by Esther J. Cepeda Hispanic Link News Service
When I finished listening to President Obama’s address on immigration reform, I wished I could get the last 45 minutes of my life back.
His speech at American University – to squelch talk that he’s ignoring his campaign promise to pass comprehensive reform – brought no fresh ideas to the table, shot down immigrant activist demands for a moratorium on deportation, offered nothing substantive on Arizona’s anti-illegal immigrant law, and failed to put a timeline on any action.
How many times have you heard the platitudes he trotted out – a nation of immigrants, one of the great challenges of our time, the system is broken, the need for a bipartisan solution?
The president’s speech was supposed to be about accountability – for securing the border, employers who hire illegal immigrants, those here illegally.
Yes, he touched on these topics. He even went out of his way to make clear he would not consider a moratorium on deportations until reform measures were solidified – openly dissing the activist groups he’s been courting since his presidential run.
At a speech-viewing rally in Chicago’s Douglas Park, a cadre of activists yelled in anger when he said such “an indiscriminate approach would be both unwise and unfair … and could lead to a surge in more illegal immigration and ignore those waiting in line to come here legally.”
José Herrera, an organizer with the Immigrant Youth Justice League, vowed: “From today on, there will be a different response…There is anger. We will mobilize people to demand the moratorium…”
Completely lacking was any discussion of accountability for the legislators who are hiding under a desk somewhere or venting on TV pundit shows because they don’t want to tackle the tough compromises needed to enact bipartisan reform.
Also absent was any discussion of accountability for a president who has seen fit to take over a failing car company, reform the supposedly immovable health care system, and kick the asses – and wallets – of the global company hemorrhaging oil into our gulf.
What, exactly, was the point of declaring the immigration issue is “held hostage to political posturing and special interest lobbying” if not to call on legislators to get to work and present a proposal by a certain date?
Sure, it might feel good to say that our southern borders are more secure today than they have been in 20 years. But when the president himself admits the current system makes a mockery of all the immigrants who are trying to come here legally, he makes a mockery of his every- once-in-a-while devotion to this issue.
My beef is he did not exhibit any leadership on an issue he says has been at the top of his agenda since he was in the Senate.
Obama spoke of the need to end the “patchwork of local laws that divide the country” but never once indicated who should lead the effort, how progress should be defined, or set a deadline to enact a well-reasoned bipartisan reform.
There’s no end to the disagreements that have shaped the immigration reform battle. But there should be an end to speculation about when the country will get around to doing something about it. Obama must make himself accountable to the businesses, citizens and immigrants with a timeline and a plan for when this will actually happen.
(Esther J. Cepeda is a Chicago-based journalist who writes regular commentaries on Hispanic issues. Reach her at eejaycee@600words.com)
