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LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Calling on the nation to aspire to our higher
ideals, which are rooted in our nation’s immigration history, President
Obama stated, during a speech today at American University, that fixing
the broken immigration system is a “moral imperative.” Below is a
statement from Marielena Hincapié, executive director of the National
Immigration Law Center:
“The president today acknowledged that millions of immigrant families
live in fear, are exploited, and are separated from their loved ones
because Congress has failed to act. As a result of this inaction, a
patchwork of anti-immigrant, discriminatory, and ill-conceived measures
that trample upon our Constitutional rights is mushrooming in states and
localities across the country and undermining our fundamental values. We
need the president’s leadership now more than ever to reverse this
troubling trend and help Washington create an immigration system that
meets our needs.
“The president also pointed to ways to fix our broken immigration system
that are currently pending before Congress, such as the DREAM Act, a
measure that would give young people who have claimed America as their
home since childhood the opportunity to attend college and go on to
contribute their full potential to our economy and society. Passage of
the DREAM Act would be a good first step toward achieving real and
sustainable immigration reform.
“As the president mentioned, our country has been a magnet for the best
and brightest of the world, and their innovation and entrepreneurial
spirit has made the U.S. the world’s ‘economic engine.’ He also
acknowledged that there are millions of immigrant workers who may not
appear in history books, but play a pivotal role in strengthening and
enriching our society.
”But actions speak louder than words. The unsung heroes to whom the
President gave homage are suffering greatly under the weight of the
immigration raids -- such as the one this week at a factory in
Fullerton, Calif. The president must take action and lead Congress in
reforming a broken immigration system that offends our most basic
values.”
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Here is a
list of experts who can provide commentary on Pres. Obama’s speech
or other immigration issues.
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