White House Bill a Spark; Senate Must Create the Flame

Draft Language on Immigration Policies Leaked

WASHINGTON — The Miami Herald yesterday posted a few sections of the White House’s draft legislative language to revamp the country’s immigration policies. The titles released focus on legalization, immigration issues at the workplace, and detention and deportation policies. The National Immigration Law Center will release a brief analysis of the drafts later today. Below is a short statement from Marielena Hincapié, executive director of the National Immigration Law Center:

“President Obama is doing exactly what he promised he would do. He has written legislation and will present it to Congress if they fail to introduce a bipartisan solution in a timely fashion. We are glad to see that the president is leading, and that he understands that we must act fast to reform our immigration policies.

“The president’s draft language leaked last weekend mirrors the White House principles published after his speech in Las Vegas. It creates a road to citizenship that is not contingent on unattainable border security while providing ways to further strengthen the border. It also contains a mandatory employment verification system, as well as important whistleblower protections for workers who are retaliated for exercising their civil and labor rights.

“However, as is often the case with draft legislation, crucial elements of the plan are still missing. We hope the Senate will take this language for what it is: a start. Other elected representatives – on both sides of the aisle – now have the opportunity to finish the job.”

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