The Potential for Comprehensive Immigration Reform in the U.S.

President Obama met with members of Congress on June 25, 2009 to seriously discuss U.S. immigration reform.  Both Democrats and Republicans expressed agendas for having a comprehensive immigration reform bill written and possibly passed this year, or early into 2010.  Issues including visa availability, visa backlogs, legalization, and many more surround the immigration debate. 

President Obama released the following statement after his meeting with the bipartisan group:  “My administration is fully behind an effort to achieve comprehensive immigration reform. I have asked my Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, Secretary Janet Napolitano, to lead up a group that is going to be working with a leadership group from both the House and the Senate to start systematically working through these issues from the congressional leaders and those with the relevant jurisdiction. What we’ve heard is through a process of regular order, they would like to work through these issues both in the House and in the Senate.”

We will wait to see if comprehensive immigration reform will materialize later this year, or early next year, as many await this important legislation.