Two-Step on Immigration Reform in Washington

WASHINGTON — Today, President Barack Obama hosted advocates and labor leaders, including National Immigration Law Center Executive Director Marielena Hincapié, for a discussion about changing our immigration policies. At the same time, the House of Representatives held the year’s first congressional hearing on immigration. Below is a statement from Hincapié on both activities:

“Our conversation today with President Obama was both candid and productive. The president, like the rest of us, recognizes that now is the time to create an immigration process that opens a broad and direct road to citizenship. This road should not be conditioned upon increased border militarization, nor should it come with onerous roadblocks or delays. We will continue to work with legislators, as well as with the White House, to create an immigration system that meets our 21st century societal and economic needs.

“Today’s activities show that in Washington there are some elected officials who learned from the 2012 elections and there are some who clearly have not. The voters have spoken: we want a roadmap to citizenship for the 11 million women and men who are Americans at heart. When legislators call this solution, which is favored by a majority of American voters, ‘extreme,’ it simply shows that they are out of touch with our national needs and values.”

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