Senators Reveal Framework for Comprehensive Immigration Reform:
The principles agreed upon by this “Gang of Eight” include enhancing border security and cracking down on businesses that employ undocumented immigrants. The outline also proposes making it easier for foreigners to come to the United States legally to work or join their families.
Leaders of immigrant rights and Latino groups told reporters in a conference call on Wednesday that Obama owes his second term to Latino voters, and should repay them by passing comprehensive immigration reform. Obama promised to pass a law legalizing many of the estimated 11 million illegal immigrants in the country while he campaigned four years ago, and he’s been chastised by Latino leaders for breaking his promise.
“Obama is going to return to the White House more energized to take these issues seriously,” said Ben Monterroso, the director of Mi Familia Vota, a national organization that encourages Latinos to vote.
Latino groups to Obama: You owe Latinos the election, now pass immigration reform
Immigration stakeholders on both the right and left say they have yet to see “Moderate Mitt” appear on this particular issue. In fact, Romney’s immigration policies are regarded as some of the most conservative of the last half-dozen presidential cycles.
“If you’re someone who favors robust enforcement of U.S. immigration laws, Romney is the best presidential candidate that you’ve had in decades,” Steve Camarota of the Center for Immigration Studies told Yahoo News. (The center is a conservative think tank that advocates for reduced legal immigration and an end to illegal immigration.) “I would say that he has generally not etch-a-sketched [on the issue],” Camarota added.
Mitt Romney at Wednesday’s Univision-sponsored forum:
“We’re not going to round up 12 million people, and that includes the kids,” Romney said, referring to the estimated number of illegal immigrants in the country. “We need to provide a long-term solution.”
We’re live with Yahoo News reporter Liz Goodwin answering your questions about Gov. Jan Brewer’s response, why the justices allowed part of the law to stand, and what this means for immigration policy in the future.
Above is a gif of Lilo; we’re glad you’re ok.
Here is a comprehensive news story about Obama’s immigration policy change, as well as Mitt Romney’s reaction.
What a Friday.
Years after immigration raid, Iowa town feels poorer and less stable
We’re doing a series of walk-up pieces to Saturday’s debate in Iowa. Today Liz Goodwin looks at a post-immigration raid Iowa town:
Immigration is one of the most contentious issues facing the Republican presidential candidates as they prepare for Saturday’s debate in Des Moines, sponsored by Yahoo! and ABC News. Earlier this year, Rick Perry’s candidacy suffered because of his support for allowing illegal immigrants to pay in-state tuition at public universities in Texas. Last month, Newt Gingrich struck a moderate tone on the subject, saying, “I don’t see how the party that says it’s the party of the family is going to adopt an immigration policy which destroys families that have been here a quarter century.” Other candidates say Perry and Gingrich support policies that amount to amnesty for people who have broken the law. Yahoo News visited Postville to examine what immigration looks like in the Republican presidential campaign’s first battleground state, one that is 90 percent white but that has outposts like Postville that are changing the state’s ethnic makeup and driving its population growth. Though still less than 4 percent of the population, Iowa’s foreign-born population increased by 159 percent between 1990 and 2008, while the native-born population increased by only 5.7 percent.
