Latinos to pour across our borders then unless the open borders crowd are racist it should be ok for any and all of the world people no matter their Education, Religion, Race, Criminal convictions, Diseases, or Terrorist ties to invade this nation & be rewarded with American citizenship!

There's the "the U.S. stole the southwest" argument.

Well, the land in dispute was "owned" by Spain for a couple of centuries. Then by Mexico for about 25 years. During these periods, there weren't more than a few thousand Spaniards or Mexicans in the entire territory. It's been owned by the U.S. for about 160 years now, much longer than Mexico's reign. And the U.S. has actually done something with the land, made it habitable for tens of millions. The difference between American and Mexican "twin cities" straddling the border is like night and day, yet the land is obviously the same. It's not the dirt that's important, it's the people. Put another way, if culture didn't matter, Mexico and Central America would be paradise.

There's the "lettuce" argument

We'll be paying $50/head if we don't have illegal aliens working in the fields. As Phil Martin, ag economist at UC Davis shows, the field labor cost in a $1 head of lettuce is about 6 cents. Triple those wages and Americans will do the jobs. (They're not career positions. They're seasonal jobs for young people, starting in the world of work. I have did similarly menial jobs.) And you'll be paying 10% more for lettuce and other produce. Do you spend $1,000/year on produce? OK, you'll pay $100 more.

The lettuce argument also parallels that for the retention of slavery.

Immigrant Argument!

There's the "everyone's an immigrant except for the 'Native Americans'" argument. Well, the American Indians didn't sprout from the land, they came across the Bering land bridge from Asia. So if the criterion is "You're an immigrant if you had an ancestor who immigrated here," then American Indians are immigrants, too.

In that case, "immigrant" is no longer a useful word, since Everyone's an immigrant.; Reply to this comment


by american_11-2009 July 3, 2009 8:55 AM EDT: Our Politicians keep telling us our Immigration laws are broken and we need an comprehensive solution, which are code words for Amnesty, our Immigration Laws are not broken, they just have not been enforced, what is broken is our Political system when we elect Corrupt/Pandering/Lawless politicians that puts Party, Lobbyist, & Self interest ahead of the Constitution of USA and the Rule of Law!

Our government fails the most basic and primary task & duty of government, to protect this Nation and its Citizens from invasion and enforce its laws.

They refuse to abide by our Constitution, refuse to enforce our Immigration Laws and refuse to honor their Oath of Office!

Our Government, past & present, Republican & Democrat, have allowed the invasion of 20 to 30 million criminals and uneducated peons which is the largest invasion of any Nation, at any time, by any means & in direct violation of Article IV, Section IV of our Constitution.

This refusal to abide by our Constitution or enforce our Immigration Laws should be classified as Treason of the most foul kind, & as grounds for impeachment & trials for Treason!

Not only have they allowed the invasion, they force American tax payers to pay Billions on Billions of dollars to provide Welfare, Prison cells, Educate the invaders numerous children, and free medical care, at the same time the invading horde break numerous laws and massive document fraud, & are destroying our schools, hospitals, communities, culture and standard of living while Robbing, Raping, Killing & Assaulting American Citizens at an rate the terrorist can only dream about.

Recent statements in Mexico from both President Obama and Secretary of State Hillary something needs to be done. "Our inability to prevent weapons from being illegally smuggled across the border to arm these criminals causes the deaths of police officers, soldiers, and civilians," she said.

But no mention, concern or care that their refusal to stop the Massive Invasion of Illegal Aliens pouring across our borders or enforce our immigration laws that causes an estimated 25 Americans deaths per day and 10,s of thousands victims of Assault, Robberies, Rapes, Identify thief, and other assorted crimes committed by the invading horde of Illegal Aliens from Mexico on American citizens each year!

It is a telling indictment & shows their Empathy & Compassion of our Politicians & their priorities when they express more concern over Mexicans deaths, mostly connected to the Drug trade than the murders, havoc & crimes of Illegal Aliens against American Citizens!

Most of our Politicians in Wash. DC are wading knee deep in innocent American blood and suffering because they put Self Interest ahead of the interest of American Citizens & the future of this Nation!

The Welfare vote for the Democrats to further their Socialist Agenda and the Slave Labor for their Pay Masters in the Chamber of Commerce & Business for the Republicans is more important to our Corrupt power mad Politicians than the lives and safety of Americans citizens!

