Economy May Force Obama to Abandon Plan to Overhaul Immigration

High unemployment+Guest worker program during major reform talks might not yield any positive results according to this article.

What is also interesting is that this article also mentions that the former President wanted to initiated reform early in 2001 but because of the 2001 attacks that was obviously postponed.I can only imagine if the former President had tried early enough in his first term that reform would have passed because even 245i passed during that time period.

Quote:





            This month, White House Spokesman Robert Gibbs said Obama would soon introduce new plans for overhauling immigration, a legislative priority for companies such as chipmaker Intel Corp., hotel-chain Marriott International Inc. and Western Union Co., the world’s biggest money-transfer business.<br />

In Mexico City last week, Obama, 47, said he remains “committed to fixing our broken immigration system,” and a Senate committee has announced it will begin hearings on the issue next week. Still, David Axelrod, a senior White House adviser, said the president may not be able to make good on his promise to sign legislation within his first year in office.

‘Committed’ to It

“We’re committed to beginning that discussion this year,” Axelrod said in an interview last week. “Whether we complete that this year is another question.”

Obama’s predecessor, President George W. Bush, abandoned a push for a comprehensive plan in his first term after the Sept. 11 attacks raised concerns over border security. A proposal he initiated in his second term was killed by Congress in 2007, even though it was supported by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the largest U.S. business lobbying organization. The group said it would support renewed efforts this year...........

................Nonetheless, Senator Charles Schumer, a New York Democrat, said he was undeterred by “these difficult economic conditions” and would press ahead with hearings this month in the Senate’s Subcommittee on Immigration, Refugees and Border Security, which he chairs.

“There is a real chance of passing comprehensive reform this year,” said Schumer, 58.