The White House Blog: Immigration

Elevating the Debate on Immigration

Today, David Plouffe sent an email to the White House email list about the President's speech on immigration in El Paso, Texas at 3:30 p.m. EDT (1:30 p.m. CDT) and the ways you can get involved in a national dialogue on this issue.

Check out the email below, and if you didn't get it, be sure to sign up for the White House email list.

Today, President Obama is traveling to El Paso, Texas to discuss the need to fix our broken immigration system.  You can watch his speech live at WhiteHouse.gov/live starting at 3:30 p.m. EDT (1:30 p.m. MDT):

Our nation is the leader of the global economy in part because of the steady stream of hardworking and talented people who have come to our country in search of a better life for themselves and their families.  As we continue to strengthen our economy, we need an immigration system that demands responsibility and accountability from government, businesses and immigrants themselves.

In his speech today, the President will lay out his vision for an immigration system for America's 21st century economy and will call on Americans across the country to join a constructive conversation on this issue. We know that folks are already discussing this issue around their dinner tables, with their friends and neighbors and through social media communities like Twitter. 

Here are just a few ways you can get involved in the conversation, and tell us here at the White House what you think:

1. Twitter. During the President's speech today, I'll have a screen up next to my TV to watch the conversation on Twitter using the #immigration hashtag, so make sure to use #immigration to share your thoughts.
2. Advise the Advisor. Cecilia Muñoz, one of the President's senior advisors on immigration issues, just posted a new Advise the Advisor video asking for your feedback on this important issue. Visit WhiteHouse.gov/Advise to see the video and tell us what you think.
3. Roundtable Discussions. In addition to all the ways you can join the conversation online, we're encouraging Americans to host roundtable discussions in your own communities over the next few months, and let us know what you talked about and what issues matter the most in your community. Visit WhiteHouse.gov/Immigration to get started.

Most Americans agree that our immigration system is broken: it hamstrings our economy, it hurts families who play by the rules, and it leaves millions living in the shadows without a path to get right with the law. 

We can't out-educate, out-innovate and out-build our competitors without an immigration system that works for our economy. That's why this conversation on immigration reform is so important.  We need voices from across the country to help us elevate the debate and move forward.

We're looking forward to hearing what you have to say.

Sincerely,

David Plouffe
Senior Advisor to the President

Improving Latino Education to Win the Future

April 27, 2011. (by Carlos Llano, Official Miami-Dade College Photos)

Today at a community conversation at Miami-Dade College, the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics and the U.S. Department of Education released the report Winning the Future: Improving Education for the Latino Community. The President will be delivering a commencement address at Miami-Dade College Friday evening. To view the report, click HERE.

The report shows that Hispanic success in education and in the labor market is of immediate and long‐term importance to America’s economy. It also shows that Hispanics have the lowest education attainment level overall of any group in the U.S. Hispanics are by far the largest minority group in today’s American public education system, numbering more than 12.4 million in the country’s elementary, middle and high schools. Nearly 22 percent, or slightly more than 1 in 5, of all pre‐K-12 students enrolled in America’s public schools is Hispanic, but they face persistent obstacles to educational attainment. Less than half are enrolled in any early learning program. Only about half earn their high school diploma on time; those who do complete high school are only half as likely as their peers to be prepared for college and only 4 percent have completed graduate or professional degree programs.

As part of the community conversation in Miami today, Senior Obama Administration officials met with dozens of educators and community leaders, to exchange ideas and outline strategies to meet President Obama’s goal for the nation to have the best-educated workforce in the world by 2020.

April 27, 2011. (by Carlos Llano, Official Miami-Dade College Photos)

Alejandra Campoverdi is the Deputy Director of Hispanic Media.

