Friday, May 1, 2009

Obama: " We can't continue with a broken immigration system"

In a press conference yesterday from the White House about his first 100 days in office, President Barack Obama reiterated his intention to make immigration reform a priority in his first year in office.

Responding to question about his immigration reform strategy, Obama had this to say:
We can't continue with a broken immigration system. It's not good for anybody. It's not good for American workers. It's dangerous for Mexican would- be workers who are trying to cross a dangerous border. It is putting a strain on border communities, who oftentimes have a deal with a host of undocumented workers. And it keeps those undocumented workers in the shadows, which means they can be exploited at the same time as they're depressing U.S. wages.

In the meantime, what we're trying to do is take some core -- some key administrative steps to move the process along, to lay the groundwork for legislation, because the American people need some confidence that if we actually put a package together, we can execute.

So [Homeland Security Secretary] Janet Napolitano, who has great knowledge of this, because of having been a border governor, she's already in the process of reviewing and figuring out, how can we strengthen our border security, in a much more significant way than we're doing?

If the American people don't feel like you can secure the borders, then it's hard to strike a deal that would get people out of the shadows and on the pathway to citizenship, who are already here, because the attitude of the average American is going to be, well, you're just going to have hundreds of thousands more coming in each year.

On the other side of the debate:

The Obama administration also reiterated its plan to pursue employers who knowingly hire and exploit illegal workers. Guidelines sent to Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents yesterday call for imposing fines and pressing criminal charges against employers who break the law, according to the Associated Press. The priority is to go after employers, but the policy says agents will continue to arrest illegal workers as long as local US attorneys commit to prosecuting cases against their employers.

Napolitano has said the agency will focus on ``renewing a priority on employers who are making money off of these illegal immigrants and giving them jobs that should be going to American workers.''

In 2008, ICE brought criminal charges against 135 employers and 968 workers.

36 comments:

Javier Charlotte NC said...

so i guees for the president the solution is to make every ilegal legal.....what about the people like us who waited our time in our countries for a resident visa for 10 years? so this people can just have it for free.....WHAT'S THIS WORLD COMING TO?

Anonymous said...

I just love the hypocrites who rave about "Capitalism!" then bash businesses who hire foreign workers, promote free trade, and outsource/offshore jobs. You're a protectionists, not a capitalist, so stop lying a your little teabag party or get a dictionary.

Anonymous said...

Bull SH*T, that's what obama is full of. The American people want real action.Millions of Americans are out of work, with millions of illegals in this country. And you "LIBS" don't give me that cr*p that the jobs they take, Americans won't work in.I'm a professional mechanic with at least ten mechanics who work along side me who are illegal. My wage is $30.00 per hour.They pay the illegals $10.00 per hour.Revolt shall come to this land sooner than many people think!!!
TRUE PATRIOTS will rise up and take back control of our government soon!!!!!

All Americans who consider themselves true PATRIOTS should ARM themselves for the DAY of RECKONING!!

Sensible said...

Finally a sensible plan. If jobs are not available for illegals they will not come. Make sure employers are hiring citizens.

Still Bitter said...

I am still bitter. I think I will leave a negative comment about President Obama.

Anonymous said...

And OH yes Mr. obama, our immigration system is not broken, it's the government that is broken!!

Anonymous said...

Eric Holder is in charge of the US attorneys charged with bringing employers of illegal aliens to trial. His m.o. is likely to prevent this from happening to any degree capable of bringing positive change. In other words, MaObama's words are nothing more then lip service. MaObama's words are also a slap in the face to those who waited years and years to become legal citizens. What the hell is MaObama thinking? Sadly, he is bent on intent-not the bottomline. Thus, as long as the policy sounds good there is nothing else to worry about. MaObama is nothing more then a Svengali of the masses-a.k.a.-sheep.

Anonymous said...

If the government is broken it began the day Bush took office. Obama is cleaning it up....Like my grandma used to say "A new broom sweeps clean"....

Anonymous said...

"We can't continue with a broken immigration system."


