New immigration policy, the good and the bad

The President unveiled a new immigration policy
conveniently a few months
before an election.

In looking at the details there’s some good
and some bad.

Here’s the good:

It temporarily and partially answers a
major immigration question — what to do with the children
that were brought here when they were young.

The Obama
administration’s plan will immediately stop deporting
illegal immigrants that fall into that category, provided
they entered this country prior to their 16th birthday.
They
have to be under the age of 30, have no criminal record
and have a high school diploma or G.E.D.

The plan allows two-year work permits and immigrants can
apply for one as many times as they wish.

Now, the bad:

It’s blatant pandering for the
Hispanic
vote during election season.

Policies in this country shouldn’t be shaped based on
election strategy. The Obama administration’s plan also
doesn’t answer any citizen questions.

But my main concern here is furthering the piecemeal
approach this country takes to immigration reform. Instead
of reform, we are getting a collection of laws that don’t
work together. That’s not fair to any of us.

I’ve already heard several congressmen complain about the
policy saying the President is going around
Congress.

Here’s the reality.

Congress doesn’t want to touch the contentious immigration
issue. It hasn’t since the failed immigration reform plan
of 2007, so don’t complain now.

With
all of this, I do hope that it leads us into a realistic
discussion about illegal immigration.