Obama Readying Immigration Overhaul Despite Political Risks
Peter Nicholas and Tom Hamburger Washington DC Bureau
December 29, 2009 WASHINGTON - The punishing battle over healthcare is still unresolved, but the Obama administration is quietly laying plans to take up another issue that could generate even more controversy and political division--a major overhaul of the nation's immigration system.
Already, senior White House aides have privately assured Latino activists that the president will back legislation in 2010 to provide a road to citizenship for the estimated 12 million undocumented workers now living in the United States.
In a conference call with proponents, White House deputy chief of staff Jim Messina, political director Patrick Gaspard and others recently delivered the message that the White House is committed to seeing a substantial immigration bill pass and wants to make sure allies are prepared for the fight.
In addition to the citizenship provision, the emerging plan will stress increased efforts to harden borders to make illegal entry more difficult. But that two-track approach has been rejected in the past by Republicans and other critics who insisted a border crackdown demonstrate its effectiveness before any action on citizenship could be considered.
As recently as the George W. Bush administration, efforts to win congressional approval for coupling the two issues were repeatedly stymied. And whatever proposal Obama eventually puts forward is likely to trigger equally determined opposition, especially with next November's congressional elections looming.
That makes embracing an immigration bill a significant gamble for the White House, which already has job creation, global warming curbs, and new regulations for financial institutions on the agenda for 2010.
Adding to the difficulty, polls show that the public is far more worried about the 10% unemployment rate and the fragile economy than anything else. By pushing an immigration bill, Obama risks appearing out of step with the everyday worries of the typical voter.
Geoff Garin, a Democratic pollster, said the issue is difficult in virtually any environment.
"We know from a lot of experience that immigration reform has been and can be a very polarizing issue. There are heated differences about whether there ought to be some kind of pathway to citizenship for people who entered the country illegally," he said.
"And my sense from the public opinion research is people care more about vindicating their position than they do about getting the issue solved.'' But the White House has apparently decided to press ahead, with Homeland Security secretary Janet Napolitano designated to lead the effort. She has begun talking privately with lawmakers in an effort to hash out a strategy.
In an effort to enlist the kind of support from business groups that helped drive its healthcare initiative, the White House has also reached out to the National Restaurant Association, which represents an industry that employs thousands of immigrants, asking if they could be counted on as an ally.
Earlier this year, the new head of the association, Dawn Sweeney, met with Cecilia Munoz, a White House aide involved in the issue, and expressed interest in cooperating.
"It's an extremely important issue for our members," Sweeney said. Her association could be a force in exerting grassroots pressure on lawmakers.
As a presidential candidate, Obama vowed to take up immigration in his first year in office. It's now too late to make good on that commitment.
If they delay once more, Obama and congressional Democrats could anger the Latino voters who came out in force for them in 2008. Exit polls show Obama won two-thirds of the Latino vote in the 2008 election compared to 31% for his Republican opponent, Sen. John McCain.
No one anticipates that a core element of the Democratic base will defect to the Republican Party next November. But even a significant drop in turnout – which often happens anyway in non-presidential elections--could frustrate Democratic efforts to preserve their congressional majority.
"The bulk of the people needing immigration reform are Latino,'' said U.S. Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ). "It was a major motivating issue during the election. … There's a level of disenchantment about where we're going. There's some frustration and disappointment, and if you don't give the Latino community a reason to participate (in the elections) you weaken your base even more.''
Unlike healthcare, which has played out over most of a year, an immigration bill would be constrained by a tight deadline next year. For a bill to have a realistic shot of passing, political analysts say, the particulars would have to be hashed out and agreed upon by next spring.
Delay would increase the likelihood of the issue getting derailed by the November elections.
Henry Cisneros, a former cabinet secretary in Bill Clinton's administration who took part in the conference call with the White House, said: "It gets much more difficult as the year goes along. So everyone has to be very sober about the prospects. But the president and congressional leadership understand it's important to start the ball rolling."
"It was clear that the administration intends to put this in the first rank of their legislative priorities in 2010,'' he said.
An immigration bill was introduced in the House earlier in the month and Sen. Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat who chairs a subcommittee on immigration, is heading the effort to cobble together a coalition in the Senate.
Bipartisan support is possible. Schumer's office said he is working with Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) to develop a bill and wants Graham to sign on as a co-sponsor. Graham's office did not return calls for comment.