I'll take things Dan Quayle would say for $5.00 Alex

Anonymous said...

Considering we won't close off the border for this "pandemic" that is being blown out of proportion, I don't think they'll close it off to keep out "would-be workers" as the President put it. Of course, Nancy Pelosi calls them "patriots".

Enforce current law and this problem goes away. The last administration didn't do it either.

Anonymous said...

I agree, the only thing that is broken is our government when it comes to our immigration policy. We should enforce our current laws and make sure that people who come to this country in a legal manner receive citizenship first. Don't give me this cr@p about hard working people who come here and are not breaking any laws. They come here illegally and then use false documents to stay here. They cost us honest taxpayers more money to support their health care and their childrens' education. I've seen how disruptive it is for non English speaking kids to be in a school and how it holds back the rest of the class. I've seen illegals go to the emergency room when they have a cold. This costs money! And money they don't supply to the tax system. I've seen them take construction jobs away from U.S. citizens. I also understand how they drive down the wages of U.S. citizens.

Anonymous said...

Our gov't has been broken for a long time. It's time to go back to the constitution before our country becomes a Cuba. Our constitution was written to protect us from the gov't. When the people fear the gov't there is tryanny, when the gov't fears the people there is freedom and liberty!

Anonymous said...

Our immigration needs reform. Make it easier for immigrants to come in and we can document them and TAX them. Our current laws are unenforceable. A wall won't keep them out. Deportation is a waste of tax dollars. Let's accept the fact that they will come and let them pay for their health care. It costs thousands of dollars to become a legal immigrant; which is very hard to come by outside of America. Between an untimely death in a bucket full of acid or facing our deportation, I would choose our deportation. Lets document them. If they break our laws afterwards, put them to work on penal farms for sustainable commodities or underfunded infrastructure projects. Whether from Mexico or any other country, our utmost priorty should be DOCUMENTATION.

Anonymous said...

Anon at 9:03 said "All Americans who consider themselves true PATRIOTS should ARM themselves for the DAY of RECKONING!!"

Are you channeling Timothy McVeigh or David Koresh?

Sorry, but the majorty of Americans disagree with you.

Looks like true patriots gave the conservatives the biggest landslide defeat in our lifetime last Nov.

Oh, god, are we going to have to hear this incessant whining from the far right for 8 years, or will they finally get finish throwing their little temper tantrum?

Anonymous said...

Obama is right. We should be an open country and let all in who want to be here. We would save lots of money by doing away with the borders. And these people can insure the Democrats will stay in power for a generation.

Anonymous said...

I am a proud lib who supports illegals by the million. Since no lib likes to work and has no ambition, I am proud to be one. I want illegals here so the rich can pay them low wages. Then we can tax the rich so us lazy no-good libs can live in our tents and without running water.

So, take that, gun fools, and go shoot a rabbit. BTW, dont shoot the rabbits that run around like fools--------they are the illegal children of Bush and Cheney .

And keep those rich rolling in money, I need the food stamps their taxes buy. Maybe they will donate a pair of shoes because everyone know mine have holes.

And, give me a TV! Libs cant think, that is why we voted Obama to tax the rich.

Now you conservatives cowards stock up on those guns. We need to tax the guys who make the money off you. We live off of your spening.

Shaithis said...

We actually have a pretty good system in place. We just don't enforce the laws for two reasons. We needed cheap labor, and liberals need votes. It's simply time to enforce the laws.

Anonymous said...

shaithis-you have obviously never been through our immigration system

Anonymous said...

ONE WAY TO "FIX" THIS ILLEGAL
PROBLEM IS TO GIVE OUR BORDER PATROLS RIGHTS TO KILL ANYONE THAT
CROSSES THE BORDER. SINCE THE ONES
HERE WON'T LEAVE AND GO BACK TO MEXICO....PUT THEM ON A PLANE AND SEND THEM TO AFRICA.
YOU THINK THIS SWINE FLU IS SOMETHING ELSE....JUST WAIT....FROM THIS DAY FORWARD IT WILL BE SOMETHING ELSE...PROBABLY WORST THAN THE SWINE FLU.

