In poll released today, Consula Mitofsky has found that the PRI will likely be the top vote getter in the upcoming July 5 election when the lower house of Congress is chosen. The PAN will come in second and the PRD a distant third.
PREFERENCIA ELECTORAL/ELECTORAL PREFERENCE
DIPUTADOS FEDERALES/FEDERAL CONGRESSMEMBERS
PROBABLES VOTANTES/LIKELY VOTERS
TRACKING POLL ROY CAMPOS www.consulta.com.mx 2009
PAN: 29.4%
PRI: 34.1%
PRD: 13.4%
OTRO/OTHER: 14.3%
NO DECLARA/UNDECLARED: 8.8%
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Mexico's Midterm Elections: The Resurgence of the PRI and the Rise of a Protest Vote Sentiment
On the 5th of July Mexico will have midterm election that will likely result in a rearrangement of the partisan relations in the renewal of the lower house of congress, the Camara de Diputados. In a disturbing parallel development, the electoral process is also being characterized by an alarming rise in the number of people who will presumably abstain from voting or cast a protest vote.
In the 2006 presidential election the PAN, with Felipe Calderon, and the PRD, with Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, won the most diputados, leaving the PRI in third place. However, in the current situation the public opinion polls are revealing a dramatic resurgence by the PRI (31% according to Consulta Mitofsky), a drop of the PAN to second place (26%), and the plummeting of the PRD to a distant third place (15%).
One of the key reasons for the resurgence of the PRI is the public unhappiness with the economic situation in Mexico, a condition that only worsened this year with the global economic crisis and the devastating economic impact of the influenza virus scare in Mexico. As an example, the Colegio Nacional de Economistas issued an estimate that the national economy would shrink by 10% this year. The PRI is perceived as the party that is best prepared to handle the current economic crisis. The improved public opinion is also strongly influenced by the strategy used by PRI party leaders over the past years to reposition themselves in the public eye, particularly in light of the confrontational relation between the PAN and the PRD. Critics would also argue that PRI governors have played a significant role in the process, spending lavishly in media campaigns, as in the case of Mexico State, whose governor (Enrique Peña Nieto) is already a strong conteder for the 2012 presidential election.
A worrysome new development that has drawn increasing attention from national and international authorities, political actors and observers/analysts is an apparent growing support among likely voters to either abstain from voting or casting annulled protest votes. This is interpreted as a protest vote against the existing political parties, which are faulted with the declining standard of living, rise in criminal activity, and a degrading of the national politics.
The protest vote's influence will largely depend on how great it actually is. Already, however, it should draw concern over how the rising interest is an alarming indication of the problems Mexico's emerging democracy faces.
For an interpretation of Mexico's current situation from a political actor who has played a fundamental role in the transition from state-party authoritarianism to emerging democracy, check out an interview with Cuauhtemoc Cardenas in Milenio Semanal.
In the 2006 presidential election the PAN, with Felipe Calderon, and the PRD, with Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, won the most diputados, leaving the PRI in third place. However, in the current situation the public opinion polls are revealing a dramatic resurgence by the PRI (31% according to Consulta Mitofsky), a drop of the PAN to second place (26%), and the plummeting of the PRD to a distant third place (15%).
One of the key reasons for the resurgence of the PRI is the public unhappiness with the economic situation in Mexico, a condition that only worsened this year with the global economic crisis and the devastating economic impact of the influenza virus scare in Mexico. As an example, the Colegio Nacional de Economistas issued an estimate that the national economy would shrink by 10% this year. The PRI is perceived as the party that is best prepared to handle the current economic crisis. The improved public opinion is also strongly influenced by the strategy used by PRI party leaders over the past years to reposition themselves in the public eye, particularly in light of the confrontational relation between the PAN and the PRD. Critics would also argue that PRI governors have played a significant role in the process, spending lavishly in media campaigns, as in the case of Mexico State, whose governor (Enrique Peña Nieto) is already a strong conteder for the 2012 presidential election.
A worrysome new development that has drawn increasing attention from national and international authorities, political actors and observers/analysts is an apparent growing support among likely voters to either abstain from voting or casting annulled protest votes. This is interpreted as a protest vote against the existing political parties, which are faulted with the declining standard of living, rise in criminal activity, and a degrading of the national politics.
The protest vote's influence will largely depend on how great it actually is. Already, however, it should draw concern over how the rising interest is an alarming indication of the problems Mexico's emerging democracy faces.
