Four Roadblocks to Obama's Immigration Reform

Reader Comments
Back to article

If Obama and his administration really wanted to do something about CIR and if they were really serious about it from the very begining, they would have done so when the Democrats held the majority in the Senate and the house. Even then, not all Democrat Senators supported reform. Now with the GOP playing their stupid games, it makes it next to impossible for anything to be achieved. The country's job market and the economy has a lot to gain from some sort of sensible reform. Putting 12 million undocumented through indefinite difficulty is only going to reflect back on the well being of the rest of the country. The least is to atleast have them all registered and have their backgrounds screened so we know who is here. Then comes the fees, fines, back taxes and having to learn english. After they pass the prelimnary application round, they can apply for conditional work permits with a chance to legalize after 5 years. Needless to mention those with criminal backgrounds stand zero chance of making it. From them on fully implement e-verify and put in place an entry / exit system for those overstaying their visas.
We are not only punishing them but in the bargain we are doing harm to ourselves.

James of CA 11:26PM October 11, 2011

Obama, do this country a favor; Step down from your position and save your face!

Sam the Man of CA 6:37PM July 26, 2011

Just what part of ILLEGAL do they not understand?????

bri of IL 11:41AM June 30, 2011

If the immigrant is legal they have issues inregards to salaries and work profile and the cost of labor goes high and they are very demanding whereas if the immigrant is illegal they come from middleclass families who have gone to verybad days for their living so they are ready to work at low cost and not demanding also. Also they might be cases where some illegal immigrants are really bad but 99% of them are geniune and are working hard to earn money for their family so i would suggest there should be a law where the illegal immigrant is allowed to be legal.

Lorna of IN 2:07AM June 29, 2011

How come a or any person think about immigration reform? We the American people have to be realistic, it does not matter if you like or not, we have to see the reality of the country per se.
1.The States are in bankruptcy 2.The cities are in bankruptcy. 3. the school system is in bankruptcy. 4. The US is in bankruptcy. 5.Social security is in problems.6.Medicare is in problems. 7.The school transportation is in shambles.8.The Security of the US has been threatened again. 9. The Health Care is lousy and with money problems. 10.The family basic food has been rising.11. the gasoline prices are up. 12 . Oil drilling has been subsidize to Brazil and Mexico(Obama granted a loan to Mexico), but stop drilling by the US. 13. there are 12,000,000 millions of Illegals, 8,000,000 millions are from Mexico How are they going to do a "Uniform" Immigration reform? the only benefited are the Mexicans. 14. The Natural disasters is taking a toll in farming land and it will a reduction of food supply.
A person have to be obsessive not to realize that first is the well being of the Americans than a reelection campaign .
Mr President think right and start being a president of the U S and not a President of the non Americans.

spanglish of NM 1:12AM May 16, 2011

You see that Obummers ratings went south and now he wants reform so he can get more votes in 2012. He does not give a darn about the illegal immigrants, he just want to ensure he is elected again. If you want to reform the immigration laws you must 1st understand how to enforce them. The democrats gave Mexico's president a standing ovation for his comments about Arizona's new law being bad for America! Do you realize that if you did the same in Mexico you would be put in jail?? But here in America we give you food stamps, free medical for your family. Obama throws billions of dollars to Pakistan to help find and capture Osama bin Laden and they were hiding him from our government. Now Obama says there is a need to raise taxes the balance the budget. I call foul in so many ways, he bails out the banks, Americans lose their homes, jobs and financial security and they are throwing billions away. If "Wake Up America" doesn't work then how about let the Chinese come and take land in trade for the trillions we owe them. Washington needs an enema.....

ron of TX 11:17PM May 13, 2011

@Susan of CO,
The cost of labor is more expensive when it is legal. Your view only suggests that we should tolerate law breaking to entice business to stay in the US for cheap labor.
Earlier big amnesties have shown that once legalized, a new pool of illegal labor comes in and business then prefers the new pool. Thus amnesty does not help the cost of labor or the illegal labor situation, but feeds both to ever increasing heights.

wyn of IL 2:38PM May 13, 2011

The United States being a nation of immigrants does not imply that we should not have an immigration system that benefits this nation and its citizens rather then promotes illegal immigration or a ethnically biased immigration system.
Apparently quite a few posting here are not aware that the United States already has a plethora of options for people to enter the US as workers. For example many of those from our Southern neighbors come to the US and work legally in agriculture as well as other industries.
Those that choose to come legally should be rewarded, those that choose to come illegally should not be rewarded under any circumstances.
Incidentally, unemployment rates in the US are historically highest among those with less then a high school education, that is the very same group which economists admit illegal immigrants, and even legal immigrants with lack of education compete with.
Further, illegal immigrants, many who work in agriculture and other areas within t our food supply, have typically not met the health standards to enter the country, and some cannot meet them because of their condition.

wyn of IL 2:30PM May 13, 2011

This article is rather presumptious and racist in linking the supposed view of one specific ethnic group alone on the issue of immigration. Clearly many in the US beyond that one ethnic group are "stakeholders" in immigration reform.
Personally, Obama's desire or not as far as immigration reform mean nothing to me. Congress decides the issue, not the President, which means it is just a political ploy as far as Obama goes.
Oddly enough Obama essentially admits that Democrats are against securing the border when he accuses Republicans of insisting on securing the border as the first step.

wyn of IL 2:21PM May 13, 2011

We always boast of being a nation of immigrants but treats immigrants like second class beings for political gains. What we propably don't know is that about 65% of undocumented people in the country don't wish to remain in the country forever or become citizens. All they really want is the right to have some sort of income to be able to support themselves, immediate families as well as extended families living in their home countries.
Most of them only need what they call Green Card: 1. to be able to travel out of the country to visit dear ones left behind for years. 2.to be legally recognized so that they can receive help from local law enforcement agencies without fear when the need be. 3.contribute to build America by paying taxes,joining the security agencies to protect America, 4.help take care of our aged in nursing homes etc. all these which could help move America forward is being denied because of unhealthy politics
There's no other way or path one can legally follow to become legal other than marry a citizen which most undocument people are not willing to go that way. There are even a perception that people enter into marriage of convenience paying several thousands of dollars to the US born partner to help secure legal status. All these monies could have gone into the local Municipal offices to help sustain the budget and keep the county running if there is a system that allows payment of fines like say $3000, pay back taxes, pass criminal backround check, pass english exam, and be in the country not less that 4yrs.
It is time to do something about our broken immigration system. we can even remove the right to become a citizen and give them only legal status or a "Green Card" and l can bet that that alone will be enough for majority of those undocumented folks. Let's support President Obama to fix the problem now.
I pray someone forward this to our lawmakers in whitehouse.

Francis of OH 12:31PM May 13, 2011