Anonymous said...

yes, anonymous 8:03, wholesale murder is what we should do as God-fearing christians. All those children and women walking into Texas and California must be executed, because that's what Jesus would do. And what to do about the immigrants coming from other countries? SHould we shoot them as they come off of planes from Africa, Asia and the middle east? Or maybe take potshots at their boats as they come in from Haiti. What church do you go to?

Eman said...

The following video shows exactly what the future holds for countries comprised of a White-majority if mass-immigration is not halted: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cf31q4TC790

Whites worldwide will go extinct unless they act now to stop the flood of immigrants.

Anonymous said...

There's a difference between capitalism and anarchy. Since when did the "land of the free" become the land of the "free-for-all?" We have an immigration policy. We just need to enforce it and do away with birthright citizenship, which is being exploited by lawbreakers.

Anonymous said...

This is another infamous "Franco Ordoñez" article to try to persuade people that the illegal scum is good for society. Yes they work cheaper and businesses don't pay social security and other taxes on them but they are bringing down this country. Frank would like for another 100 million to be able to immigrate here. We will have more people than China in 75 years.

Frank, yu are the main reason why we stopped getting the paper. Your vies don't reflect those of the people.

Anonymous said...

The sytstem is broken because of the millions of criminals who are already citizens in Mexico coming here and trying to force the government to break its own laws to accept these lawbreakers as dual citizens them cheating and jumping ahead in line diabolically using some bogus ideological racist bigoted lie about America being the land of the peasant immigrant reject vagabond thus should automatically accept these non-whites who have already been mooching for ages anyway working the system to their advantage running hospitals out of business crossing the border having their babies there to bastardize the constitution.

What is wrong with waiting in line? Waiting your turn? Not cheating and breaking in line?

The days of massive influx migration ended 100 yrs ago when European whites were allowed to flood to the nation they created in order to populate at their own risk the vast expanses of the western frontiers where many died due to the elements or hostility against them.

Mexico formerly New Spain aka formerly the Asian migrant Aztecs who defeated by the European white Spanish Latinos 500 yrs ago who ruled for 350 yrs got its independence from Spain in 1821 with its 90 million citizens has its own nation and government dosent it? America has even sent millions of jobs under CAFTA to Mexico and Central or South America to try stop the illegal flood in the same way it sent millions more to Asia with NAFTA.

It is also hilarious to read about the Reconquistor movement to retake the border states as has happened but its moved into non-border states so whats the excuse now?

Learn your history better. The border states of America never had any mongoloid red race Aztecs even as all the indiginous migratory pagan tribes here before the white man arrived were from eastern Asia and crossing the Bering Strait filtering downward 10k miles to the tip of what is now S America leaving their tracks as eskimos, indians, aztecs, myans, amazons etc.

Obama liberals are wanting to make the millions of illegals citizens mainly because they are non-whites and this is racist and bigoted.

What about the millions of Europeans in line to get citizenship? Are they breaking in line and cheating? Are they doing anything illegal?

So in essense cheating and crime is being rewarded only because they are non-white? This is pure racism and dsicrimination in its worse form as those who do things legally are punished?

Dont change the law to accomodate criminals. Wait your turn. Stop working the system costing taxpayers trillions.
Mexico is your nation and coming here to parasite off taxpayers is wrong.

Otherwise put in an application and wait in turn. Do not change any laws.

Anonymous said...

It's a shame when you can pick out the uneducated one's by their comments. If you can't make a educated comment, then shut up because you have nothing positive to offer the world, only ignorance!

Anonymous said...

You people gave this guy the position now live with his decisions.

Still Bitter said...

I'm still bitter. Now I think I will say something foolish.

Anonymous said...

Too late Bitter, several idiots beat you to it.

Anonymous said...

I agree with the comment about "uneducated people".
What a shame! Some people need to go back to college. If they had ever gone...

Anonymous said...

