According to U.S. media reports, President Obama stated on April 29 that immigration reform will not be brought to the congressional agenda in 2010, as members of Congress are busy with the midterm elections and important issues such as addressing climate change, leaving no time to focus on immigration reform.
On the 28th, more than 20 Latino, African American, Asian American, and white members of Congress held a press conference outside the Capitol, calling for Congress to advance immigration reform. Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid released a Democratic outline (not a bill) on immigration reform on April 29, but he did not specify when Congress would discuss this outline.
Obama had assured Latino political groups that he would address immigration reform within his first year in office. However, during an interview on Air Force One on the 29th, Obama changed his stance, stating that he was unwilling to engage in "politics for the sake of politics" and hoped to genuinely address the issue at a more appropriate time.
U.S. media analysis indicates that the United States is currently facing a severe economic situation, busy with other legislative proposals, and this year is also an election year, making it unlikely for immigration reform to receive congressional attention this year. Ultimately, Obama chose to suspend this issue.
According to British media analysis, there are currently about 10.8 million undocumented immigrants in the United States. A comprehensive immigration reform bill that provides a path to citizenship for the majority of them would help the Democratic Party solidify its largest minority voting bloc, the Latino vote. However, both the Democratic and Republican parties hope to avoid this sensitive topic before the midterm elections in November, fearing it may alienate some voters.
