USA: Obama promotes Federal Immigration Reform
Washington, July 1st (IPS) - USA President, Barack Obama criticised this Thursday the “ill-conceived” Arizona Immigration law and made a call on the opposition to support a reform to be applied throughout the country.
The immigration reform has become an urgent issue in Washington, due to the fact that some States have individually passed their own immigration laws.
On April 23rd, south-western Arizona passed law SB 1070, through which the permanence of illegal immigrants in the territory is considered a crime, and allows the State Police to arrest them in case of “reasonable suspicion” that they should not have their residence permits in order.
“States like Arizona have decided to take matters into their own hands. Given the level of frustration throughout the country, this is understandable, but it is also ill-conceived” said Obama in a speech at the American University, at Washington DC.
Many critics sustain that Arizona law will encourage racial profiling.
“These laws have also the potential of violating the rights of American innocent citizens as well as legal residents, by subjecting them to possible detentions or questioning just because of what they look like or how they speak”, said Obama.
Two weeks ago, the Secretary of State (Foreign Minister) Hillary Clinton declared on Ecuadorean television that the USA government would appeal against this Arizona law, but there isn’t yet any announcement about this lawsuit.
Organisations concerned about of Latin-American immigrants’ civil rights in this state welcomed Obama’s statements.
“The President’s speech arrives at a crucial moment: we are dealing with a civil rights’ crisis due to federal inaction on the issue of immigration. He understands that the solution (....) lies in Washington, not in Phoenix” said the activist Janet Murguía, mentioning the capital of Arizona.
“But a speech is not enough, it will not make a difference if the President (...) does not make pressure on both parties in Congress to move a law project forward”, added Murguía, President of the La Raza National Council, an organisation defending Latin-American immigrants’ civil-rights.
Obama has expressed against the new law in the past. But as mid-term elections to be held in November were imminent, the White House is eager to stop criticism as regards the laxity of the Democratic Party on security and immigration.
In May, the White House announced that it would send 1200 National Guard agents to patrol the US-Mexico border, as a result of the pressure from both Republicans and Democrats to reinforce the border’s security and to increase funding to fight against drug-trafficking.
On Thursday’s speech, Obama warned that the lack of a federal immigration reform is producing inconsistent policies, which is revealed in the fact that the States are individually passing their own legislation.
“We all know that one clear national standard is needed as regards immigration”, he said.
Obama made a call on Republicans to join Democrats and approve this reform; otherwise, the law will not pass.
President Obama approved the attempts of Senators Charles Schumer and Lindsey Graham to create a bipartisan commission to treat the immigration reform. But he realised that some Republicans supporting this initiative during the administration of George W Bush, now oppose the Democrats’ proposal for partisan reasons.
Obama committed himself to a reform improving border security, but preserves USA’s history as “a nation of immigrants”.
At the core of this controversial issue is the question of what to do with the 11 million undocumented workers living in the USA.
Obama was inflexible against massive deportation as well as massive amnesty as possible solutions.
Besides, this would be non- viable and very expensive, and in the case these measures should be taken “the very fabric of this nation would be torn, because immigrants who are now here illegally are an intricate part of that fabric”, he added.
During his campaign, Obama promised to pass an immigration reform at the beginning of his administration period. It seems increasingly unlikely for him to achieve this goal before mid-term elections, even if this Thursday’s speech set the issue among the agenda’s political priorities of the Democrats.
Eli Clifton
Source: IPS http://www.ipsnoticias.net/nota.asp?idnews=95809