Obama calls Arizona move on immigration ‘misguided’
This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.
With support from some Republicans as well as Democrats in the Senate, the president is attempting to renew a long-simmering debate over immigration reform in Congress. His goal, he maintains, is not only to strengthen the borders, but also to address the fate of the many millions of immigrants who already have arrived in the U.S. illegally.
‘Surely we can all agree that when 11 million people are living here illegally, that’s unacceptable,’’ Obama said Friday at a naturalization ceremony for 24 members of the U.S. armed forces on the South Lawn of the White House.
“Indeed, our failure to act responsibly at the federal level will only open the door to irresponsibility by others,’’ Obama said. ‘And that includes, for example, the recent efforts in Arizona, which threatened to undermine basic notions of fairness that we cherish as Americans, as well as the trust between police and their communities that is so crucial to keeping us safe.’’
In Arizona, a legislative attempt to crack down on undocumented immigrations has spurred protests and counter-protests, with the governor there weighing a bill that allows authorities to check the documents of anyone suspected of being an illegal immigration. The president used an address to 24 new citizens from 16 other nations at the naturalization ceremony outside the White House to call for immigration reform.
The president said he had instructed his administration “to closely monitor the situation’’ in Arizona and “examine the civil rights and other implications’’ of the Arizona legislation. It points to the need for federal legislation, the president said.
“But if we continue to fail to act at a federal level, we will continue to see misguided efforts opening up around the country,’’ Obama said.
Janet Napolitano, the Homeland Security secretary from Arizona, swore in the newest American citizens on the South Lawn. ‘It takes a very special individual to serve and defend a nation that is not yet fully your own,’’ Napolitano told them. ‘Since Sept. 11, 2001, the U.S. ... has naturalized over 58,000 members of our Armed Services.’’
Obama opened by thanking Napolitano for her efforts in seeking ‘comprehensive immigration reform.’’ ‘Some of you came to America as children ... some of you came as adults,’’ the president told his audience.
All of them, he said, embody the dream that many immigrants before them have sought.
‘We celebrate the spirit of possibility,’’ Obama said. ‘If you believe in yourself and you play by the rules, then there is a place for you in the United States of America ... We celebrate the true meaning of patriotism.’’
Friday, he said, ‘we celebrate the very essence of the country we love ... an America where so many of our forebearers came from someplace else... “We are also reminded of how we must remain both a nation of immigrants and a nation of laws,’’ he said. ‘This means fixing our broken immigration laws.’’
The government has a responsibility to enforce the law and strengthen border security, the president said, and those here illegally have a responsibility to pay back taxes, learn English and ‘get right with the law’’ before they can apply for citizenship.
The president cited progress that is being made on ‘a framework on moving forward’’ in Congress and encouraged leaders to continue working. In the Senate, leaders are weighing whether to take up immigration reform or an energy bill after finishing work on new financial regulations for the nation’s banking and investment industry.
-- Mark Silva