Trabajando juntos para crear un sistema de inmigración para el siglo XXI

El Presidente Obama sigue firmemente comprometido con reformar nuestras leyes de inmigración para atender nuestras necesidades económicas y de seguridad en el siglo XXI.　En su Discurso sobre el Estado de la Nacion, el Presidente les pidió a los republicanos y demócratas que trabajen con él para solucionar este asunto.　Aunque todos sabemos que el debate será arduo, el pueblo estadounidense espera que sus líderes en Washington les hagan frente a problemas difíciles. El Presidente no puede arreglar el sistema quebrado por su cuenta.

Ayer, participé en una importante reunión con el Presidente y un extenso grupo de líderes empresariales, policiales, religiosos y políticos de todo el país.　Acompañaron al Presidente varios miembros de su gabinete, entre ellos los secretarios Ken Salazar, Janet Napolitano e Hilda Solís, y el fiscal general Eric Holder. Todos ellos han participado activamente en los esfuerzos del poder ejecutivo por promover medidas legislativas para mejorar nuestro sistema en los aspectos clave que tienen a su cargo.

El Presidente presentó un argumento sólido de que la reforma inmigratoria debe ser una prioridad, no sólo para él sino para todas las personas en la sala.　Escuchó sus inquietudes y recibió comentarios sobre maneras de hacer que los esfuerzos legislativos avancen para lograr el cometido. El Presidente los instó a que encabecen conversaciones serias y corteses en sus sectores y todo el país a fin de dar lugar a medidas en el Congreso.　Espero que otras personas se sumen al Presidente para llevar el debate a sus propias comunidades.

Fue inspirador oír sobre la importante labor que ya está en marcha: trabajo que le dará impulso a la reforma de inmigración, que es crucial para nuestro futuro económico, competitividad mundial e intereses de seguridad nacional. También fue un recordatorio de todo el trabajo que aún queda por hacer.　

Al trabajar hacia una reforma de inmigración, el poder ejecutivo continuará buscando maneras de mejorar nuestro sistema legal de inmigración, resguardar las fronteras y mejorar la estrategia para velar por el cumplimiento de las leyes de manera que sea más sensata y eficaz en deportar criminales y llevar ante la justicia a empleadores inescrupulosos. Pero los operativos de la ley de por sí no pueden resolver nuestro problema de inmigración. Necesitamos una reforma que reafirme nuestra historia tanto como estado de derecho y nación de inmigrantes a la vez, y para hacerlo debemos trabajar juntos para que se apruebe una medida legislativa.

La reforma de inmigración siempre ha sido un asunto bipartidista, y el Presidente considera que puede y debe volver a ser así:　demócratas, republicanos e independientes que trabajen juntos pueden promulgar reformas equitativas y perdurables, y tomar las decisiones correctas para nuestro futuro.

Young Leaders in Arizona Participate in “100 Roundtables” Event!

Ed. Note: Many of you have signed up to host a roundtable in your community as part of President Obama’s “100 Roundtables” Initiative. We’ve received some great feedback from folks all over the country, and had the chance to participate in several as well. If you would like to participate in the initiative, just click here. Fresh off the email machine, here’s a guest blog post from the great folks in Arizona who hosted a roundtable.

On Friday, March 25, we brought a group of young Latino adults together at the Arizona Latin@ Arts & Cultural Center in downtown Phoenix to talk about the issues most important to us and our community. 

This conversation couldn’t have come at a better time given the recent data released by the 2010 Census showing that the majority of young people under the age of 18 in Arizona are Latino.  Even though the group was small, it was professionally diverse. We had representation from various professions, including educators, small business owners, business representatives, non-profit directors, elected officials, students, activists, and even Hollywood star America Ferrera. 

During the almost 3-hour discourse, many issues were raised, including providing quality educational opportunities for Latino youth; supporting small businesses and community-based organizations to build community capacity; integrating the impact of Latinos in the United States to the broader American story; engaging young Latinos and increasing their leadership potential; and the need of a much clearer, concise message about the accomplishments this Administration has made on behalf of Latinos and other underserved communities.