Democrats may not have a lock on one prominent Republican who wanted to revamp the immigration system in the past: McCain, who backed George W. Bush's failed attempt to overhaul immigration in the second term. The Arizona senator has not committed to supporting the Obama bill, saying he worries that the president will not endorse a temporary guest worker program.
Organized labor, an important part of the Democratic base, has voiced opposition to a guest worker program under which more immigrant workers could enter the country on a temporary basis. Critics argue that there is no effective system for assuring that such workers leave the country when their entry permits expire.
"From everything that we hear right now, the temporary guest worker program won't be addressed in immigration reform. And unless that is an essential part of the reform program, it's something that Sen. McCain can't work on,'' said Brooke Buchanan, a spokeswoman for McCain.
The White House would not reveal its position on the issue of guest workers. A White House spokesman, Nick Shapiro, said in a prepared statement: "The president has asked secretary Napolitano to work with stakeholders and leaders on this issue in the House and Senate to move the legislative process forward on this important issue.''
Should an immigration bill gain traction, White House chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel would likely become a central player in the negotiations. Emanuel has had a long history with the issue.
As a young aide to Bill Clinton, Emanuel co-wrote a memo showing great concern for the political dynamics of immigration. Emanuel and Ron Klain, now the top aide to Vice President Joe Biden, wrote in 1994: "We must be seen as taking proper, forceful steps to seriously address the immigration problem without alienating the Hispanic and civil rights constituencies.
"Our goal is not to out-do the Republicans, rather to use our achievements and proposals to prevent them from using this as a wedge issue against us.'' The former head of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, Doris Meissner, recalls that she once received a phone call from Emanuel berating her over a news story about lax border enforcement in Arizona.
"This kind of press is killing us," Meissner recalled Emanuel saying , as he instructed her to send border agents to the area immediately. "He had no authority whatsoever to give me orders," she said. "My boss was the Attorney General."
But Emanuel was constantly pressing his White House colleagues to push what he termed a "balanced" immigration policy, which included both enforcement and stepped-up grants of citizenship.
"The bulk of the people needing immigration reform are Latino,'' said U.S. Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ). "It was a major motivating issue during the election. … There's a level of disenchantment about where we're going. There's some frustration and disappointment, and if you don't give the Latino community a reason to participate (in the elections) you weaken your base even more.''
some folks are more equal than others?????? help me understand,,,,please.....If you want to be American you are no longer latino/italian/polish etc.....
...you are a product of your environment, your environment is a product of your priorities, your priorities are a product of you......
The replacement of morality and conscience with law produces a deadly paradox.
STOP BEING GOOD DEMOCRATS---STOP BEING GOOD REPUBLICANS--START BEING GOOD AMERICANS
> > JOE LEGAL vs. JOSE ILLEGAL > > You have two families: "Joe Legal" and "Jose Illegal". > Both families have two parents, two children, and live in California .. > > > Joe Legal works in construction, has a Social Security Number and makes > $25.00 per hour with taxes deducted.. > > > Jose Illegal also works in construction, has NO Social Security Number, > and gets paid $15.00 cash "under the table".. > > > Ready? Now pay attention... > > > Joe Legal: $25.00 per hour x 40 hours = $1000.00 per week, or $52,000.00 > per year. Now take 30% away for state and federal tax; Joe Legal now has > $31,231.00. > > > Jose Illegal: $15.00 per hour x 40 hours = $600.00 per week, or > $31,200.00 per year. Jose Illegal pays no taxes. Jose Illegal now has > $31,200..00. > > > Joe Legal pays medical and dental insurance with limited coverage for > his family at $600.00 per month, or $7,200.00 per year. Joe Legal now > has $24,031.00. > > > Jose Illegal has full medical and dental coverage through the state and > local clinics at a cost of $0.00 per year. Jose Illegal still has > $31,200.00. > > > Joe Legal makes too much money and is not eligible for food stamps or > welfare. Joe Legal pays $500.00 per month for food, or $6,000.00 per > year. Joe Legal now has $18,031.00. > > > Jose Illegal has no documented income and is eligible for food stamps > and welfare. Jose Illegal still has $31,200.00. > > > Joe Legal pays rent of $1,200.00 per month, or $14,400.00 per year. Joe > Legal now has $9,631.00. > > > Jose Illegal receives a $500.00 per month federal rent subsidy. Jose > Illegal pays out that $500.00 per month, or $6,000.00 per year. Jose Illegal > > still has $ 31,200.00. > > > Joe Legal pays $200.00 per month for renter's insurance, or $2,400.00 . Joe > Legal now has $7,231.00. > > > Jose Illegal says, "We don't need no stinkin' insurance!" and still has > $31,200.00. > > > Joe Legal has to make his $7,231.00 stretch to pay utilities, gasoline, etc. > > > Jose Illegal has to make his $31,200.00 stretch to pay utilities, > gasoline, and what he sends out of the country every month. > > > Joe Legal now works overtime on Saturdays or gets a part time job after > work. > > > Jose Illegal has nights and weekends off to enjoy with his family.. > > > Joe Legal's and Jose Illegal's children both attend the same school. Joe > Legal pays for his children's lunches while Jose Illegal's children get > a government sponsored lunch. Jose Illegal's children have an after > school ESL program.. Joe Legal's children go home. > > > Joe Legal and Jose Illegal both enjoy the same police and fire services, > but Joe paid for them and Jose did not pay. > > > Do you get it, now? > > > If you vote for or support any politician that supports illegal aliens... > that's part of the problem.
