(actual title: Immigration reform drive including pardon to illegal residents)
Bi-partisan negotiations to start soon - a bill is expected within the year (Korea Times 4-10-09)
A1
Sang-Mok Kim
As it becomes known that President Obama, who had promised comprehensive immigration reform as a presidential candidate, will embark upon an active immigration reform drive effort in May with the goal of making it a reality this year, expectations are growing that comprehensive immigration reform, pardon for illegal residents, etc.
In particular, the Republican party, traditionally passive on matters of immigration, is agreeing on moving forward on the debate this year, raising the likelihood that immigration reform legislation will succeed this year.
Cecilia Muñoz, a high-ranking White House official heading the Intergovernmental Affairs department, stated on April 8th that "President Obama will issue a public statement about immigration reform as early as May and will form a bipartisan immigration reform working group made up of Democratic and Republican congress members and immigration organizations this Summer. If Congress launches immigration discussions in the Fall, it is possible that immigration reform succeed by the end of this year."
Muñoz reaffirmed the President's interest in the issue, saying "a comprehensive immigration reform including pardon for 12 million illegal visitors will be the President's first priority, to be resolved during the first year of his presidency".
(continued on A2)
Also White House spokesperson Robert Gibbs said on April 9th regarding the immigration reform issue: "President Obama wishes to initiate immigration reform work to being this year, even if the economic crisis continues beyond this year. The only solution to the immigration problem is to pass comprehensive immigration reform."
However, Gibbs did not specify procedures for the pardon, or the possibility of it passing this year.
Republican Senator of Texas John Cornyn, who is the chair of the immigration subcommittee of the Senate, stated agreement to President Obama's immigration reform schedule including the initiation of talks within this year.
Senator Cornyn said "I applaud President Obama's immigration reform plan. I am ready to initiate immigration reform work with President Obama, including respecting our immigration laws and strengthening national security."
The contents of this immigration reform bill, which will be initiated in May and is likely to succeed by the end of the year, are not yet revealed in its details, but according to White House insiders, the President's reform package may include
1) a symbolic penalty for illegal visitors
2) legalization of long-term illegal visitors
3) strengthening of immigration enforcement and secret entries to the country to prevent future illegal immigration
4) establishment of a new system to authenticate the immigration status of legal immigrants
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