President Barack Obama met with a number of politicians and luminaries Tuesday morning, discussing how to best improve the nation’s “broken” immigration system.
Obama met with New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, AFL-CIO head Richard Trumka, Rev. Al Sharpton, senior members of his administration, faith leaders, and others.
The meeting did not lead to any decisions or mandates, resulting in a call to action on the subject of immigration reform.
Obama “reiterated his commitment to comprehensive immigration reform that both strengthens security at our borders while restoring accountability to the broken immigration system” instead of continuing on the same path, a White House statement said.
He also expressed his concerns over the Senate’s failure to pass the DREAM immigration act in December after the House did so.
“Perpetuating a broken immigration system is not an option if America is to win the future,” read the statement.
The president said Americans need to become more active in taking a constructive approach to the situation.
They must continue “insisting that Congress act to create a system that meets our nation’s needs for the 21st century and that upholds America’s history as a nation of laws and a nation of immigrants.”
Rev. Al Sharpton attended the meeting and said that the meeting “was very unusual” as Obama addressed each of the 70 people who attended the meeting, according to CBS News.
“If all of us hit the ground with a collective message, all politicians need to listen to their base,” Sharpton added.
On Monday, the state of Georgia passed an immigration law that bears similarity to the controversial one that was passed in Arizona a year ago. The federal government has since challenged the Arizona law.
The Georgia law only gives police the ability to check a person’s immigration status unlike the Arizona law, which makes it a requirement.
Obama met with New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, AFL-CIO head Richard Trumka, Rev. Al Sharpton, senior members of his administration, faith leaders, and others.
The meeting did not lead to any decisions or mandates, resulting in a call to action on the subject of immigration reform.
Obama “reiterated his commitment to comprehensive immigration reform that both strengthens security at our borders while restoring accountability to the broken immigration system” instead of continuing on the same path, a White House statement said.
He also expressed his concerns over the Senate’s failure to pass the DREAM immigration act in December after the House did so.
“Perpetuating a broken immigration system is not an option if America is to win the future,” read the statement.
The president said Americans need to become more active in taking a constructive approach to the situation.
They must continue “insisting that Congress act to create a system that meets our nation’s needs for the 21st century and that upholds America’s history as a nation of laws and a nation of immigrants.”
Rev. Al Sharpton attended the meeting and said that the meeting “was very unusual” as Obama addressed each of the 70 people who attended the meeting, according to CBS News.
“If all of us hit the ground with a collective message, all politicians need to listen to their base,” Sharpton added.
On Monday, the state of Georgia passed an immigration law that bears similarity to the controversial one that was passed in Arizona a year ago. The federal government has since challenged the Arizona law.
The Georgia law only gives police the ability to check a person’s immigration status unlike the Arizona law, which makes it a requirement.
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