Time for President to Fight with Immigrants

In response to the 2014 midterm election results, Pablo Alvarado, Executive Director of the National Day Laborer Organizing Network issued the following statement:

 

President Obama must decide whether to continue to appease the xenophobes in Congress or fight back in defense of the promise of his Presidency.  Those who deny his legal authority to protect immigrants are the same people who have asked for his birth certificate.  He must stand up to them now, and he must stand with immigrants who are fighting for equality. 

 

It is no longer a question of if President Obama will act or even when.  The question is this:  What will the President do?   Will he build upon, or undermine, the bipartisan legalization framework forged in the Senate?  Will he finally listen to the chorus of cities and states that have revolted against his failed Se Communities deportation program?  Will he meet with directly impacted immigrant rights leaders from around the country, or will he continue to listen to the same Beltway insiders who have given him terrible political on immigration?  

 

Regardless of what the President or the new Republican majority decide, one thing is clear.   Immigrants will continue to organize and rely upon one another in defense of equal rights.