The Citizens of this Nation have not sacrificed with blood, sweat & tears for over 200 years & obeyed the Laws of the land, paid the taxes, and fought the wars & built this Nation to see Corrupt politicians turn this Nation into the United States of Mexico without a shot being fired, to serve their demented, nefarious goals and lust for power!; Reply to this comment


by centurialis June 27, 2009 2:56 PM EDT: Law and reality are two different things. Sometimes are opposite. Law can be behind reality or be ahead, it depends of how and who is creating laws. Issues are a lot: gay marriage is one, immigration reform is another. Society has to work, and society has a lot of problems we are not living at heaven or paradise, so we have to solve problems in our lifetime. The traditional concept of law has to change to become law more realistic and adapted to the new society. So what do you want from law? to be behind or to be ahead?. If you choose the law to be behind, you have to deal with the social problem sometime in the future but the problem maybe will be bigger; if you choose the law to be ahead many social issues can be solved and law and society can match perfectly and work together. Obviously ethics and moral are the limit to do this, but It's not ethic to help others? It's not ethic to help another human being who has not committed any crime against society? Off course it's is ethic!!!; Reply to this comment

by borderhawk June 26, 2009 9:53 PM EDT

I prefer we grant citizenship based on loyalty to the American Constitution, our flag, customs and traditions. Sometings President AKA missed in his upbringing. We don't grant citizenship based on wealth, inteligence, or work ethic. Matter of fact there's a few million people in the USA, who should lose their nationality, and be exported. Our immigration laws are in place to keep the sick, illiterate, poor, and criminals out for a reason. We have a health care problem; we have poor people; we see illiterates pass through our schools; and our jails and prisons are full. Seal the border, using military forces, regardless of how Her Majesty Mexico feels. Place a moratorium on immigration from Mexico. Follow 50US21 and proclaim Mexico, an unfriendly nation, and demand all citizens of Mexico to leave the USA. Call a DRAFT if you need any help, but I doubt you'll need to.

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by marcos2001 June 27, 2009 12:38 AM EDT: I think before you talk about something, go back to your family history, and ask your parents or grand parents how they came to this country, i am sure their situation was worse, but one day the law gave them the opportunity to become citizen , that's why you are having a lifestyle that your family had dreamed for you, if they did not have that opportunity , you would be born and live miserable in other country, but that is not your fault, you ancestor should explain this to you , if you are immigrant you don't live your country your family your friends to play in another country, you came to succeed and help that country to do so. sometimes you just need the opportunity, like you had, so think and learn before talk.... this is a country of immigrants, go to your history books and see it...

by borderhawk June 26, 2009 5:52 PM EDT

I see the obvious flaw in the way President AKA views the issue and from what perspective his viewpoint comes from, by his referring to the object of the problem as "illegal workers" and "undocumented workers". To me this hints of a Communist perspective, which will lead to a declaration that "good workers deserve to be American citizens". In other words, if you work for the nation, then you deserve citizenship. This also echoes a viewpoint from the illegal aliens and Reconquista that "the land belongs to those who get their hands dirty by working in the fields." I find it disturbing that a person who was qualified by his party, and the Congress to run for the office of President, and elected by a majority of the American people would hold Communist beliefs. These people the President calls "workers" are -- by their actions of being in this country in violation of laws regulating entry -- invaders not immigrants. As invaders our Constitution and laws apply in a separate manner than if they were "immigrants". As invaders military action applies to their removal, and where a conspiracy prevents enforcement of the Constitution, military action includes deployment of the militias, to insure all laws are enforced, per Article Two. Any action by a standing President or elected government to grant amnesty to invaders is a violation of the oath of office and a declaration of civil war.

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by amor102279 June 29, 2009 1:31 PM EDT: nice usernames tells me alot about you. Its people like you that make me so upset at what we call Land of the free. I wonder how you would feel if this directly impacted you someone that you love. Told one day that you are going to have to do without your spouse for a year and just to deal with it. Tell your kids that there parent has to leave and you cant explain why. I agree that the ones that are causing harm should leave but the ones that are doing good and trying to make a life for there family should not have to seperate. I was born and rasied here and cant believe that our country would agree to seperate families for this. What would you do if he had no means of making any kind of help, no government help. WOULD YOU LET YOUR FAMILY DIE. didnt think so. So before you preach see what families have to go through to be here. I pry that GOD gets all that hate out of your heart so that you can see what this country is doing to good people