I commend President Barack Obama's call for comprehensive immigration reform and his strong understanding of the very human experience behind this challenge. In his speech Thursday, the president hit the nail on the head by touching on all of the key aspects of this very complex issue.
Immigration reform can lead the way to a more prosperous and united America, one that is based on respect and fairness for the richness of our diversity, as opposed to one that is divided by our worst fears.
A majority of Americans support comprehensive immigration reform. Our fundamentally broken system has not been updated in more than 20 years, leaving family members and loved ones separated for years, sometimes decades, at a time. This heart-wrenching fact alone is all the more reason why a comprehensive plan must include a way for all families, including lesbian, gay, transgender and bisexual families, to be reunited.
As Obama highlighted, immigration flows create a younger work force and a faster-growing economy. Immigrant families buy homes, pool money to invest in education and own small businesses that create jobs for Americans. Asian-owned businesses alone have created 1.1 million jobs for our country. Much of the frustration of both Americans and immigrants is rooted in economic challenges, but a commitment to comprehensive reform would net our economy $1.5 trillion over a 10-year period.
We have a political, moral and economic imperative to act now on comprehensive immigration reform. This is particularly important for Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders. There are 1.5 million undocumented Asian immigrants who contribute to our communities and economy every day, and who could contribute more if they were legalized. Millions of families are separated for years, waiting in the backlogs of our broken family visa system.
I have long said that a punitive, enforcement-only approach to immigration reform is not the solution. Instead, I believe that a humane reform that respects the dignity of immigrant communities and recognizes their contributions to our economy and our society, while securing our borders and protecting our national security, is the best road to comprehensive immigration reform. Immigration reform must include our fundamental American values of honesty, fair play and compassion.
Throughout our country's history, from anti-Irish sentiment, to the Alien and Sedition Acts, to the Chinese Exclusion Act, to anti-Hispanic sentiment today, debates about immigration have gone to the heart of what it means to be an American, and have challenged the xenophobia in our leadership, communities, schools and families. At the end of the day, debates about difference and diversity ultimately strengthen our society's values of inclusion, equality and justice that we strive to honor. This growth is only possible with the strong and laudable leadership of Obama.
I commend Obama for his attention, commitment and resolve to address one of the most pressing issues of our time. He has recognized that political will and courage are necessary to move comprehensive immigration reform forward -- now, it is the responsibility of Congress to put his words into action. The president has clearly called on Congress to redouble our efforts to meet this goal, and I stand ready to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to achieve this.
Rep. Mike Honda (D-Calif.) is chairman of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus.
If we are going to give a path to citizenship for those who came here ILLEGALLY - why not give a path to owning their own drug store for all the drug dealers in prision. It makes the same sense.
Obama also said that the illegals would "go to the back of the line". Guess what? The line forms in their own countries where they need to go and then do the paperwork, pay the money and wait their turn, as others who respect our country and our laws do.
Unfortunately, this is the approach that the President has adopted since taking office, by deporting more people in his first 18 months in office than any President in the history of our country.
In fact, President Obama has deported more immigrants in his first year in office than George W. Bush did in his last. Obama promised an end to the enforcement-centric policies of the previous administration. His words simply do no match his actions.
I have had enough of this President giving lip-service to comprehensive immigration reform. The time is now for him to act. A good start would be to sign an executive order suspending the deportation of all DREAM Act eligible students. This good will gesture would speak volumes and would let those of us in the immigration reform community know that this time he means what he says.
The Dems must present an immigration bill asap and Obama must roll up his sleeves and do whatever it takes to get the votes in this Congress, if not before the Nov elections, in the lame duck session. Immigration reform will be dead in the next Congress and so will Obama's re-election bid if he fails on immigration.
As for the illegal workers at American Apparel, I am glad that they lost what they had NO RIGHT to in the first place. At least some Americans and LEGAL immigrants will get those jobs. I am appalled that you care nothing for your fellow Americans and care more for people who broke our laws and drove down our wages. THAT is racism at its worst, since it is the black, brown and poor white Americans who are hurt the most. You seem to care nothing at all for them, just those of your own race, who you think are superior to all others in this country. THAT is the very racism I fought against my whole life.