"President Obama promised comprehensive immigration reform during the 2008 election cycle. His commitment was a key factor in rallying Latino and other immigrant voters who were crucial in the president’s election. Tonight, the president said Congress should pass comprehensive immigration reform. We don’t doubt that the President sees the wisdom of passing a reform package that would help American workers, businesses and taxpayers by adding $1.5 trillion over 10 years to the GDP, generate over $4.5 billion in additional tax revenue, and support at least 700,000 jobs within the first three years, but he and Congress needs to do more than talk the talk. To borrow a phrase from President Kennedy, this is not a time for the faint-hearted. The American voters of all political stripes demand that Washington solve problems, including the broken immigration system. The administration and leaders of both parties cannot afford to take a pass on immigration reform that helps the economy and that is a bipartisan issue. Lawmakers would be wise to not play politics but to deliver a smart solution."
Angela Kelley, VP for Immigration Policy and Advocacy and Marshall Fitz, Director of Immigration Policy at American Progress are both available for comment. For Spanish language press, Louis Caldera and Vanessa Cardenas are available for comment.
Please contact Suzi Emmerling at [email protected] or 202-344-0404 to speak with them.
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