Axelrod Backs Away from Committing to Immigration Reform in 2010
Published November 18, 2009 @ 08:00AM PT
While we listen to Representative Luis Gutierrez giving yet another talk for immigration reform today, the Obama Administration has slowly backed away from a firm promise, which sends us mixed signals. DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano is confident that Congress can take up immigration reform in early 2010 but David Axelrod, the top political advisor to President Obama, refused to make any such commitment when he appeared on the State of the Union this past Sunday with John King:
KING: The secretary of homeland security, Janet Napolitano, says you will, early next year, come forward with a plan for comprehensive immigration reform that would have a plan in it, a path in it for an estimated 12 million illegal immigrants in this country to have a pathway to status -- to legal status. Will you make the political commitment that no matter what the politics of January and February, the administration will go forward with this early next year?
AXELROD: John, what the president has said is, and he said it to both Republicans and Democratic members of Congress who have worked on this issue is, come to him, let's come together around something that both parties, or at least elements of both parties say they can agree on, so we don't reach the same impasse we've reached before and then he'll be willing to go forward on it.
I think some good work is being done on both sides of the aisle to achieve that. And Secretary Napolitano is getting that done. But what we want is a system that holds everybody responsible and everyone accountable.
[...]
If we can get a group together to give it the momentum to pass in Congress, then we're going to push forward with it.
In other words, don't expect President Obama to show leadership or spine on the issue of immigration reform and work actively to initiate change. He has squarely dropped the ball on Congress, which is unlikely to act without the pressure that DREAM Act-eligible youth, Ju Hong, talks about in this interview.
(Photo Credit: WhiteHouse Flickr PhotoStream, US Government Work)
Facebook
Twitter
Digg
StumbleUpon
EmailRelated Posts
-
Does Obama Get a NOPE on Immigration?
-
Gutierrez Unveils Vague Principles of Immigration Reform
-
Progressive Principles for Immigration Reform
Comments (19)
Comments on Change.org are meant for further exploration and evaluation of the ideas covered in the posts. To that end, we welcome constructive comments. However, we reserve the right to delete comments that are offensive, abusive, or off-topic; that contain ad hominem attacks; or that are designed to subvert or hijack comment threads rather than contribute to them. Repeat offenders may be permanently removed from the site at our discretion.
Author
-
Prerna obtained her Masters degree in International Relations in 2007 and took a hiatus from academia. During this break, she co-founded DreamActivist.org and helped launch a program for immigrant youth in the Bay Area (S4FC). Currently, she is also a Managing Editor at The Sanctuary. Views expressed on this blog are her own and not that of any organization currently affiliated with her. Contact email - prerna@change.org
Top Immigrant Rights Actions
Most Popular Immigrant Rights Posts
- Census Chief Arrives in Texas With Cops to Alleviate Immigrant Fears
- ACLU: Criminalizing Undocumented Immigrants Not in Our Best Interest
- Media Matters Fed Up With Fox News' Use of Term "Illegals"
- Immigration Officials Aided Labor Abuses, Human Trafficking
- United States Student Association Supports Undocumented Peers
CIS must include ending automatic birth citizenship. Let's stop the "Birth Tourism", and become like every other modern developed nation in this respect.
Posted by Kurt Thialfad on 11/18/2009 @ 09:02AM PT
You must be signed in to report content.
Pipe-dream. And I think you mean CIR.
The momentum is actually towards 'birth citizenship' and I believe you have been told this before. Without birthright citizenship, none of the 'founders' of this country would have any claims to it.
Posted by Prerna Lal on 11/18/2009 @ 10:00AM PT
You must be signed in to report content.
Without birthright citizenship, none of the 'founders' of this country would have any claims to it.
Boy, do you have a lot to learn. The Founding Fathers, some were not born here, but gained Residency, which is defined at the time, in that same act as someone under oath declaring that they wished to remain and live in the Untied States (this also gives rise to the now legal immigrant coming here and getting LPR and eventual GC). Citizenship was then bestowed on the children of the Resident as follows: Clarification of a Natural Born Citizen, “And the children of citizens of the United States, that may be born beyond sea, or out of the limits of the United States, shall be considered as natural born citizens: Provided, That the right of citizenship shall not descend to persons whose fathers have never been a Resident in the United States:”
The Founding Fathers never claimed Birthright Citizenship themselves, with only some of them haveing been born here in the first place.
