Re: But Is it Right?

The last major legislation passed regarding immigration on a national scale was in 1996. With the economy, health care reform (which mind you affects everyone, not just immigrants), possible withdrawal from Iraq, and many other hot topics; one can only imagine the pressure our President faces. The last law passed limiting the number of immigrants was in 1990. On that note, my colleague’s article But Is It Right? suggests that Obama’s announcement to push back immigration legislation was a bad move.

However, I disagree. If Obama chooses to address general topics such as the economy and health care reform first, I believe it is in the best interest of the nation. Not only this, but the President has encouraged Homeland Security Secretary Napolitano to meet with lawmakers to hammer out the issues with immigration reform. Therefore in truth, immigration reform isn’t on hold, or pushed back. Instead the President is taking a logical approach, attempting to avoid a partisan standstill in the House and Senate. If the legislature is able to form a reform bill by the end of this year, and the bill is presented in 2010 with a viable chance of success, then the President has done better than those in the past thirteen years. If Obama encouraged a bill now without taking precautions, it has been said that “another failed effort could doom chances for a generation.”

This being said, immigration reform has not come to a halt. It is moving forward at the proper pace, making success plausible. The President has proven he is able to multitask, encouraging others to take the lead when he cannot. In this way, immigration reform will not continue to move backwards, but push through the legislature without the struggle of partisanship and full-on resistance.