Immigration Reform 2014:
President Obama Meets With Faith Leaders to Discuss Immigration Reform
http://www.latinopost.com/articles/5611/20140416/immigration-reform-2014-president-obama-meets-with-faith-leaders-to-discuss-immigration-reform.htm
President Obama met with a
group of faith leaders from across the country Tuesday to discuss immigration
reform.
Obama met with the faith
leaders in the Oval Office as Democrats tried to put pressure on House
Republicans to bring the comprehensive immigration reform bill to a vote, The
Hill reports.
The meeting with six faith
leaders occurred as House Democrats announced a new initiative to target 30
Republicans who voiced some support for immigration reform. They hope to win
support for a discharge petition that would force a House vote on the Senate's
comprehensive immigration reform bill.
"The president believes
that there is an opportunity that still exists for House Republicans to follow
the lead of the Senate, including Republicans in the Senate, and take up and
pass comprehensive immigration reform," said White House press secretary
Jay Carney.
"And today's meeting
that the president had with faith leaders demonstrates and reinforces the fact
that there is a broad, unusually broad, coalition that supports that effort,
that supports comprehensive immigration reform and all the benefits that making
reform the law would provide to the country, to our security, to our economy,
to our businesses," Carney added.
The faith leaders told the
president personal stories about how immigration reform policies have
positively impacted members of their congregations.
The White House reported that
Obama "emphasized that while his Administration can take steps to better
enforce and administer immigration laws, nothing can replace the certainty of
legislative reform and this permanent solution can only be achieved by
Congress."
Some of the meeting
participants included: Luis Cortes, president of the Hispanic faith-based
organization Esperanza; JoAnne Lyon, general superintendent of Indiana's The
Wesleyan Church; Dr. Russell Moore, president of the Southern Baptist
Convention; Suzii Paynter, executive coordinator of Cooperative Baptist
Fellowship; and Dieter Uchtdorf, second counselor of the Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter Day Saints.
Democrats are increasing
pressure on Republicans as immigration activists are pressuring the Obama
Administration to slow the rate of deportations. Last month, Obama said the
Department of Homeland Security will review the Administrations' procedures.
Carney said Tuesday that the
review "of practices and the implementation of enforcement
guidelines" is ongoing.
Last month, Janet Murguía,
the head of the National Council of La Raza, harshly criticized Obama by
calling him the "deporter in-chief."
Members of the Congressional
Hispanic Caucus also threatened to seek a referendum pushing administrative
action if the White House did not try to unilaterally curb deportations.
Yet, at the meeting with
faith leaders, Obama said he is still looking to Congress to pass a reform
bill, and will not take unilateral action.