The U.S. House of Representatives has voted to pass the latest version of the Senate's healthcare reform bill. Because only 86% of the U.S. population has health insurance, leaving millions without medical coverage, the U.S. healthcare system has been criticized for years.
The ailing U.S. healthcare system has finally undergone sweeping reforms under the leadership of the first Black U.S. President. This reform is being called the "greatest change in 45 years." Media outlets speculate that Obama's next reform agenda will be the equally flawed U.S. immigration system.
Overwhelmed Immigration Agencies Due to Massive Backlogs
A report released this February pointed out that the U.S. immigration judicial system is fraught with problems, with the number of immigration cases reaching dangerous levels, and called on the U.S. government to comprehensively reform immigration laws and the policies of relevant agencies.
An immigration consultant explained: "There are currently 12 million illegal immigrants in the United States, but only 57 immigration courts and 231 immigration judges are responsible for handling deportation hearings, asylum applications, bail decisions, and other immigration matters. This has left the courts overwhelmed, with backlogs continuing to grow."
Illegal Immigrants: Hoping for Amnesty Through Reform
Approximately 100,000 immigrants gathered at the National Mall in Washington, D.C., for a massive rally and march, calling on the Obama administration to launch comprehensive immigration reform as soon as possible to legalize the status of illegal immigrants.
Because the Obama administration devoted almost all of its energy to healthcare reform this year, the immigration reform promised during Obama's campaign has been repeatedly delayed.
An immigration consultant noted: "Former U.S. President George W. Bush once proposed a comprehensive immigration reform plan, the main content of which was: the U.S. economy needs immigrants, and these illegal immigrants should be given a path to eventually become U.S. citizens. This proposal encouraged millions of illegal immigrants, and countless immigrants also hoped that their relatives could obtain new, legal U.S. status through immigration reform. However, the proposal also faced strong opposition from some members of the Republican Party."
Obama's Stance: Striving to Facilitate Reform
As the primary decision-maker for the reform, Obama's attitude is crucial. In fact, since his campaign, Obama has promised to carry out immigration reform.
An immigration consultant analyzed: "In 2009, the Obama administration took some action on immigration reform, but progress was slow. After the protests on the 21st, Obama reiterated via video that he would work with Congress to fix the broken immigration system. He stated that he would do his best to facilitate a bipartisan consensus on immigration reform. From this, it can be seen that Obama's attitude toward immigration reform is positive. Moreover, Congress is currently controlled by the Democratic Party, which supports immigration reform, so the U.S. immigration system is very likely to become Obama's next reform agenda following healthcare."