(Image source: El Paso Times)
BY CHRISTINA HARTMAN
You're watching multisource politics news analysis from Newsy.
Comprehensive immigration reform. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell says it won’t pass without GOP support -- but that’s what President Obama is pushing for in a visit to Texas Tuesday.
PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: “In embracing America, you can become American. That is what makes this country great. That enriches all of us.” (KTTV)
On KMSB in Arizona -- where the immigration issue continues to steal the national spotlight -- reporter Dave Cassidy says the president is using political capital from the successful operation to kill Osama bin Laden -- to push for comprehensive reform.
“He'll call for beefing up security along understaffed areas of the southern border, expanding a program to deport illegal immigrants who commit violent crimes, and providing a path to citizenship for some illegal immigrants who are already living here.”
But Republicans say the U.S. faces more pressing issues -- like the economy. And about the illegal immigrants already in the U.S
The Washington Post’s Perry Bacon Jr. suggests -- not a lot of room for negotiation on Capitol Hill on that one.
“Congressional Republicans have already said the focus in Washington should be on job growth and spending cuts... Many of them ... sharply disagree with the idea of creating a path to citizenship for the estimated 11 million people here illegally — a process they view as amnesty.”
He’s spot-on with that assessment -- if Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is any indication.
SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL (R-KY): “For Republicans that means the president will have to present a plan that takes amnesty off the table and focuses instead on making a real commitment to border and internal security. If the president does these two things, he will find strong bipartisan support. If he doesn't, he won't.”
The issue is a political hot potato to be sure. U.S. Census data shows one in six Americans are Latino.
The president’s critics say -- that’s the only reason he’s bringing up the issue now.
CNN’s Jim Acosta suggests - the politics are hard to ignore.
JIM ACOSTA, CNN: “The president's political advisers are keeping their eyes on this: In 2008, the president got the support of 67% of Hispanic voters. ... President Obama knows he needs to get close to what he got in 2008 if he wants another term in the White House.”
But PBS notes - Mr. Obama KNOWS the votes aren’t there. Think of this as more of a PR blitz.
“...the meetings with stakeholders in recent weeks, combined with the president's speech Tuesday, are aimed at sparking more public support for reform in order to push Congress to act.”
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