For an interpretation of Mexico's current situation from a political actor who has played a fundamental role in the transition from state-party authoritarianism to emerging democracy, check out an interview with Cuauhtemoc Cardenas in Milenio Semanal.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Video and Transcript of Remarks by President Obama After Meeting with Legislators to Discuss Immigration Reform
A video and the transcript of the statement made by President Obama yesterday after meeting with a bipartisan group of legislator to discuss immigration reform.
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
____________________________________________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release June 25, 2009
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
AFTER MEETING WITH MEMBERS OF CONGRESS
TO DISCUSS IMMIGRATION
State Dining Room
3:17 P.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: Hello, everybody. We have just finished what I consider to be a very productive meeting on one of the most critical issues that I think this nation faces, and that is an immigration system that is broken and needs fixing.
We have members of Congress from both chambers, from parties, who have participated in the meeting and shared a range of ideas. I think the consensus is that despite our inability to get this passed over the last several years, the American people still want to see a solution in which we are tightening up our borders, or cracking down on employers who are using illegal workers in order to drive down wages -- and oftentimes mistreat those workers. And we need a effective way to recognize and legalize the status of undocumented workers who are here.
Now, this is -- there is not by any means consensus across the table. As you can see, we've got a pretty diverse spectrum of folks here. But what I'm encouraged by is that after all the overheated rhetoric and the occasional demagoguery on all sides around this issue, we've got a responsible set of leaders sitting around the table who want to actively get something done and not put it off until a year, two years, three years, five years from now, but to start working on this thing right now.
My administration is fully behind an effort to achieve comprehensive immigration reform. I have asked my Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, Secretary Janet Napolitano, to lead up a group that is going to be working with a leadership group from both the House and the Senate to start systematically working through these issues from the congressional leaders and those with the relevant jurisdiction. What we've heard is through a process of regular order, they would like to work through these issues both in the House and in the Senate.
In the meantime, administratively there are a couple of things that our administration has already begun to do. The FBI has cleared much of the backlog of immigration background checks that was really holding up the legal immigration process. DHS is already in the process of cracking down on unscrupulous employers, and, in collaboration with the Department of Labor, working to protect those workers from exploitation.
The Department of Homeland Security has also been making good progress in speeding up the processing of citizenship petitions, which has been far too slow for far too long -- and that, by the way, is an area of great consensus, cuts across Democratic and Republican parties, the notion that we've got to make our legal system of immigration much more efficient and effective and customer-friendly than it currently is.
Today I'm pleased to announce a new collaboration between my Chief Information Officer, my Chief Performance Officer, my Chief Technologies Officer and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Office to make the agency much more efficient, much more transparent, much more user-friendly than it has been in the past.
In the next 90 days, USCIS will launch a vastly improved Web site that will, for the first time ever, allow applicants to get updates on their status of their applications via e-mail and text message and online. And anybody who's dealt with families who are trying to deal with -- navigate the immigration system, this is going to save them huge amounts of time standing in line, waiting around, making phone calls, being put on hold. It's an example of some things that we can do administratively even as we're working through difficult issues surrounding comprehensive immigration.
And the idea is very simple here: We're going to leverage cutting-edge technology to reduce the unnecessary paperwork, backlogs, and the lack of transparency that's caused so many people so much heartache.
Now, we all know that comprehensive immigration reform is difficult. We know it's a sensitive and politically volatile issue. One of the things that was said around the table is the American people still don't have enough confidence that Congress and any administration is going to get serious about border security, and so they're concerned that any immigration reform simply will be a short-term legalization of undocumented workers with no long-term solution with respect to future flows of illegal immigration.
What's also been acknowledged is that the 12 million or so undocumented workers are here -- who are not paying taxes in the ways that we'd like them to be paying taxes, who are living in the shadows, that that is a group that we have to deal with in a practical, common-sense way. And I think the American people are ready for us to do so. But it's going to require some heavy lifting, it's going to require a victory of practicality and common sense and good policymaking over short-term politics. That's what I'm committed to doing as President.
I want to especially commend John McCain, who's with me today, because along with folks like Lindsey Graham, he has already paid a significant political cost for doing the right thing. I stand with him, I stand with Nydia Velázquez and others who have taken leadership on this issue. I am confident that if we enter into this with the notion that this is a nation of laws that have to be observed and this is a nation of immigrants, then we're going to create a stronger nation for our children and our grandchildren.
