President Obama and Congress are planning to present an immigration reform package that would allow a path to citizenship to undocumented immigrants, with the intention of addressing the plan within the next couple weeks.
The new plan is expected to address “young undocumented immigrants, migrant farm workers or highly skilled foreigners”, and “impose nationwide verification of legal status for newly hired workers, add visas to relieve backlogs and allow highly skilled immigrants to stay, and create some form of guest-worker program to bring in low-wage immigrants in the future.”
“I think comprehensive immigration reform is something we’re hoping we can get going shortly after the inauguration,” says Juan Sepulveda, former Obama administration official and working as the Senior Advisor to the Democratic National Committee.
Clarissa Martinez de Castro, Director of Immigration Policy at the National Council of La Raza adds, “The reality is we are in a new environment, and we are seeing a shift in how people are grappling with the issue.”
President Obama and Senate Democrats have been working together to “oppose any measure that does not allow immigrants who obtain legal status to eventually become U.S. citizens.”
President Obama also argues that his plan for undocumented immigrants isn’t a form of amnesty because it will include fines to those who break the law.
“Republicans must demonstrate a reasoned approach to start to rebuild their relationship with Latino voters,” says Martinez de Castro. “Democrats must demonstrate they can deliver on a promise.”
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