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President immigration plan will make system 'more fair, more efficient and more just'
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Obama this morning secretary -- -- -- -- announced new actions my administration will take.
To mend our nation's.
Immigration policy and to make it more fair.
More efficient and more just.
Specifically for certain young people sometimes called dreamers.
Now these -- young people who started in our schools.
Play in our neighborhoods.
Friends -- our kids.
-- pledge allegiance to our flag.
There are Americans and their heart.
In the minds.
In every single way but want.
On paper.
They were brought to this country by their parents.
Sometimes even as incomes and often have no idea that they're undocumented.
Control they apply for a job.
Or a driver's license or a college scholarship.
Put yourself in their shoes.
Imagine you've got everything right your entire life.
-- -- Worked our.
Maybe even graduated top your class.
Only to suddenly faced the threat of deportation.
To a country.
-- you know nothing about.
What -- words for you may not even speak.
That's what gave rise to the DREAM Act.
Says that if your parents.
Brought -- here as a child.
You've been here for five years and you're willing to go to college or serving our military.
You can one day earn.
Your citizenship.
And I've said time and time and time again to congress.
-- send me the DREAM Act.
Put it on my desk and I will sign it right away.
And both parties wrote this legislation.
And a year and a half ago Democrats pass the DREAM Act in the house but.
Republicans walked away from.
It got 55 votes.
In the senate.
But Republicans blocked it.
The bill hasn't really change.
The need hasn't changed.
It's still the right thing to do the only thing that has changed apparently.
What the politics.
Now as I said my speech on the economy yesterday.
It makes no sense to expel talented young people.
-- for all intents and purposes are Americans.
Been raised as Americans.
Understand themselves to be part of this -- To expel these young people who want to staff our labs or start new businesses or defend our country.
Simply because of the actions.
Of their parents.
Or recovery and action a politician's.
In the absence of any immigration action from congress to fix our broken immigration system.
What we try to do -- focus our immigration enforcement resources.
In the right places.
So we prioritized border security putting more boots on the -- southern border than at any time at our history.
Today there are fewer illegal crossings than at any time in the past forty years.
We focus and use discretion about -- to prosecute.
Focusing on criminals who endanger our communities.
Rather than its troops were in their education.
And today deportation of criminals is up 80%.
We've improved on that discretion.
Carefully.
And thoughtfully.
Well today we're proving it again.
Effective immediately.
The Department of Homeland Security is taking steps to lift the shadow of deportation from these young people.
Over the next few months eligible individuals.
Who do not present a risk to national security or public safety.
Be able to request temporary relief from deportation.
Proceedings.
And apply for work authorization.
Let's be clear this is not amnesty.
This is not immunity.
This is not a path to citizenship.
It's not a permanent fix.
This is -- temporary stopgap measure that lets us focus our resources wisely while giving a degree of relief and hope.
The talented.
Driven.
Patriotic young people.
It is what it is the right thing to do.
Excuse me -- there -- -- it's not time for questions are.
-- vacant.
-- precisely because this is temporary.
Congress needs to act.
There's still time for congress to pass the DREAM Act this year.
Because -- -- deserve to plan their lives in more than two year increments.
And we still need to pass comprehensive immigration reform that addresses our 21 century economic and security needs.
-- it gives our farmers and ranchers certainty about the workers.
That they'll have.
Reform that gives our science and technology sectors certainty.
That the young people who come here to earn their Ph.D.s won't be forced to leave.
And start new businesses in other countries.
Perform that continues to improve our border security.
And lives up to our heritage.
As a nation of laws and a nation of immigrants.
Just six years ago.
The unlikely trio of John McCain.
Ted Kennedy and President Bush came together to champion this got -- reform.
I was proud to join 43 Republicans.
In voting for.
So there's no reason that we can't come together.
And get this done.
And as long as I'm president I will not give up on this issue not only because the right thing to do for our economy.
And CEOs agree -- Not just because it's the right thing to do for our security.
-- because it's the right thing to do period.
And I believe that eventually enough Republicans in congress will come around to that viewers -- And I believe that.
It's the right thing to do because I've been with groups of young people who work so hard.
And speak with so much heart about what's best in America.
Even though under some of them must have lived under the fear of deportation.
I know some come forward they're great risks to themselves.
And their futures.
In hopes it would spur the rest of us to live up to our -- most cherished values.
I've seen the stories of Americans and schools and churches and communities across the country.
Who stood up for.
And rally behind.
And pushed us to give them a better path.
And freedom from fear because we are -- nation.
-- one that expels.
Innocent young kids.
And the answer to your question -- In the next -- I prefer you let me finish my statements before you ask that question.
Is this is the right thing to do for the American people may -- guy I didn't I did ask for an argument I'm answering your question.
It is the right thing to do for the American people and here is why -- Here's the reason.
Because.
These young people are gonna make extraordinary contributions.
And are already making contributions to our society.
I've got a young person who was serving -- our military protecting us.
And our freedom.
The notion that that in some ways we would.
Treat them.
As expendable and makes no sense.
There's a young person here who was growing up here.
And wants to contribute to the society.
Once maybe start a business.
That won't create jobs.
For.
Other folks were looking for work that's the right thing to do.
Giving certainty to our farmers and our ranchers.
Making sure that in addition to border security.
-- creating a comprehensive framework for legal immigration these are all the right things to do.
We have always drawn strength.
From being a nation remembers as -- a nation of laws and that's gonna continue.
My hope is that congress.
Recognizes that and get behind Eric gets behind this up all right thank you very much about it -- for a little bit out there -- here.
