Will Immigration Reform Happen?
Political gridlock is never a good thing. It keeps the US stagnant. It perpetuates the political divide in the nation. We spend our time fighting while things we actually agree needs to get done actually get nowhere. With things as they are today, we need new leadership more than ever. It has come to the point where it's make it or break if we are going to actually address these important issues.
With the recent elections over, we now step into an era of conservative republicans ruling the senate for the first time since 2006. However, for Democrats, this isn't necessarily a bad thing. Obama has his chance right now to shine through and truly lead the country. Or on the other hand, he could be shut down by staunch republicans. However, what most conservatives don't realize is that stopping the president is going to lead nowhere. Obama realizes this which is leading to the executive order on immigration. But on the opposition side, is this just going to add fuel to the fire against Obama? Or will this galvanize the US Congress into actually attempting to work together?
I firmly believe that Obama is actually doing the right thing by possibly implementing this seeing as how it would derail nearly 5 million people out of the shadows. This would help so many people. Not only that, but this will be the president's last term. I firmly believe that he wants to leave with some sort of legacy in-tact. He wants to be known as one of the better known presidents that actually did something for America, and not one who was stomped on every step of the way.
This whole issue could have been handled last year, which is where the issue at hand arises, yet some people refuse to even want to have it move any further than the senate. On June 27, 2013, the Senate passed a bipartisan, comprehensive immigration reform bill by a 68 to 32 vote. Boehner refuses to bring it to the House floor, even though he knows it probably would pass. Why is it that Republicans are so opposed to the idea of comprehensive immigration reform? It could be that they possibly want to handle border security reasons, however that's exactly what the bill does – it does increase the amount of border patrol agents be doubled, and the fence would be increased by over 700 miles. At the same time, some undocumented residents would be granted green cards as well. Farm laborers, which we highly need would be granted special status. Students who earned their degree here from overseas would be allowed to stay here afterwards as well. We currently have eleven million undocumented residents living here in America. So why should they not be given some sort of residency so they can stay, work, and pay taxes like everyone else in America; Lord knows we can use the extra money. But also including them in not only economic growth, but allowing them to get a higher education and actually contribute to America in ways that everyone else does.
It all boils down to House Republicans wanting the security handled first. Before anybody is granted any sort of citizenship - which would take years to fully implement. These are years that undocumented citizens could be working, making wages, supporting a family and contributing to America like they actually want to do. I guess this all seems a little too reasonable to most republicans. I don't think anyone should live in fear over potentially being stopped by a police officer and then being deported. I also don't believe that anyone should have to work for lower than minimum wage just to stay here in America because they cannot find an actual documented job.
At the end of the day, this is a huge issue that has got to be dealt with. It could've been handled already – but was shot down by house republicans. The President should act within the limits of his Constitutional power to ensure these folks can contribute to our society.
I'm sure that he will do the right thing, though - for millions of undocumented workers who are already here. If not now, when? This is an issue that if not dealt with, could possibly lead to many people being left by the wayside. And that is something that America does not stand for. Something I don't stand for, and certainly our president doesn't stand for.
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