WASHINGTON — This Monday, President Obama plans to meet with the crafter's of a new immigration reform bill; Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York and Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina. White house spokesman Nicholas Shapiro confirmed the meeting.
Shapiro explained that the president is "looking forward to hearing more about their efforts toward producing a bipartisan bill.
This will be the first meeting Obama will have Schumer and Graham on the proposal since the two senators began their bi-partisan effort last year.
During the campaign, Obama clearly supported a comprehensive overhaul of immigration policy, including the creation of a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants who are otherwise law-abiding.
Obama to date, has yet to confront the immigration issue, as his administration has struggled with the economic crisis and heath care reform.
Immigrants, political advocates, and immigration attorneys have been growing frustrated by the president's inaction. Frustration and dissatisfaction with Congress and President Obama's failure to complete his promise of immigration reform has led organizers from around the country preparing to march on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. on March 21, 2010.
It is the intention of the organizers to rally tens of thousand of supporters to push for immigration reform this year. The march, organized by the Reform Immigration For America coalition, will also bring together organizers concentrating on different aspects on the immigration problem. This includes supporters for the DREAM Act,, which would grant legalization for children who entered this U.S. before they reached 16 years of age, reform for the 12 million illegal aliens, agricultural reform and better immigration detention practice.
Immigration attorney Moses Apsan commented that 'unless Obama actively pursues immigration reform soon he stands to lose hispanic and other immigrant voters in the upcoming election. This could prove devastating to the President and the democratic party."
"The president's commitment to fixing our broken immigration system remains unwavering," Shapiro said.
