‘Qué pasa’ in Immigration: Senior Advisor Says Obama ‘Remains Committed’ to Reform

America's Voice Blog

Posted 01/29/10 at 04:30pm

que pasa For the second day, today’s top story is Hispanic discontent with President Obama’s cursory mention of immigration during his State of the Union address; many outlets also quote Valerie Jarrett, a senior advisor to the president, assuring Hispanics that Obama remains committed to immigration reform, and report on statements from Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY), chair of the Senate Immigration Subcommittee, that he has met with ex-CNN anchor Lou Dobbs. An EFE article on the last item says that “Democrats seek Lou Dobbs’ help to pass immigration reform” (“Los demócratas buscan la ayuda de Lou Dobbs para lograr una reforma migratoria”).

The agency EFE highlights a roundtable in which senior Obama advisor Valerie Jarrett assured Hispanic reporters that the president’s commitment to immigration reform has not waned, headlined “Jarrett: Obama maintains a firm commitment to immigration reform” (“Jarrett: Obama mantiene su firme compromiso con la reforma migratoria”).

Jarrett affirmed that Obama had “absolutely no intention of letting immigration get forgotten.” “We’re not willing to give up,”stated Jarrett. “This was true last year and it’s still truer after the elections in Massachusetts.”

According to the article, Jarrett explained that in order to advance reform, we need the public’s support:

“We have to make sure that we educate the public so they know that this is not just a Latino issue, it’s an issue for all Americans and it’s good for our country and to create jobs...” she explained amongst other things.

The newspaper La Opinión headlines its article “Obama’s “lack of emphasis” on immigration is criticized” (“Critican ‘poco énfasis’ de Obama hacia inmigración”). The article quotes Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) reiterating the Democrats’ commitment to advancing reform, and Schumer saying that they continue to seek bipartisan support and are requiring 2 Democratic Senators and 2 Republican Senators to get on board before moving legislation forward. The article also quotes Schumer’s report of his meeting with Dobbs.

In its article “Leadership sought from Obama on immigration reform” (“Piden liderazgo a Obama sobre reforma migratoria”), Mexican news agency Notimex quotes various pro-reform groups pressing for stronger leadership:

“Instead of evading the issue, legislators in both parties should see immigration reform as something attainable. Resolving the issue would have real benefits for all Americans,” said Frank Sharry, director of America’s Voice.

Gabe Gonzalez, a strategist with the Reform Immigration For America campaign, asked Obama “not to let our communities suffer another year under the weight of our dysfunctional immigration system.”

La Opinión published an editorial entitled “What about immigration reform?” (“¿Y la reforma migratoria?”) which, among other things, indicates that “We hope that the passing mention of immigration is a question of political strategy and doesn’t reflect a lack of commitment to the issue on the part of the White House. Since Democrats control Congress and the White House, there are no longer Republicans to blame, as Democrats have done in the past. The administration has a vital role to play in advancing legislation that has support from labor, support from the private sector and support from both parties. There are already bills on the table that fit this description.

My latest column, “With three words” (“Con tres palabras”), notes that Obama did not utter the three words—“comprehensive immigration reform”—that many were waiting for, although the “viewer’s guide” issued by the White House Press Office did mention the president’s commitment to comprehensive reform.

America's Voice is starting a new series to bring Spanish-language coverage of immigration and politics to a wider audience. Look for daily roundups (in English), of some of the best Spanish-language news.

Don't forget to check out the latest Spanish-language reporting and analysis on immigration over at MaribelHastings.com.