Obama: I Didn't Promise to Complete Immigration Reform in my First Term
 

President Barack Obama said Thursday in an exclusive interview with Agencia Efe, Spain's international news agency, that he had not promised to complete his entire 2008 campaign agenda, including immigration reform, during his first term but rather had said that he would begin working on it.

When asked if he regretted not having been able to deliver on immigration reform, the president responded: "No, because what a president does, or what a candidate for president does is you lay out an agenda of where you want to take your country, a vision for how we would strengthen the country and, in my case, my vision has always been how do we create a strong middle class, ladders of opportunity into the middle class."

"And the agenda that I put forward," he said, "is one that is designed to make sure that anybody who works hard in this country can make it."

Success can be achieved by people in the United States "regardless of race, religion, background," and they can "have access to a good education, ... they can get the skills they need, ... they can find a job that pays the bills, they can own a home, send their kids to college," he said.

During the interview, which the president granted after holding a campaign rally in Golden, Colorado, he also said that "if you look at the promises that I made back in 2008, we have achieved many of them."

"(We) ended the war in Iraq, saved an auto industry on the brink of extinction, passed comprehensive health care reform which will provide millions ... more people (with) access to health insurance, including nine million Latinos who work so hard and have difficulty getting health insurance on the job, reforming our student loans program so that millions ... more young people are able to get the support that they need."

He acknowledged that "there are some things, like comprehensive immigration reform, that we have not got done yet. But in 2008 I didn't promise that I would have everything completed by the end of the first term. I said that we would begin work on all these things."

The president also expressed confidence that the agenda that he has presented recently, with the aim of being reelected in November, includes objectives "that we can accomplish."

In 2008 then Senator Obama said he would make immigration reform a "top priority" of his first term as President promising to do it his first year of his first term.

"We can't wait 20 years from now to do it, we can't 10 years from now to do it, we need to do it by the end of my first term as president of the United States of America," Obama said in 2008.

Obama made a similar promise to try for immigration reform in the first year of his second term in an interview with Univision. Obama blamed Republicans for the lack of progress on reform legislation in his first term and pledged he would “try” to bring up the issue in the first year of a second term.

Among those realizable goals, Mr. Obama said, are: "bringing ... manufacturing jobs back home, making college more affordable, continu(ing) to reform our schools, rehiring teachers so that we don't have overcrowded classrooms, continuing to develop clean energy that reduces our dependence on foreign oil, ending the war in Afghanistan, these are all things that we can accomplish."

"It's in stark contrast to the agenda that's being presented by the other side," the president said, alluding to the campaign platform of his Republican rival, Mitt Romney.

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Re: Obama: I Didn't Promise to Complete Immigration Reform in my First Term
 

He did start working on it so that is good.

Re: Obama: I Didn't Promise to Complete Immigration Reform in my First Term
 

did he start working on it?
am i the only who thought that he just verbally mentioned "immigration reform"?

Re: Obama: I Didn't Promise to Complete Immigration Reform in my First Term
 

I believe he's content with deferred action for the time being lol

Re: Obama: I Didn't Promise to Complete Immigration Reform in my First Term
 

True. He did promise to complete it within the first 100 days.

Re: Obama: I Didn't Promise to Complete Immigration Reform in my First Term
 

Great.... thought he was on our side...just another political liar, eh?

Re: Obama: I Didn't Promise to Complete Immigration Reform in my First Term
 

This article is misleading, since nowhere does it state that he didn't promise to do so. More or less if you read the non-bolded statements, he says that he will get around to them in his second term which is more realistic than trying to do it in the first term since the economy took a giant hit when get first got in office.

Re: Obama: I Didn't Promise to Complete Immigration Reform in my First Term
 

The point that Obama wanted to make was he needs "more time" to actually complete most of these things including immigration reform, meaning that people need to vote for him in order for him to complete these promises.

Re: Obama: I Didn't Promise to Complete Immigration Reform in my First Term
 

This time around he didn't even mention Immigration reform or the Dream act in his DNC speech. Uh-oh.

What is he going to say if he wins the election? That he didn't even mention it?

Yeah it's great that we got Deferred Action, what sucks is that he only did it to win back the Latino vote after he had lost them by deporting 400K illegal immigrants in 2011 alone! If he really wanted to help us, he could have ordered Deferred Action since the beginning of his term, then, work on passing the Dream act. Not the other way around.

It would have probably been even easier to pass the Dream act if we were all already here lawfully instead of trying to pass the Dream act while we were illegal immigrants, but of course that was never his concern. We were left hanging for 4 years.

That to me is like a child going back on their word and saying "Nu-uh! I didn't say I promise"

What an ass.....

