Obama promises immigration reform soon

By Nora Devin

It seems that finding the time to reform immigration laws is not as simple as Obama had hoped.

Once a main priority of the Obama campaign, the task of reshaping America’s immigration law is proving to be difficult to schedule into Obama’s already cramped presidential agenda. But the Associated Press reported that at a White House meeting on Thursday, Obama assured the 30 lawmakers present that he is determined to ensure that the steps to create a new bipartisan bill will begin this year.

“It’s going to require some heavy lifting," Obama said. “It’s going to require a victory of practicality and common sense and good policy making over short-term politics. That’s what I’m committed to doing as president."

In an age where millions of capable Americans find themselves taking the dreaded trek to the unemployment office, immigration reform has taken a back seat when it comes to priorities. But with an estimated 12 million illegal immigrants living in the U.S., new policies could assure that jobs only go to rightful citizens.

President Bush was also confident that he would create a new immigration bill during his presidency, but that day never came, and there is a fear that this kind of neglect could become a pattern. At the meeting on Thursday, South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham expressed her concern that if a law is not passed soon, future politicians will most likely consider the issue an impossible task and it will go untackled for generations.

Two weeks ago, Obama explained his goals for reform when he addressed a mainly Hispanic audience at the Esperanza National Hispanic Prayer Breakfast. The President said he plans to require prospective citizens to pay a penalty as well as taxes, and that any illegal immigrants currently in the country should “go to the back of the line and play by the rules,” explaining that is the only fair way of handling the issue.

Obama emphasized that immigrants are and have always been an important part of the illustrious American dream, and that he does not intend to squash America’s opportunistic reputation. However, when jobs are limited, it is necessary to ensure that law-abiding citizens, whether they are natives or immigrants who have gone through the proper channels, have the best chance at earning jobs.