White house is prepared to introduce immigration legislation

Marcus Atkinson

HispanicOhio.com editor

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During the White House press briefing Wednesday afternoon press secretary Jay Carney reiterated the concepts president Obama outlined Tuesday on immigration reform, but as predicted most questions centered around the disagreement on border controls versus providing a legal pathway to citizenship for those who are currently living in the United States unlawfully.

Carney reminded the room the bipartisan senate proposal and the administration’s proposal were similar, for those who doubt Obama’s commitment to border control Carney said “the president’s commitment to enforcing border laws against illegal immigrants is demonstrated by his record ( referring to the 4 million immigrants deported under the Obama administration)”.

He went on to add that the administration has made significant progress in border enforcement

“We have to have a clear path to citizenship,” Carney said.  “Fines, fees a background check, then go to the back of the line”.

Carney did not go far into providing details on potential legislation, but did repeat Obama’s message from Tuesday saying if Congress did not act soon, the president would introduce his own immigration reform bill.  Carney said three key elements would be in Obama’s bill, 1. protection of immigrant workers from employer exploitation, 2. a pathway to citizenship, and 3.  border security

Obama’s proposal also grants rights marriage rights to undocumented immigrants who marry a citizen of the same sex, a legislative piece in which Carney says goes with Obama’s belief in same-sex marriage rights.

On the likelihood that the president introduces his bill Carney said the president is encouraged by the progress Congress has made in immigration legislation and though the administration is prepared to present a bill he is happy to see “the beginning of a process that ends in legislation”, and a bill “that the president can sign.”