Immigration not at top of Obama list (Jan 22)
By Chuck Doud
The Madera Tribune
People who are interested in changing the way immigration laws are enforced, or in changing the laws altogether, hope such activity will be toward the top of the pile on President Obama’s desk, but they shouldn’t hold their breath. While the new president did mention immigration reform in his inaugural address Tuesday, he didn’t spend many words or much time talking about the subject.
The best guess among Obama watchers is that he will either (1) make no changes for now or (2) do little more than slow or stop the Bush tactic of raising and strengthening the fences between the United States and Mexico.
It’s unlikely he will change the scrutiny at border crossings, which has been steadily increased since the 9/11 attacks. He probably will continue to beef up the Border Patrol, with an emphasis on trying to contain illegal crossings, primarily along the Mexican border.
Any substantive changes would be harder to get through Congress, which has little concensus on what constitutes an immigration problem. Border states such as California and Arizona, if nothing else would like help in paying for the costs of providing services to illegals. Other states, less affected by immigration, don’t see why the federal government should pony up more than it already does.
Many agricultural states depend on immigrants to provide seasonal and even year-round workforces for farms and food processors.
Other states resent the inflow of immigrants and would like to see all but legal immigration completely cut off.
The economy, though, may do more than Obama will to change immigration patterns. The downturn in construction, for example, has dried up the job market for many immigrants, and some who have come to the U.S. are going back south.
