President begins push to overhaul immigration
WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama is expected to meet with congressional leaders of both parties today to begin laying the groundwork for sweeping immigration legislation, even though its passage this year is considered very unlikely. Ref. Source 1
Obama USA Immigration Changes (Hover)
I do not think that anyone is willing to piss off the latino or those who are not latino when next election comes around. I hope that someone does get this changed and get the borders better protected and get a lot of illegal people out of this country. I find in funny that we can track down a cow that was in this country or even a pig and tell you exactly where they came from but we can not track a human. Something is wrong and it needs fixed.
As I understand it Obama's plan is to reward illegal aliens in the country with a 'pay to stay' kind of system where they pay a fee and then get a permit to work legally. Lawmakers claim that wanting to get any kind of US immigration legislation passed this year is not feasible.
International Level: International Guru / Political Participation: 3231 100%
Under pressure from House conservatives opposed to comprehensive immigration reform, House Speaker John Boehner said today, "I don't see any way of bringing an immigration bill to the floor that doesn't have majority support of Republicans."
Until now, Boehner has sidestepped questions about how he will move forward in the House on immigration reform and whether he would allow a vote on a bill that relied on Democrats to pass the GOP-controlled chamber.
The Senate is considering its version of immigration reform, and Boehner's comment raises new questions about whether any major immigration bill will get through Congress. Ref. CNN
House Speaker John Boehner on Wednesday ruled out any action in the House this year on immigration reform.
"I'll make clear we have no intention ever of going to conference on the Senate bill," Boehner said.
In June, the Senate passed a roughly 1,200-page bill that promised to overhaul immigration laws for the first time since 1985, creating a path to citizenship for millions of undocumented residents while ratcheting up security along the U.S. Border with Mexico. The sweeping legislation -- initially drafted by the four Democrats and four Republicans in the chamber's so-called "Gang of Eight" -- passed by a 68-32 vote.
After Republicans lost the presidential election in 2012, and Hispanic voters voted overwhelmingly to re-elect President Barack Obama, Boehner said it was time for Congress to pass major immigration reforms. "I think a comprehensive approach is long overdue. And I'm confident that the president, myself and others can find the common ground to take care of this issue once and for all," Boehner said in an interview with ABC News the week after the election.
The Speaker brushed aside a question of whether House GOP leaders were avoiding the divisive debate on immigration reform to focus on the problems with the implementation of Obamacare.
"This is about trying to do this in a way that the American people and our members can absorb," The Speaker said, adding immigration reform is too complicated to rush. "There are hundreds of issues involved in dealing with immigration reform, and we've got to deal with these in a common-sense way where our members understand what we're doing and their constituents understand." Ref. CNN
President Barack Obama said he is starting "A new effort to fix as much of our immigration system as I can on my own, without Congress."
Obama said House Speaker John Boehner informed him last week that Republicans will continue to block a House vote on an immigration overhaul at least for the rest of this year. Ref. CNN