So thank you all for participating. I'm looking forward to us getting busy and getting to work. All right? Thank you.
Oh, and by the way, I hope everybody has got their Hawaiian shirts -- (laughter) -- and their mumus for our luau tonight.
END
Thursday, June 25, 2009
White House Press Release: Background Meeting with Members of Congress to Discuss Immigration Reform
The following is the press release the White House has issued regarding today's meeting between President Obama and the members of Congress regarding an immigration reform.
THE BRIEFING ROOM
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
_______________________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release June 25, 2009
BACKGROUND ON MEETING WITH MEMBERS OF CONGRESS TO DISCUSS IMMIGRATION REFORM:
The President and the Vice President will meet with a small group of Senate and House members from both sides of the aisle and both sides of the issue to discuss immigration reform in the State Dining Room at 2:00 PM today. The meeting is intended to launch a policy conversation by having an honest discussion about the issues and identifying areas of agreement and areas where we still have work to do, with the hope of beginning the debate in earnest later this year. There will be a pool spray at the bottom of the meeting.
Below is a list of expected attendees at today’s meeting on immigration reform:
ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS:
Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano
Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis
Deputy Attorney General David Ogden
Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel
MEMBERS OF CONGRESS:
Senator Richard Durbin
Senator John Cornyn
Senator Dianne Feinstein
Senator Lindsey Graham
Senator Jon KylSenator Patrick Leahy
Senator Mel Martinez
Senator John McCain
Senator Robert Menendez
Senator Chuck Schumer
Senator Jeff Sessions
Senator Arlen Specter
Representative Xavier Becerra
Representative Howard Berman
Representative Anh Cao
Representative James Clyburn
Representative John Conyers
Representative Joe Crowley
Representative Lincoln Diaz Balart
Representative Gabrielle Giffords
Representative Luis Gutierrez
Representative Sheila Jackson
LeeRepresentative Zoe Lofgren
Representative Adam Putnam
Representative Silvestre Reyes
Representative Loretta Sanchez
Representative Heath Shuler
Representative Lamar Smith
Representative Nydia Velazquez
Representative Anthony Weiner
THE BRIEFING ROOM
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
_______________________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release June 25, 2009
BACKGROUND ON MEETING WITH MEMBERS OF CONGRESS TO DISCUSS IMMIGRATION REFORM:
The President and the Vice President will meet with a small group of Senate and House members from both sides of the aisle and both sides of the issue to discuss immigration reform in the State Dining Room at 2:00 PM today. The meeting is intended to launch a policy conversation by having an honest discussion about the issues and identifying areas of agreement and areas where we still have work to do, with the hope of beginning the debate in earnest later this year. There will be a pool spray at the bottom of the meeting.
Below is a list of expected attendees at today’s meeting on immigration reform:
ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS:
Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano
Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis
Deputy Attorney General David Ogden
Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel
MEMBERS OF CONGRESS:
Senator Richard Durbin
Senator John Cornyn
Senator Dianne Feinstein
Senator Lindsey Graham
Senator Jon KylSenator Patrick Leahy
Senator Mel Martinez
Senator John McCain
Senator Robert Menendez
Senator Chuck Schumer
Senator Jeff Sessions
Senator Arlen Specter
Representative Xavier Becerra
Representative Howard Berman
Representative Anh Cao
Representative James Clyburn
Representative John Conyers
Representative Joe Crowley
Representative Lincoln Diaz Balart
Representative Gabrielle Giffords
Representative Luis Gutierrez
Representative Sheila Jackson
LeeRepresentative Zoe Lofgren
Representative Adam Putnam
Representative Silvestre Reyes
Representative Loretta Sanchez
Representative Heath Shuler
Representative Lamar Smith
Representative Nydia Velazquez
Representative Anthony Weiner
Rahm Emanuel: Immigration Reform Lacks Votes to Pass
Rahm Emanuel, Chief of Staff in the Obama administration, held a breakfast meeting with reporters today and revealed that the administration does not have enough votes in Congress to pass immigration reform this year.
The statement was made hours before Obama was scheduled to have the long-postponed meeting with key legislators to discuss immigration reform and a strategy to accomplish it.
According to the Washington Post, Emanuel stated: "If the votes were there you would not need to have the meeting. You could go to a roll call."
