Obama: Immigrants need chance to become citizens
Current mood: 
bitchy
Category: Life
Obama: Immigrants need chance to become citizens
He urges penalties for undocumented workers, employers
By JASON CLAYWORTH
REGISTER STAFF WRITER
I put a note at the bottom for you folks.
April 7, 2007
http://desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070407/NEWS09/704070345/-1/SPORTS01
Marshalltown, Ia. - Millions of unauthorized immigrants should be given the opportunity to become U.S. citizens, presidential candidate Barack Obama said during a campaign stop Friday in Marshalltown, a city that was shaken by immigration raids at a local meatpacker late last year.
Obama, a Democratic U.S. senator from Illinois, responded to an audience question about problems associated with undocumented workers.
"I know this generates a lot of passions but I think this is the approach that is the most realistic for us to get out of the situation we're in right now," Obama told a crowd of about 600 people at Iowa Valley Community College in Marshalltown.
Echoing points he made on the Senate floor earlier this week, he said the United States needs stronger border control and must create tougher penalties for employers who hire undocumented workers.
Forcing millions of families who currently live in the United States to leave is impractical, he said. Obama told the crowd that unauthorized immigrants should be given a chance to become citizens, but he said his ideas would not grant "amnesty."
Undocumented residents should face fines, have no other criminal records, be required to learn English and be placed in the legal immigration process - but not ahead of others already in line - to become legal citizens.
Tim Wynes, the chancellor of the college, attended the speech. Many people in the city are looking for ways to embrace its Latino population, not looking for deportation, he said.
"The question is, how do you make this work for your family, community and state, and that's what I think Barack Obama did a phenomenal job addressing," Wynes said.
Marshalltown has dealt with a number of immigration issues in the past year, including an incident where about 90 workers from the Swift and Co. meatpacking plant were taken into custody by federal officials after it was determined they were not legal citizens.
Obama's statements are similar to an immigration plan proposed by Republican presidential candidate John McCain. McCain's proposal has been criticized by other Republicans, who have said it essentially rewards illegal behavior.
Democrat Hillary Clinton has said she is a supporter of a plan that, in part, would allow spouses and children of green-card holders to live in the United States with them while their immigration paperwork is pending.
Obama has raised more than $25 million so far for the race, just behind Clinton, a U.S. senator from New York, who raised $26 million.
Obama spent much of this week in Iowa. On Thursday he held a health care forum in Mason City. On Friday he also met with people at the Country House Family Restaurant near Colo, and at the Iowa Veterans Home in Marshalltown.
Nancy Sodders, an Ames resident, ate breakfast Friday at the Colo restaurant and listened to Obama speak.
"I look for personality, which we haven't had," Sodders said. "I look for caring."
The Colo restaurant has become a popular spot for presidential candidates. Both Al Gore and John Kerry made stops at the small family restaurant while campaigning during previous elections.
"You know these coffee drinkers like to talk about the issues and banter back and forth," said Sandy Fritz, one of the owners of the restaurant.
Reporter Jason Clayworth can be reached at (515) 699-7058 or jclayworth@dmreg.com
Email or call this reporter and tell him that Obama needs to be realesed back into the wild - Americans want illegals SENT HOME!!!!!!!
~Samantha
My Letter to the article writer:
Sun, 8 Apr 2007 22:39:21 -0700 (PDT)
From: "Samantha"
Subject: Hello Jason -
To: jclayworth@dmreg.com
Hello Jason, I read your story "Obama: Immigrants need chance to become citizens"
I feel Obama should be released back into the wild. Obama is an idiot! Americans want illegals SENT HOME!!!!
We're tired of paying for them and we're tired of shitty politicians boosting their careers while we pay for it with our Families, our Friends and our Paychecks!
ILLEGALS GO HOME AND OBAMA IS A MORON~
Thank you Jason. Please let your journalist friends know.
Love,
Samantha
10:47 PM - 4 Comments - 6 Kudos - Add Comment
Sponsored Links
No comments:
Post a Comment