With the 2012 campaign season slowly getting into gear, Democrats must work hard to energize their voting blocks. Among faithful -- albeit somewhat disillusioned -- voters are Hispanics. Thus far, the Obama administration has been vague on immigration reform.
Even though he promised an immigration bill during his first year in office, President Barack Obama failed to deliver. Add to this the failure of the DREAM Act, and it is clear Democrats must offer the electorate something more than words. So where do Democrats stand on immigration reform at this time?
"We are deporting those who are here illegally. And that's a tough issue. It's a source of controversy. But I want to emphasize we're not doing it haphazardly. We're focusing our limited resources and people on violent offenders and people convicted of crimes -- not just families, not just folks who are just looking to scrape together an income." -- President Obama highlighted the merits of the embattled Secure Communities program on May 11.
"They'll want a higher fence. Maybe they'll need a moat. Maybe they want alligators in the moat. They'll never be satisfied. And I understand that. That's politics." -- President Obama describes the Republican opposition on May 10.
"And too many immigrants -- including immigrants who were brought to the United States as infants or young children and who have grown up indentifying as Americans -- are living in the shadows, vulnerable not only to the threat of deportation but also to exploitative working conditions. To guarantee that our country is able to benefit from the talents of all those living within our borders, we must enact comprehensive immigration reform." -- DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz on May 10, in a reaction to President Obama's remarks on immigration reform
"At more than 52 million strong, including 4 million in Puerto Rico, Hispanics constitute the country's largest and fastest growing minority group. They have had a profound and positive impact on our country through, among other things, their community's strong commitment to family, faith, hard work, and service. Many Hispanics contribute to this Nation bilingually in the English and Spanish languages -- a true asset for our country in an increasingly global, interdependent world." -- From the Oct. 19, 2010, Executive Order that continued George H.W. Bush's White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics
"It's difficult to tell a constituency while unemployment is rising, they're losing their jobs and their homes, that what we should do is in fact legalize (illegal immigrants) and stop all deportation." -- Vice President Joe Biden on March 30, 2009.
Sylvia Cochran offers an insider's perspective of the American immigration system. Having gone through the steps of becoming a citizen -- and currently living in a border state -- she brings hands-on familiarity with hot-button issues to the table.
