LOS ANGELES – Pro-immigration advocates are hopeful that the government will pass a comprehensive immigration reform (CIR) legislation by August, giving relief to the more than 11 million undocumented individuals in the United States.
During a New America Media national telebriefing: Tracking Immigration Reform in 2013 on Thursday, proponents of CIR believe this is the year – and have set August as its target date – that reform legislation has to pass or the issue may languish again.
“That is an ambitious timeline but I believe I think it’s one that is possible,” said Angela Kelley, vice president for Immigration Policy and Advocacy, Center for American Progress.
“Those of us who have been fighting for reform for all these years, it is one that we must push and frankly, demand. Time is not our friend. The closer you get to the end of the year, the harder it is to get (Senate and House of Representative) members to do anything,” Kelley added.
Comprehensive immigration reform has been a polarizing issue, mired in Washington politics for years with both sides unable to get anything done. This year it appeared CIR would once again take a backseat as other issues like gun control, and the economy have been placed on top.
Heading into his second term, President Barack Obama has placed immigration reform on top of his agenda — doing a speech about the issue in Las Vegas and mentioning it again during his State of the Union address.
“We know what needs to be done,” said Obama during his state of the union speech. “As we speak, bipartisan groups in both chambers are working diligently to draft a bill, and I applaud their efforts. Now let’s get this done. Send me a comprehensive immigration reform bill in the next few months, and I will sign it right away.”
Obama is looking at his legacy and leading the charge on this issue, said Kelley.
Frank Sharry of America’s Voice, an immigration policy group, said unlike years past when Republicans and Democrats constantly butted heads over the issue, now “both parties have a political imperative to get comprehensive immigration reform passed the goal line.”
Sharry said Democrats realize the growth of Asian and Latino voters that deeply care about immigration issue and if they want to continue to receive their support, they have to act on passing a bill.
For Republicans, Sharry said, passing a CIR bill would “regain their competitiveness with the fastest growing groups in the country.”
(LA Weekend February 16-19, 2013 Sec. A pg.1)