Re: Obama: I Didn't Promise to Complete Immigration Reform in my First Term
 

Well, he kind of started working on it already with deferred action. Hopefully Dreamers doing great things now will show that we deserve it and show that we are assets to society by working, paying taxes and going to school should serve as a good argument.

By the way, your first statement doesnt make that much sense since DACA does NOT grant lawful status.

Re: Obama: I Didn't Promise to Complete Immigration Reform in my First Term
 

lol he made so many promises he can't recall what he actually promised...if he wouldn't had given us deferred action I'd be cussing him out right now, but he did give us a politically motivated daca so imma give him a pass...........I voted for immigration reform and all I got was this lousy deferred action. Lol

Re: Obama: I Didn't Promise to Complete Immigration Reform in my First Term
 

Just be thankful that the program is out there. It's better to have it late than never. You have to remember that he's a politician and a smart one too. Politicians aren't always honest, you should know that by now. Would you rather have had John McCain as president?? DO YOU???? He was for Comprehensive Immigration Reform all the way up until the election, and then after he lost he was like "Me for immigration reform???!! NO NO that's not me!!" Also, do you know what was happening when Obama took office? The economy was crumbling, with 750k plus jobs per month being lost, GM on the brink of bankruptcy, 2 wars, stock market at 6500 etc. You think CIR was at the top of his list then? That was the least of his worries at that time and it got kicked all the way to the bottom of the list. However, I do believe he could have done more to pass the Dream Act but again he's a politician who wanted to get reelected. Just be happy with what you got, things could be much much worst right now. Having said that, FOUR MORE YEARS FOR OBAMA!

Re: Obama: I Didn't Promise to Complete Immigration Reform in my First Term
 

Ungrateful much?

You have no idea how hard it is to pass ANYTHING through the US Senate these days.

People like you just talk out of your ass and don't know the facts.

Yes, he could have been more forceful but when you have a Republican minority in the US Senate that is bent on destroying your presidency, it is PRETTY hard to pass anything under the 60 vote rule.

Think and search before you throw out all those nasty accusations.

If it had not been for his "pandering" we would still be hopeless.

I am glad he is our President!

Re: Obama: I Didn't Promise to Complete Immigration Reform in my First Term
 

Four more years!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Re: Obama: I Didn't Promise to Complete Immigration Reform in my First Term
 

Maybe in the next term? I'm a see it to believe it kind of person. I'm grateful for DACA. :)

Re: Obama: I Didn't Promise to Complete Immigration Reform in my First Term
 

I totally agree with tf2legend and justjohnjustice1988.

Re: Obama: I Didn't Promise to Complete Immigration Reform in my First Term
 

There were CIR bills and an attempt to pass DA.

He never even mentioned anything about Deferred Action and then does it.

I think CIR/DA will pass in the early stages of 2013.

Re: Obama: I Didn't Promise to Complete Immigration Reform in my First Term
 

AMEN!!! i'll reply to this so many people can see it lol. really though it could be worse but thanks to Obama and of course God. Good luck to all the Dreamers!!!

Re: Obama: I Didn't Promise to Complete Immigration Reform in my First Term
 

Don't be so ass hurt because I call it how I see it.

What excuse can you make for him for not just ordering Deferred Action since the beginning. What excuse do you have for him not introducing a bill when Democrats had a majority in both the House and Congress?

You were quick to forget how many Dreamers Obama deported. He has you eating out of his hand.
As of Sep. 2011 Obama had deported 1.06 million people in 3 years!, while Bush deported 1.57 million IN TWO TERMS.

He deports that many people yet you still believe he actually cared about you lol. Why don't you try putting yourself in another Dreamer's shoes that got deported before Deferred Action. I'm sure as hell you wouldn't be all over Obama's jock saying how glad you are he is your president.

Re: Obama: I Didn't Promise to Complete Immigration Reform in my First Term
 

Better off Obama than Republicans. I understand that its not easy to get things done in Congress. Im glad we have a DACA.

Re: Obama: I Didn't Promise to Complete Immigration Reform in my First Term
 

Well, to be fair, Obama took in the reins of Bush's failed economic, foreign, and immigration policies when he came into office. Don't forget that many AMERICANS were losing their jobs before he could even do anything with his Democrat Congress. The economy tanked at least 500,000 jobs within his first year (Which called for severe damage control) and he was scrambling whatever he could to stop the leak. If he helped us during the time when real Americans are getting laid off left and right including the worst recession in recent times, it would be political suicide. It is absolutely not realistic for him to have been seeing working on immigration policies when the recession hit hard as it did. He wouldn't have even gotten a chance for a second term.

