President Barack Obama announced Tuesday in Las Vegas he plans to reform the U.S. immigration policy.
“The reason I came here today is because of a challenge where the differences are dwindling,” Obama said during a speech at Del Sol High School. “Where a broad consensus is emerging, and where a call for action can now be heard coming from all across America. I am here today because the time has come for common sense,
comprehensive immigration reform.”
Numerous political figures attended the speech, including Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, members of Congress from Nevada and mayors from cities in Arizona, Georgia and California.
The U.S. government estimates there are 11 million illegal immigrants in the U.S., and wants to create ways for these people to gain citizenship.
“Yes they broke the rules, they crossed the border illegally, maybe they over stayed their visas, those are the facts, nobody disputes them. But these 11 million men and women are now here,” Obama said.
During the speech, the audience broke out into applause many times, including once when the president announced the Democrats and Republicans are willing to work together to solve this problem.
“Members of both parties in both chambers are actively working on a solution,” he said.
This is not the first time Obama has tried to reform immigration policies. He formulated a blueprint back in 2011, but it was never implemented.
Obama said less illegal immigrants are coming into the country today, and the country is also deporting less people.
“We all know that today we have an immigration system that is out of date and badly broken; it’s a system that’s holding us back instead of letting us grow our economy and strengthen our middle class,” he said.
