President Obama makes remarks on immigration policy
President Barack Obama will deliver remarks on new Department of Homeland Security guidelines for younger illegal immigrants.
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U.S. relaxes deportation rules for young immigrants
The Obama administration will relax enforcement of deportation rules for young people brought to the United States without legal status, a softening of immigration policy that is likely to appeal to Hispanic voters in an election year.
U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said on Friday that illegal immigrants up to 30 years old who came to the United States as children and do not pose a risk to national security would be eligible to stay in the country and allowed to apply for work permits.
"Our nation's immigration laws must be enforced in a firm and sensible manner," Napolitano said in a statement. "But they are not designed to be blindly enforced without consideration given to the individual circumstances of each case."
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Want the scoop on immigration? Follow @lizcgoodwin.by sampjacobs via twitter 6/15/2012 3:44:55 PM -
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Romney campaign launches an #DOINGFINE t-shirt to mock Obama's "private sector" gaffe from last week. For $30 donation.by ros_reuters via twitter 6/15/2012 4:17:43 PM -
Romney press bus pulling out of Stratham, NH, for Milford and an ice-cream social.by ros_reuters via twitter 6/15/2012 4:21:12 PM
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RT @elisefoley: Shorter pol reactions: "Good step, but we need reform" - Dems. "This is amnesty" - Republicansby ewstephe via twitter 6/15/2012 4:24:56 PM -
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Worth noting about Rubio and his DREAM Act alternative: He's yet to write draft any legislation on the subject www.theledger.comby mmurraypolitics via twitter 6/15/2012 4:34:15 PM -
Huge danger zone for the Republican Party today. Careful how you react or Hispanics become reliable Dem constituency for next 20 yrsby samyoungman via twitter 6/15/2012 4:44:47 PM -
With POTUS's announcement today, is Rep. Lou Barletta still invited to join Romney in Pa tomorrow?by samyoungman via twitter 6/15/2012 4:47:09 PM
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Strongly support President’s decision to stop deporting DREAM Act kids. Democratic-led House passed DREAM in 2010. GOP still obstructing.by Nancy Pelosi via twitter 6/15/2012 5:03:32 PM -
cabbie from DCA loves potus's policy change, "but I know why he did it. Is election year."by samyoungman via twitter 6/15/2012 5:04:04 PM
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Florida Senator Marco Rubio issued a statement in reaction to Obama's announcement:
“There is broad support for the idea that we should figure out a way to help kids who are undocumented through no fault of their own, but there is also broad consensus that it should be done in a way that does not encourage illegal immigration in the future. This is a difficult balance to strike, one that this new policy, imposed by executive order, will make harder to achieve in the long run.
“Today’s announcement will be welcome news for many of these kids desperate for an answer, but it is a short term answer to a long term problem. And by once again ignoring the Constitution and going around Congress, this short term policy will make it harder to find a balanced and responsible long term one.” -
I'm not even joking anymore. How can Wolf possibly spend more time on teevee?by samyoungman via twitter 6/15/2012 5:13:32 PM
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#Romney Stratham speech was less an etch-a-stetch shake-em-up as a return to tried and trusted themes. With a nod to Small Town Americana.by ros_reuters via twitter 6/15/2012 5:13:43 PM
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In a series of tweets, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham (@GrahamBlog) decried the president's announcement:
Mr. President, I don’t think this is a wise way to fix a broken immigration system.
This decision avoids dealing with Congress and the American people instead of fixing a broken immigration system once and for all.
This is a classic Barack Obama move of choosing politics over leadership.
President Obama’s attempt to go around Congress and the American people is at best unwise and possibly illegal.
This type of policy proposal, regardless of motivation, will entice people to break our laws.
President Obama avoids the hard work of fixing an immigration system which is broken and fractured along numerous fronts.
