Previously we pointed out a renewed sense of urgency which seems to drive President Barack Obama to help pass comprehensive immigration reform. In the last few days, the President met with religious leaders from all denominations to hear their ideas and concerns. He wants Congress to send him a bill within 60 days that would provide a path to citizenship for many of the 11 million undocumented immigrants in the country, and he urged the religious leaders present to continue to pressure Congress and their congregations to move forward on the issue.
The White House has been talking with many disparate constituencies to gather support for immigration reform, most recently from the tech industry, which wants to hire more highly-skilled immigrants. Traditionally, conservative members of the faith community have been more receptive to calls to overhaul immigration in recent months, and many religious leaders are beginning to realize that many people in their congregations are undocumented and lack the basic protection of the law.
In addition, the White House is drafting a back-up plan in case bipartisan talks on immigration reform break down. White House chief of staff Denis McDonough said Sunday that President Barack Obama wants to "be prepared" in case the small bipartisan group of senators fails to devise a plan for the estimated 11 million illegal immigrants in the United States.
In response, lawmakers assured the White House they are working on their own plan — and warned the President he would be heading toward failure if the White House gets ahead of them. McDonough added that he is optimistic that talks would not crumble. However, President Obama stated:
We will be prepared with our own plan if these ongoing talks between Republicans and Democrats up on Capitol Hill break down.
These developments clearly indicate President Obama is eager for comprehensive immigration reform to be one of the main legacies of his presidency and that the President is working diligently to get people from all walks of life to see the benefits of enfranchising millions of undocumented immigrants.
Against this positive backdrop, former GOP Governor Jeb Bush, and presumptive 2016 Republican presidential candidate, echoed the traditional Republican hard line in his new book “Immigration Wars” by walking back his previous statements supporting a path to citizenship for the undocumented, saying:
Lawmakers should instead create a path to legal status for undocumented immigrants who live in the U.S., as long as they agree to plead guilty to a crime of illegal entry and pay restitution.
He further wrote that creating a path to citizenship for the 11 million undocumented immigrants could encourage more illegal immigration and undermine the nation's laws.
More information. Have further questions or need paralegal advice? If so, feel free to contact us at myGreencard.com or ask your local immigration attorney for more information. You can also download free USCIS immigration forms, U.S. State Department visa forms, the latest visa bulletins, and immigration reports at myGreencard.com.
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