Re: Obama: I Didn't Promise to Complete Immigration Reform in my First Term
 

Then prove your point and don't apply for DACA.....
Be greatful we have this, if it was a Republican in office you'd probably be back "in a country you know nothing about"
. Can't stand ungreatful assholes.

Re: Obama: I Didn't Promise to Complete Immigration Reform in my First Term
 

Actually, you just proved my point. You forgot and forgave everything he did because he gave you DACA.

I see his plan succeeded. Such a shame.

Re: Obama: I Didn't Promise to Complete Immigration Reform in my First Term
 

Some people just don't get it. Imagine trying to pass an immigration reform bill, while real AMERICAN citizens were losing their jobs, houses, savings. Go ahead, complain all you want, while your receiving DACA. Don't be a hypocrite.

Re: Obama: I Didn't Promise to Complete Immigration Reform in my First Term
 

Still, you proved HIS point. You still applied for DACA while knowingly he deported most at risk undocs and severe minority of Dream eligible kids. By applying for DACA, you in effect are supporting his immigration policies that you are heavily criticizing. If you were really convicted with this issue, you wouldn't have applied and knowingly spit on Obama's face as you do now.

Re: Obama: I Didn't Promise to Complete Immigration Reform in my First Term
 

I've said this before but we need to realize that he had other priorities other than immigration reform. He can't do it all at once, and he was very clear with the fact that he wanted to focus on his healthcare reform as well as the bail outs and the economy as first priorities. We can't go around feeling entitled and expect Obama to do miracles. Sure everything is politics but when it comes right down to it, Obama is an educated man. He knows what he has to do to both pander to the politics and at the same time help us when we need it.

For example, he had been saying a year ago that he could pass the DACA. One could argue he just passed it now for the political points before election, but you can make the case that he had his administration cover every single loophole or potential lawsuits against him for doing so. Not to mention doing DACA strictly for political gain was a big risk that could have destroyed him outright for re election.

People just gotta have faith and let him take his time, we have to remember there are a lot of attacks against america in general right now and we can't feel entitled to much of anything right now.

Re: Obama: I Didn't Promise to Complete Immigration Reform in my First Term
 

First, DACA wasn't going to be something would have done right away because there was hope for the DREAM Act.

Second, there were many times when Democrats didn't have the exact 60 votes out 100 in the Senate to break any filibuster.

Check this out http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/20...-supermajority

As for people that got deported, well that is VERY unfortunate. But I was taught as a young child that absolutism never works. Of course, out of those 1.06 million people that got deported some DREAMers got thrown in there. But you make it seem like Obama reviewed every individual case. The ICE people pretty much do what they want to do.

The reason they got deported was because the last President didn't do jack squat to pass the DREAM Act after CIR failed.

Yes, some DREAMers got deported but we are for the most part, as a community of DREAMers, still here.

And I am sick and tired of people like you saying "he deported so many people!" How do you not know that most of them actually DESERVED to be DEPORTED?

I know plenty of retarded ass undocumented immigrants that cause trouble and expect the USA to have pitty on them.
If you violated the law in some way, such as DUI, violence, gang violence/activies, drugs, etc. I AM GLAD YOUR ASS IS OUT OF THIS COUNTRY!

Now, if you can't love yourself, HOW THE HELL YOU GONNA LOVE SOMEBODY ELSE?? Can I get an AMEN UP IN HERR? hahahaha!

Re: Obama: I Didn't Promise to Complete Immigration Reform in my First Term
 

DAMN!!!

I guess I am not the only "ass hurt" one.

I guess this user doesn't let go of grudges.

You gotta live in the present and not in the past man! :D

Re: Obama: I Didn't Promise to Complete Immigration Reform in my First Term
 

Mister JLo! I mean JJ Glo!

Listen dude/dudette :P,

We understand your frustration. BUT in this toxic political environment, as undocumented immigrants that were BROUGHT into being undocumented we don't have much of a choice other than express our opinions on our facebook walls.

You gotta understand the logic behind things. I am well aware that Obama is a politician after all. He has lied, and so have ALL presidents before, and Presidents in Mexico too have lied. I'm sure most heads of state/presidents/prime ministers in elected offices across the world "lie" or PROMISE to do MANY things.

And for the most part they don't get all their stuff done, especially only in their first term, as it is in Obama's case.

With this, I am done with this conversation. You are biased already against him and I think this as far as we can converse because we obviously have different opinions.

Mine is right and yours is wrong hehe :D

Re: Obama: I Didn't Promise to Complete Immigration Reform in my First Term
 

This.