Emanuel further stated that while the votes did not yet exist to pass the reform this year, that it could be possible to get the process started.
The statement was made hours before Obama was scheduled to have the long-postponed meeting with key legislators to discuss immigration reform and a strategy to accomplish it.
According to the Washington Post, Emanuel stated: "If the votes were there you would not need to have the meeting. You could go to a roll call."
Emanuel further stated that while the votes did not yet exist to pass the reform this year, that it could be possible to get the process started.
Friday, June 19, 2009
NY Times: It Is Time for Immigration Reform and for Obama to Produce Results
In an editorial in today's edition, the New York Times chastizes President Barack Obama for not producing any concrete results on immigration to date. The newspaper argues that it is time to have immigration reform and that the president must produce results on this issue, as he owes it to the Latino voters who supported him in last year's election and, perhaps more importantly, he owes it to the millions of undocumented immigrants (and their families) who are suffering under the current system. The editorial recognizes that the reform requires the active support of legislators from both parties.
The editorial states:
"Now it’s Mr. Obama’s turn to lead the country to a different result. No one is expecting a huge bill to pass in a matter of weeks or even months. But there are things he can do right now that will underscore his seriousness.
"It boils down to a simple question: If you accept legalization for the undocumented as desirable and inevitable, then why continue to put them through hell?
"As they wait for a legalization bill, they are suffering under unjust laws, corrupt policing and a detention and deportation system that routinely suppresses their rights. American citizens who are Hispanic, and are all too frequently victims of racially-driven sweeps, are also suffering. Mr. Obama and his Homeland Security secretary, Janet Napolitano, must do much more to curb those excesses."
The complete editorial can be read here.
Earlier today, President Obama spoke at the Esperanza National Hispanic Prayer Breakfast. At this event with Hispanic faith leaders, the President repeated his commitment to achieve immigration reform. In his speech (which can be read here), he stated:
"The American people -- the American people believe in immigration, but they also believe that we can't tolerate a situation where people come to the United States in violation of the law, nor can we tolerate employers who exploit undocumented workers in order to drive down wages. That's why we're taking steps to strengthen border security, and we must build on those efforts. We must also clarify the status of millions who are here illegally, many who have put down roots. For those who wish to become citizens, we should require them to pay a penalty and pay taxes, learn English, go to the back of the line behind those who played by the rules. That is the fair, practical, and promising way forward, and that's what I'm committed to passing as President of the United States"
As predicted out by the NY Times, however, the President did not make any significant revelations about how he was going to pass immigration reform.
The editorial states:
"Now it’s Mr. Obama’s turn to lead the country to a different result. No one is expecting a huge bill to pass in a matter of weeks or even months. But there are things he can do right now that will underscore his seriousness.
"It boils down to a simple question: If you accept legalization for the undocumented as desirable and inevitable, then why continue to put them through hell?
"As they wait for a legalization bill, they are suffering under unjust laws, corrupt policing and a detention and deportation system that routinely suppresses their rights. American citizens who are Hispanic, and are all too frequently victims of racially-driven sweeps, are also suffering. Mr. Obama and his Homeland Security secretary, Janet Napolitano, must do much more to curb those excesses."
The complete editorial can be read here.
Earlier today, President Obama spoke at the Esperanza National Hispanic Prayer Breakfast. At this event with Hispanic faith leaders, the President repeated his commitment to achieve immigration reform. In his speech (which can be read here), he stated:
"The American people -- the American people believe in immigration, but they also believe that we can't tolerate a situation where people come to the United States in violation of the law, nor can we tolerate employers who exploit undocumented workers in order to drive down wages. That's why we're taking steps to strengthen border security, and we must build on those efforts. We must also clarify the status of millions who are here illegally, many who have put down roots. For those who wish to become citizens, we should require them to pay a penalty and pay taxes, learn English, go to the back of the line behind those who played by the rules. That is the fair, practical, and promising way forward, and that's what I'm committed to passing as President of the United States"
As predicted out by the NY Times, however, the President did not make any significant revelations about how he was going to pass immigration reform.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Responses to Obama's Postponement of Immigration Meeting
The National Immigration Forum blog has a collection of responses to the decision by President Barack Obama to postpone the June 17 meeting with legislative leaders. The information is available here.