President Obama chose politics over leadership. 'Hope' and 'Change' have become bait-and-switch. -
I just arrived back in Virginia. Is there any kind of scene outside the White House?by samyoungman via twitter 6/15/2012 5:21:33 PM
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RT @markknoller: Pres Obama still at lunch with contest winners - delaying his 115pm immigration policy statement inhe Rose Garden.by Anthony De Rosa via twitter 6/15/2012 5:22:43 PM -
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg released a statement in support of the new deportation rules for young immigrants:
“Ending deportations of innocent young people who have the potential to drive tomorrow’s economy is long overdue, as are many common-sense reforms needed to center our immigration policy around our economic needs...Moving major issues requires action, not rhetoric, and today the Administration took a step towards breaking the Washington logjam on immigration that has hamstrung our economy and made America less competitive in the global marketplace.” -
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Romney adviser Kevin Madden on immigration decision: Romney is focused on the economy.by Aaron Blake via twitter 6/15/2012 5:28:35 PM -
RT @4danlopez: President Obama is having lunch. Announcement more likely after 2PM Eastern.by Matthew Keys via twitter 6/15/2012 5:31:30 PM
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In the same Des Moines Register article, Romney said he would support allowing illegal immigrants who served in the military to work toward citizenship, but he rejects the rest of the act. He also reiterated that he disagrees with providing in-state college tuition rates to illegal immigrants. “If I’m the president of the United States, I want to end illegal immigration so that we can protect legal immigration.” -
I try to be cautious about overstating how these events impact the election, but this feels huge. For both sides.by samyoungman via twitter 6/15/2012 5:35:10 PM
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#Romney spox Rick Gorka, earlier, promised "a lot of icecream, a lot of cheeseburgers, a lot of classic retail."by ros_reuters via twitter 6/15/2012 5:36:35 PM
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Zero snark: This CNN coverage is awesome. The young Hispanics they talked to are remarkable.by samyoungman via twitter 6/15/2012 5:37:09 PM
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For the record, I'm missing my lunch waiting for Obama to finish his!by Anthony De Rosa via twitter 6/15/2012 5:37:14 PM
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In need of a quick primer on Obama administration immigration policy before his comments? Covered: www.baltimoresun.comby ewstephe via twitter 6/15/2012 5:38:45 PM
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Mitt Romney’s newly announced Hispanic Steering Committee includes a half dozen supporters of the DREAM Act he opposes
Mitt Romney’s newly unveiled Hispanic Steering Committee includes a cosponsor and at least five other supporters of the Development, Relief and Education for Minors (DREAM) Act, the proposed legislation that would pave the way to citizenship for some illegal immigrant youths, which Romney opposes.
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Emily Stephenson outlines some of the positions Obama has articulated and changes his administration has enacted:
* 2008: Obama, as a presidential candidate, supports a path to legal status for illegal immigrants. At the same time, Obama says illegal immigrants must go to the back of the line, behind people who arrived legally, for the chance to become citizens.
* April 2009: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement shifts its enforcement strategy away from large work-site raids.
* June 2010: U.S. officials prioritize the removal of individuals who pose a threat to national security or public safety, recent entrants and people who are fugitives.
* December 2010: Legislation known as the DREAM Act, which would allow illegal immigrants to seek citizenship if they attended college or served in the U.S. military, fails in a Senate vote during the post-midterm election lame-duck session of Congress. Earlier in the year, it passed the House of Representatives.
* June 2011: ICE issues memo establishing prosecutorial discretion, which allows deportation officials to consider circumstances of arrival in the United States, educational accomplishments and other factors in determining whether to deport an individual.
* August 2011: Obama administration says it will review the status of all immigrants in deportation proceedings to reduce backlog, focus on higher-priority cases and speed expulsion of illegal immigrants who have committed crimes.
* February 2012: ICE creates a position for a public advocate, who helps immigrants find information about options such as prosecutorial discretion. -
Eligible Latino voters have risen drastically over the last 10 years, and immigration is an important issue for them, according to Pew:
One-third (33%) of Latino registered voters say immigration is extremely important to them personally, and just as many (34%) identify the issues of taxes or the federal budget deficit as extremely important. -
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RT @Philip_Elliott: Spotted striding up the White House driveway just now: Messina and Cutter. #2012by samyoungman via twitter 6/15/2012 5:48:05 PM
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Anybody think Jeb will soon anger Republicans -- again?by samyoungman via twitter 6/15/2012 5:49:31 PM
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Watching Sheriff Joe, I feel like I'm watching Hispanics becoming a permanent Democratic constituencyby samyoungman via twitter 6/15/2012 5:54:57 PM
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Republican Congressman Lamar Smith issued a statement criticizing Obama's announcement, which he called a "breach of faith with the American people":
"It also blatantly ignores the rule of law that is the foundation of our democracy. This huge policy shift has horrible consequences for unemployed Americans looking for jobs and violates President Obama’s oath to uphold the laws of this land.
“President Obama’s amnesty only benefits illegal immigrants, not Americans, and is a magnet for fraud. Many illegal immigrants will falsely claim they came here as children and the federal government has no way to check whether their claims are true. And once these illegal immigrants are granted deferred action, they can then apply for a work permit, which the Administration routinely grants 90% of the time." -
MT @mboyle1: BREAKING Rep. Steve King to SUE Obama admin over new illegals policy.by Matthew Keys via twitter 6/15/2012 5:56:49 PM
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