Updated 03:15 PM EDT, Thu, Apr 18, 2024

Immigration Reform 2014 - News Update: Obama's Promises Ring Empty for Many

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Immigration activists have been hounding President Barack Obama at some of his recent public appearances. A crowd gathered outside last week's Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute Gala to voice their disapproval of what they perceive as a lack of action on the part of the president when it comes to enacting immigration reform. 

The president again this week reaffirmed his promise to immigrants that he will use his executive powers to enact some sort of immigration reform before then end of this year--but not before the upcoming mid-term election in November, which is one of the reasons many are upset with the president. The White House stated recently that no action on immigration would be taken by his office until after the mid-term elections, though they claim the decision had nothing to with the elections themselves. 

Immigration activist's disappointment in Obama's immigration policies also stem from the fact that, according to CASA de Maryland, this year has seen the U.S. deport more immigrants than at any other point in American history. 

Still, the president pointed the finger at partisan infighting in Congress for the inability of the government to find a solution to the current immigration situation. "If House Republicans brought the Senate bill up for a vote today, it would pass today; I would sign it today," Obama explained. "And they know it. But instead, they've been sitting on it for more than a year. They voted to strip DREAMers of new protections and make them eligible for deportation - not once, but twice they voted that way." 

Yet, this attempt at passing the buck rings hollow on immigration activists, who claim that the president could still do something to end the record number of deportations. Many immigrants will reportedly face deportation in the coming weeks and months if nothing is done by either the president or Congress to enact some type of immigration reform. This is another reason why immigrants and immigration advocates are frustrated with Obama's inaction: people will most likely be deported and potentially separated from their families because of it. 

Think Progress reports that a Pew Research poll revealed that in 2013, 89% of Hispanics were willing to support a "pathway to citizenship" for undocumented immigrants, provided they meet specific requirements. A majority of those polled by Pew also said they felt that ending the current deportation effort is more important that providing a plan for citizenship for those undocumented immigrants already in the U.S.

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