National Day of Action for Immigrant Rights
Concerned over the course of the immigration reform process and the decision by President Barack Obama to postpone the meeting he had scheduled for June 17 to meet with a bipartisan group of legislators, many organizations will be holding vigils and other activities today, June 16.
Below you can find: 1) a press release from Reform Immigration for America, regarding the presidential decision to postpone the June 17 meeting and 2) a sample of the grassroots activites being carried out, in the case in San Francisco.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PRESS RELEASE from Immigration Reform FOR America Campaign
For Immediate Release Contact:
June 12, 2009 Katherine Vargas: (202) 641-5198
Shuya Ohno (202) 309-5645
WHITE HOUSE IMMIGRATION MEETING:
DELAY IS A MISTAKE, BUT NOT A SETBACK
Washington, DC – A meeting the President was slated to have Wednesday (June 17) at the White House with a bipartisan group of Congressional leaders on immigration reform has been delayed. The following is a statement by Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum, speaking on behalf of the Reform Immigration FOR America campaign, a recently launched national campaign to get comprehensive immigration reform passed this year.
We think delaying the meeting is a mistake. Momentum is building for comprehensive immigration reform with more and more Americans demanding solutions. The President is too smart not to move on immigration reform this year. We don’t see this as a signal that President Obama is stepping back from reform.
All the lights are green, with strong polling support for reform that helps strengthen the economy; hundreds of thousands of calls and faxes into Congressional offices generated by the campaign last week and more are expected next week; and both Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Speaker Nancy Pelosi saying the debate on comprehensive immigration reform is coming soon.
Reform that gets immigrants here illegally into the system and on the books, gets workers and employers all playing by the same set of rules, and reestablishes a legal immigration system that works so that people will use it – that is a winning political and policy proposition. Americans want their leaders in Washington to solve tough problems and immigration is no exception.
We fully expect the President’s strong leadership. Congress needs to act and delaying the White House meeting doesn’t change that.
# # #
For more information on the Reform Immigration FOR America Campaign, please
visit www.reformimmigrationforamerica.org or www.reformamigratoriaproamerica.org
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
***PRESS ADVISORY***
Contact: Lorena Melgarejo, SFOP at (415) 724-4987
President Obama postpones once more the WHITE HOUSE IMMIGRATION MEETING:
DELAY IS A MISTAKE, BUT NOT A SETBACK
San Francisco Faith Leaders and Families join a
NATIONAL DAY of ACTION for IMMIGRANT RIGHTS at a
Vigil and Press Conference at the Federal Building to tell President Obama that Immigrant Families can no longer Wait for Immigration Reform
WHO: Interfaith Clergy Leaders and Families from San Francisco
WHAT: Vigils and Actions will be held in major cities in the US to ask President Obama to keep his promise to immigrants of Comprehensive Immigration Reform this year. This call to action happened because the meeting the President was slated to have Wednesday (June 17th) at the White House with a bipartisan group of Congressional leaders on immigration reform has been delayed by the President for the second time. Advocates from around the nation want to let the President know that our immigrant families can no longer wait for Comprehensive Immigration Reform.
WHERE: 450 Golden Gate at the steps of the Federal Building
WHEN: TUESDAY, June 16th, 2009
4:00pm
For more information, contact Lorena Melgarejo at (415) 724-4987 or lorena@sfop.org
SFOP is a federation of 30 congregations, schools, and community centers representing more than 40,000 families in San Francisco . SFOP is a member of the PICO National Network.
Below you can find: 1) a press release from Reform Immigration for America, regarding the presidential decision to postpone the June 17 meeting and 2) a sample of the grassroots activites being carried out, in the case in San Francisco.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PRESS RELEASE from Immigration Reform FOR America Campaign
For Immediate Release Contact:
June 12, 2009 Katherine Vargas: (202) 641-5198
Shuya Ohno (202) 309-5645
WHITE HOUSE IMMIGRATION MEETING:
DELAY IS A MISTAKE, BUT NOT A SETBACK
Washington, DC – A meeting the President was slated to have Wednesday (June 17) at the White House with a bipartisan group of Congressional leaders on immigration reform has been delayed. The following is a statement by Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum, speaking on behalf of the Reform Immigration FOR America campaign, a recently launched national campaign to get comprehensive immigration reform passed this year.
We think delaying the meeting is a mistake. Momentum is building for comprehensive immigration reform with more and more Americans demanding solutions. The President is too smart not to move on immigration reform this year. We don’t see this as a signal that President Obama is stepping back from reform.
