Yesterday, in his first major policy speech since winning re-election, President Obama laid out an ambitious four-part plan for comprehensive immigration reform. Through increased border security, crackdowns on employers who hire undocumented workers, earned citizenship and a streamlined immigration process, the President hopes to “…build a fair, effective and commonsense immigration system that lives up to our heritage as a nation of laws and a nation of immigrants.”
This speech came just one day after a bipartisan group of Senators, including New York Senator Chuck Schumer, unveiled their own immigration plan. Republicans’ shift on the immigration issue was best summed up by Arizona Senator John McCain who said, “[t]he Republican Party is losing support of our Hispanic citizens.” In November, President Obama won over 70% of the Latino vote, and Latinos made up 10% of the electorate.