To all those complaining about Mexico causing the swine flu outbreak, something to consider:

The farm where the outbreak is believed to have began is half owned by Smithfields. Yet another US corporation outsourcing jobs and showing no regard for their workers.

Anonymous said...

Only 40 yrs ago European created America was 90% white and todays its 70% mainly due to illegals flooding here by the millions breaking the law costing taxpayers 100s of billions in welfare medical school costs etc.

Liberals are the absolute most ignorant racists on the planet and are rarely called out for their bigotry.

We know the not so hidden agenda is to furthur reduce the white population of European Americans to being a minority and this is exactly what is behind the entire racist liberal agenda.

So why are ignorant non-white liberal racist bigots so anxious to reduce the white European American race anyway who has been the benefactor savior of those non-whites here anyway taking them out of the jungle into the white man world?

Do you want to make America a 3rd world ghetto nation even though its already half way there?

Do you want to be like Africa? Mexico? South America?

Have you noticed how quickly the once modern thriving wealthy European created white ruled African nations South Africa and Rhodesia who gave tens of millions of Africans jobs and a much highwer standard of living has reverted back to total jungle crime disease poverty under black tyranical Marxist rule?

Rhodesia was the bread basket of Africa feeding the whole continent until the Mugabe racist bigot tyrant took over and slaughtered the white farmers and stole their land. Today the nation called Zimbabwe is a wasteland of poverty disease and corruption.

South Africa was a modern nation in every way under white rule. Blacks had jobs and homes and fed their families. Today in a mere 15 yrs after racist black rule took over the whole nation is in dissaray and reverted to 3rd world status with the highest crime and aids rate on the planet. Whites are slaughtered like cattle yet the media says nothing.

The same is occuring in America. As whites are reduced in numbers in the natyion they created the standard of living goes to hell, crime goes up and disease takes over.

Where are all the bed bugs and diptheria malaria and all other disease coming from but from Mexico? NYC is infested with parasitic insects in all hotels etc.

Stop the despicable reverse racism by the uneducated ignorant liberal bigoted hate mongers to make European America a non-white majority nation. America is fast becoming 3rd world.

Anonymous said...

Gracias por perjudicar a tantas personas de origen hispano. Motivo mas que suficiente para dejar de ser subscriptor del Charlotte Observer. El precio de ese premio es la desgracia de tantas familias..

Anonymous said...

NO amnesty. Come legally or not at all. NO path to citizenship for criminals. Make no mistake--illegal aliens are criminals. Every one of them--including President Obama's aunt. If they are working illegally, they are stealing from U.S. citizens and foreigners here legally. If they have children in school, they are stealing from local taxpayers. Check out the website for the Federation of Americans for Immmigration Reform. There are alternatives.

Anonymous said...

Amnesty is wrong. No one who comes here illegally should ever become a citizen. Their children born here should not be citizens. Having traveled in Mexico and South America, I don't wonder that the bravest and toughest try to get here, but they are the very people who are needed most in their own countries--and the very people who are a burden here. We have to make the hard choices if we are serious. DON'T eat in restaurants with illegal workers--eat at home. DO your own yard work. Hire no companies for maintenance or repair unless they can prove their employees are all legal. Ironic that what the mighty Spanish Empire could not do in the 16th century, our own greed and laziness will accomplish in the 21st century.

Anonymous said...

The part of the system that is broken is the part in which those who are wanting to come here legally and the ones that are here legally have to deal with. The fact of the matter is that the voices of legal immigrants is being over shadowed by the pro-illegal-immigration crowd all in the name of votes and political correctness. Why do those who work hard to come here the legal way get pushed to the bottom while the illegal immigrant gets pushed to the top. It's wrong, wrong wrong wrong.

Anonymous said...

If ICE is interested, I can lead them to at least five different construction sites that have all illegals working there. These construction companies just thumb their noses at any laws that prohibit them from hiring illegals. I just love it when I hear the Chamber of Commerce say that we live and have to compete in a global economy. It is only the working class that has to compete with the invasion of illegal Mexicans for jobs here. This has to stop. The hard working people of this country deserve better.