As the U.S. federal government shutdown comes to an end, President Obama on the 24th pressured House Republicans on the immigration reform issue, which has been "cooling down" for several months, urging them to accelerate efforts to pass the immigration reform bill within the year.
In a televised address from the White House, Obama stated that immigration reform is beneficial for the U.S. economy, national security, and the well-being of the public. Reforming the broken immigration system is a consensus among the American people and politicians, and it should be prioritized to pass the immigration reform bill this year.
Obama directly pointed the finger at House Republicans in his speech. He noted that the Senate had passed an immigration reform bill with a significant majority in June, which, although not perfect, is fair and just, and can address the core challenges of immigration reform. House Democrats have also proposed similar legislation, and whether immigration reform can become a reality now depends on the actions of House Republicans.
He also mentioned that despite fundamental disagreements between Democrats and Republicans on many issues, they should collaborate on topics where there is consensus. After the government shutdown, there is no reason for both sides not to work together to resolve issues such as immigration reform.
The call for reforming the immigration system in American society has been longstanding. How to handle the majority of illegal immigrants from Latin America within the U.S. is one of the main disputes, but attempts at reform have repeatedly stalled. Since the beginning of this year, lawmakers from both parties in Congress and various stakeholders have engaged in difficult negotiations over the immigration reform bill. The Democrat-controlled Senate passed an immigration reform bill at the end of June, and the main battleground has since shifted to the Republican-controlled House, where the bill is expected to face greater legislative resistance, making its passage outlook grim.
Source: Xinhua News Agency
