Now that elections are approaching, there is no doubt that candidates will be debating immigration policies and reforms extensively. After all, immigration is a topic close to the hearts of voters. Many Americans have roots in other countries and want to see a fair immigration system. Some Americans believe that the current immigration system is not working and more needs to be done about undocumented immigration. Candidates will be expected to share – and defend – their views about immigration in the upcoming months.
President Barack Obama has made it no secret that he supports immigration reform. He has publicly stated that he supports legislation such as the DREAM Act, although his administration has not been able to pass that bill. Under President Obama’s administration, a number of reforms have been made. At the same time, under the current administration a record 400 000 immigrants have been deported. As President Obama looks towards the election, he has shared some of his views about immigration reform.
Recently, President Obama promised that he would make immigration policy a high priority during his first year back if elected for a second term. However, he also stated that he would need Congress’s support to make changes. At the same time, the President stated that immigration is not just an issue, but rather a topic that is personal to him and something that he genuinely cares about.
President Obama has stated that Republicans in Congress are making it difficult to pass immigration reform. He has also stated that Mitt Romney, who may be running against him, supports laws which potentially require individuals to show citizenship papers if they are believed to be undocumented immigrants.
Representatives of Romney have stated that Romney supports legislation that would require employers to check and confirm the documented status of all employees. Andrea Saul, a Romney spokeswoman, has stated that President Obama has not provided the immigration plan and immigration reforms that he promised during his campaign. She stated that President Obama only speaks about immigration when seeking votes.
President Obama won a considerable amount of the Hispanic vote during the last election and will need to capture the same voter confidence in order to win again. The Hispanic vote will become very important in this year’s elections as Hispanic voters are strong in numbers and at the ballot box. Candidates will need to speak to these voters and to other voters in order to win.