Posted by L R on 11/22/2009 @ 10:11AM PT
You must be signed in to report content.
The momentum is actually towards 'birth citizenship'
Can you back this with examples. The EU has effectively banned "birth tourism" with the referendum in Ireland a couple of years back. But, please give me some examples, and facts to support your claim.
Without birthright citizenship, none of the 'founders' of this country would have any claims to it
Are you saying the Founding Fathers were not immigrants?
Posted by Kurt Thialfad on 11/18/2009 @ 10:11AM PT
You must be signed in to report content.
You don't need to look to Europe; just look around at your neighbors down South and up North. And my own country of origin has birthright citizenship, not just for me, but my kids as well who won't even be born there.
One of the signs of nativism is that you want to place restrictions on others without such restrictions on yourself. Without the concept of 'birthright citizenship,' neither African-Americans nor Europeans can claim any right to live here. And neither can you.
It's a pipe-dream and the U.S. is not about to re-interpret the 14th Amendment. How about you get back to the topic at hand?
Posted by Prerna Lal on 11/18/2009 @ 10:35AM PT
You must be signed in to report content.
You don't need to look to Europe;
I look there because many are developed nations. But the same applies to Japan, Singapore - "modern developed" nations.
just look around at your neighbors down South and up North.
Cuba, yes. Mexico bestows the Mexican Nationality by birth on the soil, not necessarily Mexican Citizenship.
And my own country of origin has birthright citizenship, not just for me, but my kids as well who won't even be born there.
Most nations have that- Citizenship by blood. Doesn't matter where you are born.
One of the signs of nativism is that you want to place restrictions on others without such restrictions on yourself.
No, that's a sign of hypocrisy
Without the concept of 'birthright citizenship,' neither African-Americans nor Europeans can claim any right to live here. And neither can you.
Now that's a pipe-dream!
and the U.S. is not about to re-interpret the 14th Amendment.
That was passed in 1868. The Chinese Exclusion Act was in effect while the 14th Amendment was also in effect. Seems to me the 14th Amendment has gone through several re-interpretations.
Posted by Kurt Thialfad on 11/18/2009 @ 11:24AM PT
You must be signed in to report content.
CIR should stand for Comprehensive Immigration Reduction, and any American citizen with an ounce of reason will be for it.
CIE (Comprehensive Immigration Expansion) is what Obama (and Hillary and McCain) voted for when the Senate passed SB2611 in May 2006, and is presumably what Obama -- and the leftwingers and cheap labor rightwingers (like ImmigrationWorks) -- still wants.
With increased legal quotas, great expansion of so-called temporary guest worker programs, and a massive amnesty, the 2006 bill, SB2611 would have roughly douibled the rate of U.S. population growth, to about 2% per year. That analysis can be found in an extensive report on the website of FAIR.
It would have been the most environmentally disastrous piece of U.S. legislation in my long lifetime, with highly negative social and economic consequences as well. With no discussion within the Senate of its demographic consequences, 90% of the Democratic senators and 42% of the Republican senators voted for it.
Fortunately, it never made it to the House of Representatives.
On the other hand, perhaps Obama is dragging his feet, because since being elected he has learned more about all the ways mass immigration has damaged and is damaging the U.S. He certainly knows that if he tries to push for CIE, he will have a battle on his hands that will make the health care debate seem like kindergarten.
And, right on Kurt, ending birthright citizenship needs to be one of the highest priorities of CIR.
Posted by Stuart Hurlbert on 11/18/2009 @ 03:30PM PT
You must be signed in to report content.
I originally favored CIS (Complete Immigration Suspension), but I'm willing to settle for the best package. When you talk about rates of growth, the US has a annual population growth rate of 1.1%, and California has 2%. In comparision, Europe has a annual population growth rate of 0.1%
The US is definitely in the top 10 along with such garden sports as Nigeria and Bangladesh.
