President Obama tells Hispanic caucus he won't give up on immigration bill

President Obama told representatives of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Tuesday that he is not giving up on an immigration bill the group has long championed.

The president reiterated his support for the DREAM Act and comprehensive immigration reform during his sit-down with five members of the caucus.

Obama and the lawmakers "discussed their deep disappointment with the DREAM Act failing in the U.S. Senate" and the president promised "that he will not give up on the DREAM Act, and thanked the members for their tireless leadership on this issue," according to a readout of the meeting.

The huddle with Hispanic members of Congress was intended to plan a way forward for immigration reform in the next Congress, when Republicans will hold a majority in the House and a more robust minority in the Senate.

Caucus Chairwoman Rep. Nydia Velazquez (D-N.Y.), Vice Chairman Rep. Charlie Gonzalez (D-Texas), Democratic Caucus Vice Chairman Rep. Xavier Becerra (Calif.), Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.) and Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) attended the meeting with Obama Tuesday morning.

The meeting came after the collapse of the DREAM Act, a controversial bill which offers legal residency to children who entered the U.S. illegally if they meet certain conditions. Enough votes did not exist in the Senate to invoke cloture, which would require the support of 60 senators, when the upper chamber voted this weekend.

Conservative groups and most Republicans have derided the measure as amnesty legislation, but defeated Sen. Robert Bennett (R-Utah) indicated that the GOP could move forward on its own version of the legislation next year.

During the meeting, Obama also "further reiterated his commitment to comprehensive immigration reform, pointing out that we can no longer perpetuate a broken immigration system that is not working for our country or our economy," saying that the issue should remain a "top priority" in the next Congress.

Congress last tried, and failed, to pass comprehensive immigration reform under President Bush in 2007.

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefi...p-on-dream-act

Honestly, It's time for Obama to shut the f*** up. I'd be happier if he did rather than hearing him spout the same "speech" since 2008. Top priority my ass. Bill Maher's was right, he's so weak.

What a disappointment of a President. So much for "hope" and "change."

he said the same thing last year. and the year before. and before he got elected.

Politics run on ultra short term memory. So do the voters that participate. Welcome to backwards land, where people raise a revolution about the fed touching their medicaid and do the same thing to stop the public option.

I dont know what country is Obama living in.

McConnell Vows to Make Next Two-Years Hell for Obama



http://chattahbox.com/us/2010/12/21/...ell-for-obama/

I'm hoping Bernie Sanders will challenge him in 2012, now there's a guy with balls.