America's Voice Blog

Posted 04/09/09 at 09:10am

New York Times: Obama to Tackle Immigration Reform in Year One

obamaImportant piece in the New York Times today on immigration reform. The White House reaffirms its commitment to moving immigration reform forward in year one.

Julia Preston reports:

While acknowledging that the recession makes the political battle more difficult, President Obama plans to begin addressing the country's immigration system this year, including looking for a path for illegal immigrants to become legal, a senior administration official said on Wednesday.

­The article doesn't get to the point that legalizing 12 million workers will vastly increase tax revenue ($66 billion over next 10 years, according to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) and Joint Committee on Taxation), lift Americans' wages by providing a level playing field, and provide a sane counterpoint to the costly alternative being presented by the Lou Dobbs Lobby: the mass deportation of the 12 million immigrant men, women, and children living and working in the U.S. without papers.

Despite that, it is the latest, most affirmative sign that the White House is committed to moving forward on sensible solutions to our immigration crisis in the first year of an Obama administration.

Check out the full article here.

Comments

I propose that the immigration reform should not only include “illegals” but also those who have stayed here in the U.S. for a long period of time.  I have been living in the U.S. for almost 14 years as an international student.  I’ve been climbing my educational latter starting from bachelors up to doctoral degree.  I just cannot stand the fact that although I’ve lived almost a half of my life in the U.S. I have no rights as an American citizen.  I don’t want to play the game of a “business marriage.”  I’ve had a chance to do so, but since I’m an honest person, I’m about to puke thinking of such disgraceful practice.  If you let people get the possibility of getting American citizenship, the number of marriages and divorces would drop down significantly.

  • 04-19-09 By Wieslaw Piontczak(Orlando, FL)

I think immigration reform has to happen and soon. It should include both parties though. There should be tightened borders, all criminals should be checked for their immigration status and the illegally staying criminals should be deported, e-verify system has to be brought into effect etc. At the same time for the people who stayed here and for the people who want to stay here a permanent route to citizenship should be put in place.

Any one who comes to the USA should be able to avail a work permit. But they should be given a green card only after 5 or 6 years of work history, tax history and no crime and a good grasp of the national language. Today English tests are conducted by the immigration officials verbally. That is not right. There should be a written exam and the question papers confidential. This will keep this country moving. Good people with no crimes and the ability to work and learn the language get to stay. Also this way only the people with real interest to become American citizens will stay because the length of the waiting time which will be 6 years for Green Card and 5 more years for citizenship and also the initial 1, 2 or 3 years for the work permit itself is all too long. A program like this will reduce illegal marriages and other document misrepresentations that people are going for.

Without a proper workable system put in place the governmental body’s functions can only result in suppression and oppression as the laws themselves cannot be used effectively.

People are not happy about the present immigration system of America. So it should be reformed urgently.

  • 05-19-09 By AJ(San Francisco)

I am going to have to say that it would be great to give people that have lived here long enough, the same rights as any citizen. If those people have good records, and have been living by the law all these years then they deserve the same rights. I have been in the states for over 8 years, with my family, with a case to legalize ourselves however there has been no progress whatsoever. I check the visa bulletin all day every day hoping for some good news but there is not anything. I go to school here yet i cannot transfer to a university, I cannot drive, I do not work.. I honestly don’t know how I am surviving. A lot of people that live here truly deserve the right to live like Americans… We are in this country for a reason, it gives us hope and safety… We need the change, we need the chance, and I, along with everyone else who has done no harm to this country whatsoever, deserve this. No one is happy, and reality is, having that green paper is like a ticket to heaven to most of us… Still waiting, hopefully we wont run out of patience.

  • 06-09-09 By Patti(Orange county)

We need to end this debate of immigration now and move on to more pressing things like health reform, the economy and security.  Americans are not going to linger and drag this issue unless you are stuck with the old way of thinking and complaining. Pres Obama himself understands both sides and as an black American, he truly understands all the minorities issues which make White America concerned.  Why does it need to take someone like Pres Obama to do it. He is trying his best to end this long debate that has become losing battle on many tv networks. Watch Lou Dobbs and Fox news.  They incite and remind us that there cannot be a solution. But there is, we as Americans need to understand that our government failed us by not taking of immigration problems long before 1986.  Since Reagan and Bush Sr. it became out of control.  We leave Democrate Presidents to solve the problems Republican Presidents make. Yes, I sympathize our current President.  His plate is full of Republican crap and yet he is making good of his promises.  All illegal immigrants need to get legalization and pay their way to be part of our sociey.  It is not the world’s fault for choosing American’s way of life when we do everything in our power to show the world that we are the best!!

  • 06-19-09 By Jeff

sdfsfs

  • 07-10-09 By fsdf

I think the amnesty should include legal immigrants in the US.

  • 07-13-09 By Elizabeth

Its simple, Over stayed or “illegal” immigrant should be penalized in certain amount which will help the U.S. financial problems, that’ s for sure.  Allow non-immigrant to work, provide them SS# or IDs to file proper taxes, which is again a tax revenue for the Govt.  If genuine Americans don’t want these people to become US Citizen, then fine no need to vote during election just allow them to work that i know most of them are here to help their families abroad.  Let these 12-14million go out from shadow and file the application with penalties of overstaying, to obtain resident alien card or some kind or not equal to Green Card that will give them a benefit of going back and forth the country. Also screen good guys from bad guys, and increase border security.  That’s it, hope this will contribute something.

  • 07-18-09 By Radpitt

It is about time that the government realize that the immigrants of this country are people who are here to help build this country and that they too should have rights and the ability to climb the ladder and build something for there family.T he immigrants are the ones that are doing the jobs that most american would not even do and the reason is that they want a better life but how can they get that better life if they are not being given the chance to grow and build ,I have known people living here for many years and are unable to get medical insurance ,and paperwork to help them climb the ladder and do better for themselves how can they thrive in a country that keeps pushing them aside .they too need to have the chance after all is’nt this a country freedom and hope well lets just hope they too can have hope

  • 08-01-09 By sherry(brooklyn)

illegal immigrants come over here to make a better life for themselves. Some people do not understans that they can barely make enough money to take care of theie families. Some people only make what equals 15-20 dollars a week . Could u take care of your family on that ? They need help to become legal without it costing thousands of dollars. They do a lot of work that no american will do .

  • 08-27-09 By js

I am a victom of our immagration policy. I am married to a man from Honduras and we have three children he was told by immagration in order for him to obtain a green card he was to voulentarly deport and go back to his country and get a visa and then he could return to the United States well thats been two years ago and now we have lost everything.  First they took away his work privleges and ss number after four years in bussiness and payed taxes, baught a home, had a drivers licencse that was stripped off also and I was left here in the United states to fend for myself and our three children! while my bread winner was deported back to Honduras may I remind you this man worked everyday and was never arrested and never in trouble with the law and did everything by the book!!!! now im on welfare and foodstamps living one day at a time but, I know if my husband was here with me I would not be living off our goverment money.

  • 09-01-09 By carrie frazee

 1 2 3 >  Last »

Submit a comment

Please enter the word you see in the image below: