President Barack Obama stayed away from hot-button words in remarks Thursday on immigration reform, but hinted that his immigration push will include some kind of “amnesty” or “legal path” for illegal aliens already in the United States.
He also praised U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., who was at a White House meeting on the issue and has supported a legal path for illegal aliens and a guest worker program.
“What’s also been acknowledged is that the 12 million or so illegal alien workers are here — who are not paying taxes in the ways that we’d like them to be paying taxes, who are living in the shadows, that is a group that we have to deal with in a practical, common-sense way,” Obama said after the meeting. “And I think the American people are ready for us to do so. But it’s going to require some heavy lifting, it’s going to require a victory of practicality and common sense and good policy making over short-term politics. That’s what I’m committed to doing as president.”
On his former campaign foe, he said: “I want to especially commend John McCain, who’s with me today, because along with folks like Lindsey Graham, he has already paid a significant political cost for doing the right thing. I stand with him.”
Obama also said Thursday he is making U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano a key point person on the immigration reform push. As Arizona’s former governor, Napolitano signed an employer sanctions bill into law and backed deployment of National Guard troops along the Arizona-Mexico border. She, however, was skeptical about a border wall and flirted with the idea of allowing illegal aliens to obtain drivers licenses.
sourced – Austin Business Journal – by Mike Sunnucks
