Obama Gets the Immigration Reform Ball Rolling; Anti-Immigration Groups Fight Back

http://washingtonindependent.com/79058/obama-gets-the-immigration-reform-ball-rolling-anti-immigration-groups-fight-back

Obama Gets the Immigration Reform Ball Rolling; Anti-Immigration Groups Fight Back
By Julissa Treviño 3/11/10 5:21 PM


Pro-immigration reform advocates may be applauding President Obama’s immigration meetings at the White House today, but anti-immigration groups are pushing back hard.

Immigration reform has been on the back burner of the Obama administration’s agenda because of the recession and health care, but now it seems to be gaining momentum — particularly with today’s two White House meetings on immigration and the scheduled March 21 immigration reform rally in Washington. Now several anti-immigration groups have unveiled new campaigns and strategies to obstruct the “amnesty” plans.

“ALIPAC is releasing a three pronged strategy today designed to defeat the current push by President Obama, and Senators Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Lindsay Graham (R-S.C.) to give Amnesty to over ten million illegal immigrants in American thus turning them into competitive workers and voters,” Americans for Legal Immigration, an anti-illegal immigration PAC, wrote in a press release. And as a “counter measure” to the immigration rally, ALIPAC announced yesterday it would help organize protests, led by Tea Party Against Amnesty, on April 15 to coincide with other Tea Party rallies across the country. According to the Against Amnesty Website, the anti-immigration protests currently have 5,839 supporters.

To counter the March 21 rally in D.C., the anti-immigration group NumbersUSA held a conference call Monday on suggestions for talking points when calling their lawmakers. Callers suggested that Mexican women are the “new welfare queens” and asserted, “They have dependents. We have babies.”

But certain agendas get even more bizarre and accusatory: The conservative Whistleblower magazine, in its March issue, includes a story about how Obama might be “stealing” the 2012 election by using amnesty for illegal immigrants as a way to maintain power.

The president has also come under attack from pro-immigration groups and activists because nothing’s been done yet.

“What’s been missing,” said Frank Sharry, executive director of America’s Voice, a pro-immigration reform organization, “is a clear and public commitment from the president to use his political capital to advance reform this year as promised.”

Early this afternoon, Obama met with fourteen representatives at the White House at from the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda, the Catholic Church, the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees International Union and the National Immigration Forum, among others, according to Politico. He assured them he was dedicated to passing comprehensive immigration reform, thought it was unclear when that would happen.

At 3 p.m., Sens. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) met with the president to discuss what they hope will be a bipartisan immigration reform bill. Obama will also discuss immigration when he meets with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus tonight.

:patriot:

and then there's this.

http://www.theatlanticwire.com/opinions/view/opinion/How-Immigration-Could-Kill-Health-Care-Reform-2809/

How Immigration Could Kill Health Care Reform

By Max Fisher on March 11, 2010 4:04pm

The Congressional Hispanic Caucus, a collection of 23 Democrats and one independent in the House, are threatening to vote down health care reform over an anti-immigration provision in the Senate bill. The provision bars illegal immigrants form buying health care coverage from the exchanges, which is harsher than the House restriction barring illegal immigrants from receiving federal subsidies on health insurance. That's a step too far, say the Hispanic lawmakers. Could this really kill it? What should Democrats do?

more...

99% of "Americans" are immigrants.

I, for one, am not afraid of my sisters and brothers.

He is beloved here. :banghead:

likely result in some senators losing in November, especially in Nevada. Schumer wants to be Majority Leader.

I've posted about this for a few months now. Schumer has been pushing every button he can to get senate to focus on Immigration reform after healthcare. He doesn't give one shit about the Climate Change legislation that has been submitted already, and wants Immigration pushed ahead DESPITE the fact that they don't even HAVE a bill prepared to submit.

I have no doubt that it is Schumer exaggerating the urgency to some news outlets. Obama didn't say anything about this being so urgent it needed immediate senate attention. All he said was to draft a bill and let him see it...as he would ANY issue.

I'm fairly certain Tata and Infosys are prodding him to get more visas. You bet your ass an increase in H1bs will be in this "reform".

You ain't seen nothing yet. Wait until you see what Big Bidness does to immigration "reform". When they get done it'll be nothing but a conduit of quasi-slaves to farms, meatpacking plants, sweatshops, and Walmart. Unfortunately, most pro-immigration groups have been so thoroughly coopted by the Chamber of Commerce that they will be useless as advocates for the rights of immigrant workers on the job.

And let's be honest, taking on a polarizing issue like immigration at a time of high unemployment and after this health care debacle is just bone stupid.

Please substitute "Full blown" for "quasi."

TY