Obama defends immigration reforms

Posted by admin | 9 years ago | 2,864 times



United States President, Barack Obama, has said he will press for further immigration reform, after Republicans condemned his use of executive powers on the issue.

 

Obama said he had no choice but to act, accusing the Republicans of blocking a bill in Congress, and vowed to make permanent reform a reality.

 

The current move means that more than four million illegal immigrants will be allowed to apply for work permits, the BBC reports.

 

Republicans say it will encourage more people to arrive unlawfully.

 

Republicans have been weighing their response to Obama’s executive action, but the dilemma they face is how to oppose his immigration reforms without alienating Hispanic voters – whose support they will need in the next election, the BBC says.

 

Speaking in Las Vegas, where he first outlined his plans two years ago, President Obama said: “I will never give up.”

 

“We’re going to keep on working with members of Congress to make permanent reform a reality.”

 

He added that the moves that he had taken under his executive action meant that “not everybody will qualify.”

 

“That’s the truth. That’s why we’re still going to have to pass a bill. This is a first step, it’s not the only step.”

 

He has insisted that his proposals, which are the biggest immigration reforms since the mid-1980s, do not amount to an amnesty.

 


Readers Comments

comment(s)

No comments yet. Be the first to post comment.


You may also like...