OBAMA MUST FULFILL HIS PROMISE ON IMMIGRATION- EPCC

by Echo Park Community Coalition (EPCC) Friday, May. 13, 2011 at 9:20 AM
epccla02@yahoo.com 213-241-0906 1610 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, Ca 90026

US President Barack Obama on Tuesday stood at the U.S.-Mexico border in El Paso, Texas again promised a ?comprehensive immigration reform? and a ?pathways to citizenship? to get Latino votes in the campaign for the coming 2011 elections. The EPCC stated that ? the EPCC is happy that the president and the Democratic Party is working to make their promise a reality. But he must do it now or before the election year, or else he will lose more popular votes?

OBAMA MUST FULFILL H...
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EPCC NEWS
May 11, 2011

OBAMA MUST FULFILL HIS PROMISE ON IMMIGRATION- EPCC

Los Angeles—US President Barack Obama on Tuesday stood at the U.S.-Mexico border in El Paso, Texas again promised a ”comprehensive immigration reform” and a “pathways to citizenship” to get Latino votes in the campaign for the coming 2011 elections.

The EPCC stated that “ the EPCC is happy that the president and the Democratic Party is working to make their promise a reality. But he must do it now or before the election year, or else he will lose more popular votes”

Fulfill the Promise

He told a friendly El Paso crowd that it's up to them to tell Congress to pass legislation providing a pathway to citizenship for 11 million illegal immigrants.

The EPCC is “ aware that It's Republicans — not him — standing in the way of immigration legislation” But he must exert more effort and practice more political will and not empty promises.”

As his re-election campaign approaches it's a message he wants broadcast loud and clear to Latino voters who don't like his administration's heavy deportations and feel he never made good on his promise to prioritize immigration legislation during his first year in office.

"I am asking you to add your voices to this," Obama said. "We need Washington to know that there is a movement for reform gathering strength from coast to coast. That's how we'll get this done."

The Democrats must deliver

Countering Republican calls to focus on border security before moving to a comprehensive overhaul, Obama boasted of increasing Border Patrol agents, nearing completion of a border fence and screening more cargo, among other steps.

Obama also tailored his argument to the times, making his case for immigration reform in newly sharpened economic terms. He said the middle class would benefit from bringing illegal immigrants out of an underground economy and drawing on the abilities of immigrants educated at American universities. Obama also noted that it's not just Latinos who want an immigration remake, but also police chiefs, business owners, educators and others.

US Congress must move

The president wasn't able to get immigration legislation through Congress last year that would have provided a route to legal status for college students and others who were brought to the country as children. The so-called DREAM Act passed the House, then controlled by Democrats, but was blocked by Senate Republicans.

The Senate is now even more heavily Republican, and Republicans control the House. That means immigration reform can't happen unless they cooperate. Nonetheless, Senate Democrats plan to reintroduce the DREAM Act on Wednesday, with their counterparts in the House following suit. Given Republican opposition the bills likely won't get far, but Obama will try to make certain voters know who is to blame.