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Obama eases restrictions on illegal immigrants
U.S. President Barack Obama delivers remarks about the Department of Homeland Security's recent announcement about deportation of illegal immigrants in the Rose Garden at the White House June 15, 2012 in Washington, D.C.
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Sarah Gardner: Immigration policy, front and center today in the White House Rose Garden. President Obama announced his administration will stop deporting young immigrants whose parents brought them to this country illegally as kids. That's roughly 800,000 young people who could now qualify for temporary work permits.
Here's President Obama.
Barack Obama: It makes no sense to expel talented young people, who for all intents and purposes are Americans -- they've been raised as Americans, understand themselves to be part of this country -- to expel these people, who want to staff labs or start new business or defend our country, simply because of the actions of their parents.
Critics were quick to label the announcement as a political moved aimed at courting Latino voters. The White House is framing it as a better use of homeland security resources.
Marketplace's Amy Scott has our story.
Amy Scott: Diego Sanchez came here illegally from Argentina when he nine years old. He’s now a senior at St. Thomas University in Florida. His parents have paid for college with their earnings painting and cleaning houses. Before today, his job options were limited. Now he plans to apply for a work permit.
Diego Sanchez: So once I graduate I’m thinking of pursuing an MBA in international business, and at the same time trying to find some work with a nonprofit organization.
Marielena Hincapié: This is an economic stimulus of sorts.
Marielena Hincapié is executive director of the National Immigration Law Center. She says many of these young immigrants have degrees in engineering, medicine, and law but have had to work under the table in restaurants or as volunteers.
Hincapié: So I think the fact that they now will be able to live in their communities free of deportation but also to contribute to their local, state and national economies is really wonderful for the country.
Critics say the new policy could make it harder for Americans to find work. Mark Kerkorian is executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies, which advocates tight controls on immigration. He points out the permits are only for two years and could be reversed under a new president. He says that might put off potential employers.
Mark Kerkorian: That really undercuts the predictability, which is really what you need as an employer.
Immigrants like Diego Sanchez say they’d like predictability too. They plan to keep pushing for a permanent solution.
I’m Amy Scott for Marketplace.
President Obama relaxing rules for younger illegal immigrants who haven't broken the law since coming into the country as children.
We are all humans, all one family, children of Adam and Eve and should love one another.
“imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people living life in peace”
don wilson
I'm more convinced than ever that Obama will lose this November. This Administration obviously doesn't understand the independent voter. Most of them see stunts like this as blatant pandering - ignoring the rule of law to court votes. And they'll resent it.
This is an interesting one. As human beings I think we have a moral responsibility to be considerate of our fellow man, and understand that there is a back story to every story, and we owe it to ourselves to do something good if we can. With that in mind, I can understand the President's decision. I can understand the illegal immigrant's desire to pursue a dream of a better life for their families and themselves. I sympathize with the many struggles they probably went through to get here, to pursue that dream. The dream, after all, being defined as 'The American Dream.' I get it. I get it, because I'm an immigrant too, and I moved here 13 years ago in pursuit of that very same dream.
The difference is, I'm a legal immigrant. I have a degree and work my butt off! I pay my bills, I pay my taxes, I give back to the community, I volunteer; in essence, I am definitely earning my right to live in this great land. I try to be a good American citizen. Except that I'm not. I've been waiting for 10 years for the government to process my paperwork just to get to permanent residency and I'm still waiting. I go through my own struggles, in pursuit of the American dream, so it's very difficult for me to celebrate wholeheartedly what seems like a "free ticket" to folks who broke the rules for the same benefits my blood, sweat and tears earn.
Charity is a wonderful thing, but so is accountability.
It is a difficult situation for all. Some Americans feel that it is unfair that Mexicans illegally arrive on our shores and work, live and create new families. They feel anger, resentment and perhaps even hate towards them. I am Hispanic American and about 39 years ago, I had a dream. I remember hiding in my house and telling my children who are white to answer the door if they come looking for Hispanics at our home. I remember the intense fear I felt and having to hide. I did not understand the dream then. Today I think about the Jews that had to hide so the Nazis would not drag them away to the death camps. There were those few that helped them by hiding them in their homes or property. In Arizona, you can get pulled over if you are brown and asked for proof of citizenship. Now my dream of over 30 years ago, is my nightmare. I have my birth certificate but is it right what is happening in this country? Where are we headed - towards Nazi Germany? I believe my country has a history of hate, murder and stealing. They took this country from the Indians and put them on reservations. They stole Africans from Africa and tried to steal their Spirit as well but did not. They forced the Chinese the do the grunt work for pennies if that. During WWII they forced American Japanese into camps but did not force the white German Americans in camps. The God that Americans seem to pray to hates Gay people, denies them the rights and privileges the rest of us take for granted. I would like to see a compassionate path to resolution for these Mexican people that run from a country filled with no hope, no dreams and a country that runs red with the blood spilled in the streets from corruption.
So you're seriously comparing illegally entering a country to the genocide performed by the Nazis? That's not only insensitive towards those Jews that were murdered, but not even considering that you broke the law to be here. You're a criminal....
Is America always perfect? No of course not. But I do think we can all agree that if you break the law there are consequences. It's not hard to legally immigrate to this country, but you picked the shortcut. Why should we reward those that cut corners to get something they could acquire legally?
However, if you are that afraid of what America might do, why are you still willing to hide here? The reward of being here instead of Mexico must still be worth the risk yes?
It IS hard to immigrate legally. That's the entire problem. Do you really think people would come here illegally if it were easy to come here legally?
Immigration restrictions are not as bad as killing people outright but they are just as bad as segregation. You're treating people differently because of attributes that are not under their control (with segregation it was color of skin or who their parents are, with immigration restrictions it's where someone is born or who their parents are).
America has always lived with racism but it also gave us the idea that all men are created equal. The question today is do we support America's discriminatory legacy, or it's idealistic one? I vote for the later option and support Obama's decision. I also call on our legislature to stop avoiding this issue and create a workable resident/labor policy so that foreigners CAN live and work here legally and easily without discrimination.
Mr. Obama,
If we are to be considered an actual republic, then we must also have a rule of law. Anyone that is here illegally, be it Hispanic, Polish, German, Australian, must be deported when discovered. To give what is basically amnesty to these individuals is to demonstrate that we don't really care who comes here as long as they wish to help, and thumb our noses at those individuals who follow the law willingly. Breaking the law should never result in a benefit if caught.
While the children are not necessarily here of their own volition, they are not here legally and thus must face the consequences. If they are really that talented and interested in helping this country, then let them demonstrate it by trying to be a good citizen, which implies following the law and immigrating legally. Anything less is unacceptable.
Maybe this can be a story of interest, We speak of illegal immigration and soon as we say it, we think of South of the Border, but how about Europeans. What are they? (those that are here illegally?) are anyone or agency going after them? or are they treated differently. We racial profile people of color, and the other get off the hook. Is it because those who's interested in going after the illegal immigrates are the same race of the illegals from Europe. Hmmmm!
