NBC: White GOP Congressional Districts Preventing Immigration Reform
During a panel discussion on NBC #39;s Meet the Press on Sunday, Amy Walter of the Cook Political Report argued that the reason comprehensive immigration reform ...
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NBC: White GOP Congressional Districts Preventing Immigration Reform - Video
By Sara Fischer, CNN
updated 12:30 AM EST, Wed December 10, 2014
President Barack Obama sought to reassure Latinos his immigration policy is for real
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
Washington (CNN) -- Less than a month after President Barack Obama announced his executive action on immigration reform, the country's chief executive made a concerted effort to reach out the Latino community, and assure them that his policies will not be overturned under a new administration.
In back-to-back interviews Tuesday with networks that reach Spanish-speaking audiences, the President assured viewers that there is enough public support for his policies to carry over into a new administration, making it unlikely that they will be deported.
"The American people believe that if you've done things the right way, then you shouldn't be punished for it," Obama said in an interview with Telemundo's Jose Diaz-Balart.
"You're not gonna see Democrats or Republicans who suggest that we're gonna treat worse the people who did the right thing compared to those folks who don't register, don't go through a criminal background check and haven't been paying their taxes," he said.
Speaking to viewers who qualify for a path to citizenship under his executive action, the President vowed, "You can register, and you can be assured you won't be deported."
"We are going to make sure that families -- people who are working and responsible in their communities -- are not prioritized for deportation," Obama said. "So the likelihood of their deportations are going to be much lower."
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
Editor's note: Jason Furman is the chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers. The views expressed are his own.
(CNN) -- Immigration reform may be a complicated issue politically, but in economic terms, the case is clear -- it is one of the biggest levers the United States has to encourage economic growth and to raise wages.
It's not just the Obama administration that thinks so.
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and the International Monetary Fund recently found that President Barack Obama's growth strategy, which he presented at the recent G-20 meeting in Brisbane, Australia, would add more to our economy than the steps being pursued by any other G7 country. And the single biggest contributor to that strategy? Immigration reform.
True, we can only realize the full benefits of immigration reform with a comprehensive bill passed by Congress. But the administrative steps that the President has announced -- including measures to better attract and retain high-skilled workers from around the world and to hold accountable undocumented immigrants with strong ties to the United States while providing them with temporary relief from deportation -- represent a good start and a meaningful boost to the economy.
As the President is discussing Tuesday at Casa Azafrn community center in Nashville, the main economic benefits of these actions are to raise our productivity -- increasing the amount of output we can produce for a given amount of inputs.
How do the actions announced by the President make that happen? Allowing more foreign-born entrepreneurs to come to our country -- to create jobs and to innovate -- is one common sense step to help grow the American economy. Another is enhancing the ability of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) graduates from U.S. universities to further their on-the-job training for longer periods, something that will boost the overall skill level of the American workforce.
Less widely appreciated, but also economically important, is the contribution that offering over 4 million workers a path out of the shadows will make to our economy. And this comes as no surprise to this country's businesses. Indeed, one of the main economic arguments for this step is one that they have been making for years about their own investment -- the importance of certainty.
When faced with high levels of uncertainty, firms often hold off on making important investments for future growth. This is also true for the millions of undocumented immigrants living here in the United States. They participate in the workforce at higher rates than native-born Americans, and many are long-time members of their communities. Yet because of the uncertainty they face about their future, they are less likely to make important investments in themselves or in the communities in which they live, such as investing in their education, learning new job skills, purchasing homes or starting new businesses. And, as with firms, these decisions -- rooted in uncertainty -- can depress overall growth.
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How to jump-start jobs
NASHVILLE President Obama came here to drum up support for his executive action on immigration and acknowledged that this city might not seem like the most obvious choice.
Some people might think Nashville was an odd place to talk about immigration. Its not what comes to mind when people think about gateways to America, Obama said at Casa Azafran, a local community center, but added: Nashvilles got one of the fastest-growing immigrant populations in the country.
Nashville, the legendary capital of country music, is also home to thousands of Mexicans, Burmese and as many as 11,000 Kurds, all drawn by the modest cost of living, job opportunities and an international community.
One out of every eight Nashville residents was born abroad, and 16percent of the citys population speaks a language other than English at home, according to the 2010 Census.
The presidents event here marked his third trip outside Washington to rally public support for his executive actions, following speeches in Las Vegas and Chicago late last month. On the trip to Nashville, he was joined on Air Force One by Frank Sharry of Americas Voice and Lorella Praeli of United We Dream, longtime immigration activists who were critical of Obama for not taking executive action sooner but have been supportive since his announcement last month.
President Obama held a town hall meeting on immigration reform in Nashville on Tuesday where he called on Congress to pass a law to fix the nations a broken immigration system. (Reuters)
The White House hopes Obamas personal appeal on immigration can help rebut fierce criticism by Republicans, who have attempted to paint him as imperial and acting unlawfully in circumventing Congress on his immigration changes.
When members of Congress question whether I have the authority to do this, I have one answer: Yes, and pass a bill, Obama said during a question-and-answer session in a small room.
Nursing a cup of tea, Obama fielded questions from people worried that a future administration could roll back Obamas protections for undocumented immigrants, something he said could happen. But the president said Americans basically have a good heart and would be opposed to any changes.
I think any future administration that tried to punish people for doing the right thing I think would not have the support of the American people, Obama said. He also stressed that people need to sign up for the protections and stressed that they would not be in danger.
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Obama takes pitch for immigration reform to Nashville
NASHVILLE, TN (WSMV) -
President Barack Obama arrived in Nashville Tuesday afternoon to deliver remarks on immigration reform.
Air Force One landed at Nashville International Airport just before 1:30 p.m. Obama departed the plane, accompanied by Congressman Jim Cooper (D-Nashville) and Congressman Steve Cohen (D-Memphis), a few minutes later.
Obama stopped briefly to speak with students who had gathered to welcome him to Nashville for the second time this year.
The president took the podium at Casa Azafran, a south Nashville community center, around 2:30 p.m. to give a brief speech on immigration reform.
"Hola," the president said as he took the podium. "Como esta?"
Obama acknowledged that Nashville may appear to be an unlikely place to discuss immigration reform.
"Some may think Nashville is an odd place to talk about immigration," Obama said. "As all of you know, Nashville has one of the fastest growing immigration populations.
"They are our teachers, doctors, police," the president added. "They start small businesses at a faster rate than Americans."
The president addressed people's fears that under his new plan, families could be separated.
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President Obama talks immigration, stops for takeout in Nashville