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
Somebody....can ya get yer head out of that dark place for a moment and see that they DO NOT PAY TAXES!!!
AND they are here ILLEGALLY!
My grandparents were immigrants and they didn't get anything for nothing. They WORKED and PAID taxes from day one!!
AND they were here LEGALLY!!
K?
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
Bumble--how many Italians living in Rotterdam came in through Canada or came on a visa and just didn't go back? More than you know. And guess what. They all had jobs, got paid by the dress factory etc. and much more.
Somebody gets it right. And btw, Americans DO NOT want to do those lower wage jobs because they are willing to rely on welfare. Immigrants have the desire to work and work hard.
Bumble--how many Italians living in Rotterdam came in through Canada or came on a visa and just didn't go back? More than you know. And guess what. They all had jobs, got paid by the dress factory etc. and much more.
Somebody gets it right. And btw, Americans DO NOT want to do those lower wage jobs because they are willing to rely on welfare. Immigrants have the desire to work and work hard.
So we can assume that you support the fact that there are illegals in this country(which by the way is against the law), that are not paying any taxes and yet reap the benefits(handouts), from the hard working, taxpaying legal citizen?
And we can also assume that you are in favor of corporate america 'using' illegals (which by the way is against the law), to pay them a lower wage with no benefits so they can increase their bottom line?
Come on....I thought you were smarter than that!
Illegals are just the new bottom feeders for the bleeding heart socialist progressive liberals. With out the bottom feeders, under served, lower class, poor....whatever the libs wanna label them.....there wouldn't be a socialist liberal progressive party! What the hell would they do??? Who could they garner votes from?
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
Illegal immigrants don't pay for car insurance just wait until one runs into you and find that out the hard way. You also forgot to tell us about all the money for welfare they suck up and also putting a drain on the health-care system by not having any. They don't pay income tax. By buying houses that they can't afford they also aided the the collapse of the housing market and financial market. We also don't need illegals here on a permanent basis as they can be brought in on a seasonal basis to work the farms.
Illegal immigrants don't pay for car insurance just wait until one runs into you and find that out the hard way. You also forgot to tell us about all the money for welfare they suck up and also putting a drain on the health-care system by not having any. They don't pay income tax. By buying houses that they can't afford they also aided the the collapse of the housing market and financial market. We also don't need illegals here on a permanent basis as they can be brought in on a seasonal basis to work the farms.
be careful when treading in this pond......that's where 'RealID' will come into play and be a HUGE podium puck to make us 'feel' safe.....
I will say it AGAIN----the only way to prove illegal is to make everyone else 'legal'.....the old--show me your papers route of Hitler.......you want to go there? I sure as hell dont.....
I say get off my back and I'll stay off yours......trade will ALWAYS happen......legal or illegal.....I'm sure you know a few pot smokers
...you are a product of your environment, your environment is a product of your priorities, your priorities are a product of you......
The replacement of morality and conscience with law produces a deadly paradox.
