Will the media in the United States concerned about immigration reform please stand up? Obviously, there were none among the invitees to the White House's primetime presidential press conference last week, as the issue was again missing from the agenda.
Not a single media person given the opportunity to ask a question by Obama last Tuesday night focused on the hot-button issue, which ironically can bring tremendous dollars to U.S. coffers if the millions living undocumented in the United States are forced to pay back taxes and fines under the much-touted earned legalization plan.
Now there is a money earner, President Obama! The President, for his part, again ignored the issue, focusing solidly on his economic reform agenda, ignoring the obvious economic impact immigration reform could have.
The missing element from the press conference comes as the Justice Department is believed to have pulled the plug on the nomination of Thomas Saenz, chief counsel to Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who was set to head the department's civil rights division.
Media reports claim it is because of Saenz's past advocacy on behalf of immigrant rights. What? It is a troubling sign given the fact that Obama just last week – of course, when pushed by the Latino Congressional Caucus and a town hall forum participant – claimed he was all for earned legalization and reform that would help bring many out of the shadows.
Yet, the Los Angeles Times' Gregory Sanchez reported, "the word is that the White House was scared off by the vocal opposition to Saenz from anti-immigrant groups," so they canned the appointment.
President Obama's actions towards immigration reform must now match his words. Even President Bush is starting to look better on the issue, given the blow he took from his party over his consistent stance on reform.
Obama must immediately put a halt to the scary raids by the Immigration Customs Enforcement and push his Democratic colleagues to revamp the Ted Kennedy/John McCain bill on immigration reform. There must be reform that benefits all immigrants who have been living in the United States as good, upstanding citizens for years, committing no crimes but working hard and helping to build this country. And there must be reform for the thousands of immigrant students who cannot attend college because of the current laws or cannot get a job because they have no green card.
Immigrants across the United States stood up and voted for the president last November based largely on his promises of immigration reform. The issue is as important as economic reform, since it is obvious there is also a connection. President Obama, it is time to quit flinching and deliver on the promises made to immigrant voters who helped deliver the historic election of Nov. 4, 2008.