At a rate of 1.1%, the US population will double in 65 years, that means 610 million people in the year 2074 AD. For California, it's 76 million in 2045 AD.
At 0.1% , Euriope's population will double in 720 years. That's the power of mathmetics.
http://www.ajdesigner.com/phpruleof72/rule_of_72_equation_y.php
Posted by Kurt Thialfad on 11/18/2009 @ 03:52PM PT
You must be signed in to report content.
I agree with you Kurt. This so-called reform is much needed, but to strengthen our borders and to be more strict with ILLEGAL aliens.
I have no issue & in fact I am proud that so many want to come to this country to live, work & get educated. I welcome every single one of them, AS LONG AS THEY DO IT LEGALLY!!!
If they really want to be here, they need to do it LEGALLY.
Posted by Mike Vignapiano on 11/20/2009 @ 06:03AM PT
You must be signed in to report content.
Mike, I agree with you, but from the point of view of both the government and every wannabe immigrant, the issue is how many will be allowed "to do it LEGALLY."
There are, conservatively, a billion wannabe immigrants waiting in their cities and villages around the world...
If we want to stabilize the U.S. population before our country is as badly trashed environmentally as is most of the Old World, demographers agree we will have to reduce legal immigration by 80-90% (and illegal immigration by 99+%).
The open borders folks, Obama, Democratic Party, cheap labor Republicans, etc. are, however, working hard to greatly INCREASE legal immigration quotas.
Posted by Stuart Hurlbert on 11/20/2009 @ 03:20PM PT
You must be signed in to report content.
There is no logical reason to argue against immigration reform. Any society that denies the rights of one group of people welcomes divisive rhetoric. To deny civil liberties of immigrants; liberties given to us by God, our creator, is pant amount to the downfall of this great nation as a guiding moral light for the rest of the world. Whenever you take away the rights of one person you diminish the rights of everyone. We are one nation under God! Give immigrants the chance to pay a fine and stay here. What kind of nation do we live in where I.C.E. officers can legally come into your home and tell you how for the next 10 years you will be separated from your spouse or children for breaking an unjust law. Children cannot go with you because they are American Citizens. The children go into foster care. They will grow up to despise America for deporting their parents. Please support comprehensive immigration reform that allows everyone living in the United States to be United once again.
I fell in love with an illegal immigrant. I obeyed my heart. The "law of the land" would place a great burden on my heart.
My Government says that I need to live for at least 10 years without my wife. Punishment for entering illegally. My children and I are sentenced to a 10 years along with my wife. The law says that Americans can not fall in love with illegal immigrants. As a result of filing papers for my wife with immigration she received deportation instead of legal residence.
In 1996 congress changed everything for Americans. We lost a little of the freedom we enjoyed before that year. In 1996 Americans lost the right to petition their government to allow their illegal immigrant spouse the right to live in the United states in a legal status.
This law needs to be changed along with scores of other abuses by congress in recent years that restrict the rights of Americans and promote this divisive anti- immigrant rhetoric.
Posted by wartenb arburg on 11/26/2009 @ 03:59PM PT
You must be signed in to report content.
God did not provide Americans will civil liberties anymore than God denies civil liberties to those in many other countries.
No one is saying reform is not needed. It is the nature of reform that is under discussion. Most persons fully aware of all the facts and consequences relating to massive immigration (and without a financial interest in exploiting cheap labor) agree that the best reform would involve:
1. 80-90% reduction in legal immigration quotas
2. 100% reduction in illegal immigration
3. Amnesty for illegal aliens with extreme hardship situations (maybe 1 % of illegal aliens).
4. Much stronger enforcement of immigration laws.
The very last thing we want immigration reform to do is to provide further rewards and incentives to illegal immigration.
One can sympathize with your situation, but you and your wife created that situation. Don't blame the government for not being a candy store.
Posted by Stuart Hurlbert on 11/27/2009 @ 09:03AM PT
You must be signed in to report content.
