Posted on 08/21/2009 12:25:04 PM PDT by La Lydia
President Barack Obama on Thursday managed to undo some of the damage he did recently with immigrants’ rights advocates — who were angered when Obama said in Mexico that immigration reform would have to wait until after health care and energy bills passed Congress. Obama dropped in on a White House meeting with more than 100 immigration reform backers — and the message, according to some who were there, was that Obama would push for immigration reform even as the health-care debate continues to unfold.
“I think he’s more forward-leaning,” said Angela Kelley, an immigration reform expert with the liberal Center for American Progress think tank. “The takeaway from Mexico was that this is just kicking the can down the road. The takeaway from today is they’re rolling up their sleeves and leaning heavy into the issue.”...
“He’s doing this and health care. He didn’t give an inkling that he’s going to back away from immigration reform. I think he’s ready to do the heavy lifting,” said Kelley. The session was officially hosted by Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano...
The meeting included advocacy groups, religious organizations, unions, employers and law enforcement. United Farm Workers Union President Arturo Rodriguez said participants delivered blunt messages to Napolitano that she needed to adjust her public message....
Participants said both Obama and Napolitano both brought up controversial arrangements under which local police partner with the federal government to enforce immigration laws. Critics have accused some local officials of using such deals to harass immigrants and, in some cases, U.S. citizens. Obama and Napolitano said local officials must be held “accountable” for their actions under the program, known as 287(g), attendees said.
The media was not allowed into the meeting, but Napolitano later issued a written statement emphasizing her commitment to reform.
(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com ...
His modus operandi is to say one thing publicly to average Americans who cling to their guns and religion, and another thing behind closed doors to his political allies.
And everyone knows she’s angry most of the time, anyway.
I heard someone on FOX state that the Supreme Court has already ruled that immigrants have the right to social benefits, so being covered under Obamacare doesn’t have to be a written statement. It just will be.
Also, all the SEIU members, who are government contract workers will be given all the same benefits as US citizens, so citizenship will be a moot point.
Here’s one for you all.
The Supreme Court? I don’t think so. Do you have a link? They are prohibited by law from getting certain social benefits (not that it stops all of them). Are you talking about a recent ruling?
Keep your powder dry folks, there’s more than one fight coming.
Time to roll up the other sleeve.
Prop 87 was thrown out in Cal and Gay Davis decided not to appeal it. I understand the Arizona law was upheld in court.
No, it was just a guy on Greta’s show, I think. He might have been from the Politico, but I wouldn’t swear to it.
No, it was just a guy on Greta’s show, I think. He might have been from the Politico, but I wouldn’t swear to it.
Why doesn’t the Thug just put illegal aliens in charge? After all, that’s who we’re really working for.
the KosKids are right....Bam is WEAK and can be ROLLED!
So, whoever the guy was on FOX didn’t really know what he was talking about? ....or maybe I mis-understood him, but I am certain that the guy said that the Supreme court stated that the immigrants were entitled to government benefits. Maybe he was referring to public education and extrapolating from that.
Legally they can have emergency medical treatment and their spawn can attend public school. That’s about it. But in many places, they live in public housing (while citizens are put on a waiting list) and collect food stamps and such.
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