President Obama on Immigration | Legal Language Services

Immigration policy is at the forefront of the issues facing President Obama in his next term. Here?s an in-depth look at how he plans to tackle this subject.

In general, Senate Democrats are planning to revisit immigration very soon after President Obama?s inauguration. According to the White House, President Obama?s immigration policy is going to ?[strengthen] our economic competitiveness by creating a legal immigration system that reflects our values and diverse needs.? This is further explained with the following points:

• Immigration laws should bring together families and encourage people who have studied in our universities to keep their skills here rather than abroad.
• Children of immigrants who traveled here illegally should be afforded the opportunity to stay in the United States if they pursue higher education or serve in the military.
• We should provide farmers with legal means to hire workers which they rely on annually.
• We should improve processes for employers who wish to hire foreign workers for jobs if US workers are not available.

Evidence of work toward these kinds of immigration goals can already be found in the President? s first term: Obama has supported the DREAM Act, which would provide conditional permanent residency to certain undocumented residents of good moral character who graduate from US high schools, arrived in the United States as minors, and lived in the country continuously for at least five years prior to the bill?s enactment; and also proposed a new rule which would allow certain undocumented spouses and children of US citizens to apply for legal status while remaining in the US. President Obama has also stated that he is for comprehensive immigration reform, meaning that he opposes a ?patchwork? of state laws to repair the immigration system.

There are some harder edges to President Obama?s immigration policy. The White House notes that our borders are ?more secure than at any time in the past several decades,? and that it will only continue to improve. It also states that enforcement resources should be concentrated on preventing harmful people from entering the US.

President Obama stated that he supports accountability for employers which break the law by hiring and exploiting undocumented workers. However, he also recognizes a need for a reliable way for employers to verify that they are hiring documented workers.

President Obama offers a stern but fair policy on those who are living in the US illegally ? they will not necessarily be deported, but they must make amends and become documented. This entails registering and undergoing national security and criminal background checks, paying taxes and a penalty, and learning English before becoming eligible for citizenship. The White House stated, ?Being a citizen of this country comes not only with rights but also with fundamental responsibilities. We can create a pathway for legal status that is fair and reflects our values.?

Many people have argued that President Obama did not do enough for immigration reform during his first term, and also correctly point out that Obama has deported an extremely high number of immigrants in his first term (a figure which President Obama always qualifies by stating that the administration is focusing on deporting immigrants with criminal records). Considering all of this, it will certainly be interesting to see how this immigration policy will be implemented during President Obama?s second term.

?

Source: http://www.legallanguage.com/legal-articles/president-obama-on-immigration/

staff sgt. robert bales jason russell norfolk state st patrick s day parade duke invisible children garbage pail kids