There are certain Liberties that the Founding Fathers recognized as Liberties bestowed, By GOD, upon every man. That among these are Life, Liberty, And the Pursuit of Happiness" - Declaration of Independece
My Thoughts on Immigration can best be summarized by the immortal quote; "MY HUMANITY IS BOUND UP IN YOURS, FOR WE CAN ONLY BE HUMAN TOGETHER" - Archbishop Desmund Tutu.
You are suggesting that the liberty to marry the woman of my choice can be denied if this woman is illegal? We have spent 10,000+ on lawyers fees to make her legal and have failed since there is no path that doesn't invole a 10 year forced separation.
The Catholic Church does not permit divorce. I am completely devoted to my wife; until death do we part. I will not give up until Comprehensive Immigration Reform passes Congress.
Posted by wartenb arburg on 11/28/2009 @ 08:02AM PT
You must be signed in to report content.
I am completely devoted to my wife; until death do we part.
Than move to her country, why is it mandatory that she move to yours? If she means so much, why not make the sacrifice yourself?
Posted by L R on 11/28/2009 @ 09:24AM PT
You must be signed in to report content.
I will not sacrifice my children's education. Their furure is much brighter here than it would be if the whole family were forced to relocate to my wife's country of origin. They are American citizens and they deserve all the priviledges that the United States has to offer.
As for myself; I was born here too. This is the only country I've ever known or wish to know. I would not be able to find employement in my wife's country of origin since I do not speak Spanish. I would be unable to provide for my family. My wife would be unable to be the provider since the unemployment rate is much higher in this country than in the U.S. and men are favored over women for any employement.
It is also prudent to mention that I would have to abandon certain financial obligations including my mortgage and car loans.
Posted by wartenb arburg on 11/29/2009 @ 01:30PM PT
You must be signed in to report content.
warten;
I think you have sufficient grounds for divorce.
Posted by Kurt Thialfad on 11/27/2009 @ 10:05AM PT
You must be signed in to report content.
There are certain Liberties that the Founding Fathers recognized as Liberties bestowed, By GOD, upon every man. That among these are Life, Liberty, And the Pursuit of Happiness" - Declaration of Independece
My Thoughts on Immigration can best be summarized by the immortal quote; "MY HUMANITY IS BOUND UP IN YOURS, FOR WE CAN ONLY BE HUMAN TOGETHER" - Archbishop Desmund Tutu.
You are suggesting that the liberty to marry the woman of my choice can be denied if this woman is illegal? We have spent 10,000+ on lawyers fees to make her legal and have failed since there is no path that doesn't invole a 10 year forced separation.
The Catholic Church does not permit divorce. I am completely devoted to my wife; until death do we part. I will not give up until Comprehensive Immigration Reform passes Congress.
Posted by wartenb arburg on 11/28/2009 @ 08:00AM PT
You must be signed in to report content.
If there is a God and if you are "good" people, then why does he not solve your problem? Maybe you are not good people and he wants to punish you? Or maybe he doesn't exist?
The simple fact is that people who are ignorant of the law or who break the law are going to get into trouble.
Some of them will then blame other people or the govt for their trouble.
Is this news to anyone?
Posted by Stuart Hurlbert on 11/28/2009 @ 12:44PM PT
You must be signed in to report content.
I cannot convince you that GOD does exist. I can only tell you that he is present in my life. Hopefully you will find God also.
GOD created man in His image. All of creation is "good", according to Genisis. Through Original Sin Everyone is a sinner including you and me. Is it not said that; whoever among you is without sin, cast the first stone."?
I think that God gives us each a purpose. I think that my purpose is to be a voice for the illegal immigrant community. This community is often not heard because of the language barrier. God also has a sense of humer. I used to feel the way you do about illegal immigrants, but after falling in love with one my old way of thinking has been transformed. I belive that I'm fighting a just fight. I belive that God blesses those that stand up for the rights of people that can't defend themeselves.
Posted by wartenb arburg on 11/29/2009 @ 01:56PM PT
You must be signed in to report content.