Immigration Heats Up - Obama Takes Offensive!

inthesetimes.com

Many have accused President Obama of making immigration a hot issue for the Presidential election in November by choosing to enact a presidential order providing some protection for young illegal immigrants for at least the next two years.  Some Republicans criticized him for usurping congressional authority by using executive action.  Other Republicans criticize him for playing politics with such an important issue as immigration.  Some have gone as far as to say that the President is pandering to the Latino vote.



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There is no doubt that President Obama needs the Latino vote to be successful in his bid to be reelected.  The President has chosen to go on the offensive with immigration as he knows it is a winning issue for him.  President Obama’s order provides some level of protection for young people who arrived in the United States through no fault of their own.  Not of their own choosing even.  These young people arrived with their parents or family at an early age with no understanding of their legal status.  For most of these young people, the United States is the only home they know. 

They attend school, go to church, have jobs, pay taxes and like every other American, try and live a productive life.  The provisions contained within the executive order are very similar to what has been proposed in the Dream Act. Congress has had the Dream Act in front of them for years and has continually pushed it to the side.  Their failure to act has led to great uncertainty and anxiety for these young people who live under the threat of deportation each and every day. 

Many of these children grow up thinking they are Americans as their parents have chosen not to tell them of their illegal status.  Who can blame the parents for not wanting to burden their children with such anxiety and fear.  Sure, someone broke the law at some point in coming to this nation without authority or staying beyond their allowance.  However, to punish  and abandon these young people who contribute so much to our nation is wrong.

I applaud the President’s action and only hope that it leads to greater debate and ultimately new legislation that acknowledges and embraces these young people as our fellow Americans.  Mitt Romney has repeatedly said that he would veto any type of Dream Act legislation.  Romney has of yet to indicate whether he would overturn President Obama’s executive order.  He will have to respond to that very question as it will be continually asked until he informs the Latino community what his plans are.