Obama executive action on immigration only decent thing to do
President Obama has taken a commonsense approach to provide a measure of security to immigrant families as Congress continues to debate reform.
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By halting the deportation of millions of undocumented immigrants, President Barack Obama has done the only decent, humane thing he could do.
It makes no sense for the administration to continue deporting immigrants in record numbers given the fact that Congress is debating legislation that could provide them with a path to citizenship. Enough hard-working families have already been harmed.
The president’s action is quite limited. It does not create a path to citizenship. It does not entitle undocumented immigrants to receive public benefits like food stamps. It simply halts deportations for those who meet certain criteria, giving them lawful presence in the United States – but only for the time being. The rug could be pulled out from under them at any time by this or any future president.
In short, President Obama has simply given a small measure of security to millions of immigrants who are now living in the shadows.
But we need to give them more. And for that, we need congressional action.
We hope the Republican leadership in the House will stop obstructing progress and allow a vote on the comprehensive reform bill passed last year by the Senate.