STOP BEING GOOD DEMOCRATS---STOP BEING GOOD REPUBLICANS--START BEING GOOD AMERICANS
"I'm pleased that you all are here to witness the signature of the Secure Fence Act of 2006... This bill will make our borders more secure. It is an important step toward immigration reform... The bill authorizes the construction of hundreds of miles of additional fencing along our southern border...We're modernizing the southern border of the United States so we can assure the American people we're doing our job of securing the border. By making wise use of physical barriers and deploying 21st century technology we're helping our Border Patrol agents do their job."
George W. Bush U.S. President, Signing of the "Secure Fence Act of 2006" Oct. 26, 2006
IF YOU CROSS THE NORTH KOREAN BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU GET 12 YEARS HARD LABOR.
IF YOU CROSS THE IRANIAN BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU ARE DETAINED INDEFINITELY.
IF YOU CROSS THE AFGHAN BORDER ILLEGALLY, YOU GET SHOT.
IF YOU CROSS THE SAUDI ARABIAN BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU WILL BE JAILED.
IF YOU CROSS THE CHINESE BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU MAY NEVER BE HEARD FROM AGAIN.
IF YOU CROSS THE VENEZUELAN BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU WILL BE BRANDED A SPY AND YOUR FATE WILL BE SEALED..
IF YOU CROSS THE CUBAN BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU WILL BE THROWN INTO POLITICAL PRISON TO ROT.
IF YOU CROSS THE U.S. BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU GET
· A JOB, · A DRIVERS LICENSE, · SOCIAL SECURITY CARD, · WELFARE, · FOOD STAMPS, · CREDIT CARDS, · SUBSIDIZED RENT OR A LOAN TO BUY A HOUSE, · FREE EDUCATION, · FREE HEALTH CARE, · A LOBBYIST IN WASHINGTON · BILLIONS OF DOLLARS WORTH OF PUBLIC DOCUMENTS PRINTED IN YOUR LANGUAGE · THE RIGHT TO CARRY YOUR COUNTRY’S FLAG WHILE YOU PROTEST THAT YOU DON’T GET ENOUGH RESPECT · AND, IN MANY INSTANCES, YOU CAN VOTE. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I HAD A FIRM GRASP ON THE SITUATION…
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
Well I guess I will start with these: A few other points you don't seem to get either- wake up !
1. It helps keep the economy moving by filling low-wage jobs. We can do this without them
2. It provides a better life to individuals and families who enter the country illegally. Send them all back and let them fix there own country
3. It creates a pool of consumers for a variety of goods and services. Like what? What do they buy that others do not?
4. Farmers are able to plant and harvest less expensively. You mean the Farmers that are paid not to produce too many crops?
5. Contributions to social security funds often go unclaimed. Compared to the amount of taxes they don't pay how much of a financial differenc is that?
6. Illegal immigrants pay sales taxes. sometimes
7. Illegal residents, who are property owners, also pay real estate taxes. repeat #6
8. Millions of illegals rent properties in depressed areas where renters are hard to find. Then they cram 16 people in a 5 person space destroying the property contributing to the DEPRESSED Area
9. They purchase real estate and generate commissions for agents and brokers. And still don't speak english
10. Illegal immigrants benefit financial services through consumer loans. Again there is no way you are going to get someone to think that they contribute anywhere near what they take away.
11. They open bank accounts that yield interest and dividends to bankers. It all goes back to there home country. Who you kidding besides yourself?
12. Illegals purchase auto insurance and contribute to profit margins When?
What state has the most illegal aliens that we know of? California maybe? The state about to go bankrupt. Yes this country was built by immagrants. Hell, the Indians were murdered for this land. All this talk about it being made better because of there work. Right. Whatever. Here is my suggestion. Send them all back to their country and let them fix that one. Then we can take all the people on welfare who can work do all the unwanted jobs. We will set up day care facilities for all their children. And the Disipline and Education of there children will be regulated. Hey your the one sucking of the government ta ta so the government gets to tell you how to raise your kid. Tuff crap if you don't like it.
As for ID Sender. Don't You already have like 3 forms of ID? The average American has what 3-4 credit cards as well. Big Brother is already watching. Deal with it. You want the government out of your buisness? What will you say when you have to protect your own land from other country's? Nope. Stay out of my buisness..I got it all covered.
To many people want their freedoms but don't want to take what comes with it.
Sender - Papers of hitler time? You don't think we are already there but in a freedom kind of way? -License and registration please. -I need 2 forms of ID to open that account. -We need a credit card for you to rent that room and so on and so forth. It isn't OMG you are a Jew! It is ok, you are American.
Logged
