Obama on Immigration Post-Midterm Election

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 5, 2014

CONTACT
Adela de la Torre, 213-400-7822, [email protected]

Executive Promises Should Be Followed by Action

President Obama reiterates plan to fix parts of dysfunctional immigration system

WASHINGTON — During a press conference this afternoon, President Obama reiterated a promise he made in June to use his executive authority to fix as much of the broken immigration system as is legally permissible. Below is a statement from Marielena Hincapié, executive director of the National Immigration Law Center:

“When President Obama announced he would delay much-needed fixes to our immigration system until after the elections, pundits praised him for making a difficult but much-needed move. They were wrong. Today, we know that delaying action has led to thousands of needless deportations and failed to sway a single electoral outcome — save, perhaps, for in Colorado, where inaction actually may have hurt the president’s party.

“No more excuses. The president has ample constitutional authority to do what’s right, both from a political and policy perspective, by creating a process for aspiring citizens to apply for the opportunity to work lawfully and contribute more fully to their communities. In doing so, he’ll improve our economy and restore the immigrant community’s confidence in a government that for too long has focused only on how to maximize detention and deportation.

“Members of both parties should take note: Demographic realities will ensure that election night 2016 will look more like 2012 and less like yesterday. These voters care about what happens to their immigrant parents, friends, and colleagues. President Obama has an opportunity to cement his legacy as a bold visionary, but only if the reform he enacts meets the challenge the dysfunctional immigration system presents.”

# # #