On Friday, President Obama said he expects Congress to take up the issue of comprehensive immigration reform by “early next year.”
While speaking to Hispanic reporters at the White House, Obama said he hopes a bill will be drafted by the end of this year. Congress failed in both 2006 and 2007 under the Bush administration to tackle this complicated issue.
When asked if an immigration bill would have enough votes to pass Congress, Obama said he did not know. He also explained complications may arise as next year is an election year.
Obama has asked Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano to meet with lawmakers to work through many of the most controversial aspects of this issue. Hot button issues include how to handle the 12 million illegal immigrants already in the United States and how to prevent future illegal immigration.
“We have convened a meeting of all the relevant stakeholders, and Secretary Napolitano is working with the group to start creating the framework for a comprehensive immigration reform,” President Obama said.
Immigration reform advocates have criticized Obama for not following through on a campaign promise to tackle the issue this year.
Obama joked that his opponents had another reason to block his immigration reform effort: “There are many members of the Republican Party who think now that I am illegal immigrant,” he said. Since the 2008 presidential campaign many anti-Obama activists have claimed that the president was born in Kenya and therefore is not eligible to be U.S. president.
Let’s hope its sooner rather than later…
I must admit I am a little disappointed that this will not be tackled this year. It is going to be incredibly difficult next year, as it is an election year, and elected officials are going to be hesitant to take up such a controversial issue. I believe that the Obama administration will have a better chance at success than the Bush administration though. Lets all cross our fingers that this will happen “soon rather than later” as Alex says.