All the lights are green, with strong polling support for reform that helps strengthen the economy; hundreds of thousands of calls and faxes into Congressional offices generated by the campaign last week and more are expected next week; and both Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Speaker Nancy Pelosi saying the debate on comprehensive immigration reform is coming soon.
Reform that gets immigrants here illegally into the system and on the books, gets workers and employers all playing by the same set of rules, and reestablishes a legal immigration system that works so that people will use it – that is a winning political and policy proposition. Americans want their leaders in Washington to solve tough problems and immigration is no exception.
We fully expect the President’s strong leadership. Congress needs to act and delaying the White House meeting doesn’t change that.
# # #
For more information on the Reform Immigration FOR America Campaign, please
visit www.reformimmigrationforamerica.org or www.reformamigratoriaproamerica.org
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
***PRESS ADVISORY***
Contact: Lorena Melgarejo, SFOP at (415) 724-4987
President Obama postpones once more the WHITE HOUSE IMMIGRATION MEETING:
DELAY IS A MISTAKE, BUT NOT A SETBACK
San Francisco Faith Leaders and Families join a
NATIONAL DAY of ACTION for IMMIGRANT RIGHTS at a
Vigil and Press Conference at the Federal Building to tell President Obama that Immigrant Families can no longer Wait for Immigration Reform
WHO: Interfaith Clergy Leaders and Families from San Francisco
WHAT: Vigils and Actions will be held in major cities in the US to ask President Obama to keep his promise to immigrants of Comprehensive Immigration Reform this year. This call to action happened because the meeting the President was slated to have Wednesday (June 17th) at the White House with a bipartisan group of Congressional leaders on immigration reform has been delayed by the President for the second time. Advocates from around the nation want to let the President know that our immigrant families can no longer wait for Comprehensive Immigration Reform.
WHERE: 450 Golden Gate at the steps of the Federal Building
WHEN: TUESDAY, June 16th, 2009
4:00pm
For more information, contact Lorena Melgarejo at (415) 724-4987 or lorena@sfop.org
SFOP is a federation of 30 congregations, schools, and community centers representing more than 40,000 families in San Francisco . SFOP is a member of the PICO National Network.
Friday, June 12, 2009
Paul Krugman's Article: "The Big Hate"
A very insightful article by Nobel Prize winning economist and NY Times columnist Paul Krugman discusses the increase in right wing extremist activity, the rise in hate speech, and the role of mainstream media outlets. The article would have been even more persuasive if Krugman had taken into account the anti-immigrant sentiment, policies, and actions that have become more intense and common in recent years. Today, immigrants are a preferred target of these hateful activities. The article can be read here.
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Senator Harry Reid (D-Nevada) Wants Immigration Reform This Year
In a press conference held this past Thursday, 4 June, Senate Majority Leader, Harry Reid emphasized that he considers comprehensive immigration reform one of this three priority issues, along with health reform and energy.
Reid has long held a pro-immigration reform position and in meetings with Nevada Mexican immigrant groups has confirmed his commitment to this issue.
In this most recent public statement, Reid states that he would like to see the reform happen this year.
Other senators interviewed in a Washington Post article reflect a more cautious approach. Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY), for example, considers that it may not happen until next spring.
A decisive moment that can define the type of reform that may be pursued and the process that will be followed will be June 17, when President Obama will meet with a select group of immigrant advocates and legislators to discuss a joint strategy.
The Washington Post article can be read here.
Monday, June 1, 2009
June 1: National Campaign to Reform Immigration for America
Today, hundreds of organizations throughout the United States are holding press conferences, informational events, processions, and other public events to launch a new effort on behalf of immigration reform in America.
Brought together by the belief that America's immigration system is broken and that a rational and humane alternative can be constructed, immigrant groups, churches, labor unions, chambers of commerce, business associations, elected officials, and others are uniting to raise public awareness and generate the legislative support to achieve a comprehensive reform.
A complete list of the sites with events and a map of these locations is available here.
Brought together by the belief that America's immigration system is broken and that a rational and humane alternative can be constructed, immigrant groups, churches, labor unions, chambers of commerce, business associations, elected officials, and others are uniting to raise public awareness and generate the legislative support to achieve a comprehensive reform.
A complete list of the sites with events and a map of these locations is available here.
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