Noted as one of the planner’s behind the upcoming Senate immigration bill, Senate Democratic Policy Committee Chairman Charles E. Schumer has angered a Latino group after his comment yesterday regarding the progress on the immigration legislation.
The bill Schumer was a part of would provide the estimated 11 million illegal immigrants a path to citizenship. The reformation of the country’s original immigration bill was welcomed when it was first announced and highly awaited by the public for when it would be enacted. The enactment of the bill was believed to be enacted during President Obama’s presidency but now it is up in the air.
While appearing on Sunday’s Meet The Press, Charles, Chuck, Schumer discussed the progress of the immigration bill and made quite a controversial statement suggesting the bill be enacted in 2017.
“Let’s enact the law this year, but simply not let it actually start until 2017, after President Obama’s term is over,” said Schumer, on the NBC program.
However, the suggestion that Congress could delay the implemented immigration legislation until President Barack Obama is out of office was made by Schumer in response to statements made by Republican House leaders.
Aside from Republican House leaders suggesting that President Obama could not be trusted to uphold the new immigration laws, on Thursday House Speaker John Boehner (Republican) of Ohio made a statement implying that Republicans also do not want to work with the President and his administration due to another concern.
“There’s widespread doubt about whether this administration can be trusted to enforce our laws, and it’s going to be difficult to move any immigration legislation until that changes,” said Boehner, discussing another issue that Republicans have in-regards to the President and added, “after months of saying he wanted to move ahead with reform and releasing a set of principles in late January outlining such a bill.”
In response to Boehner’s comments, Schumer stated: “I think that the rap against him—that he won’t enforce the law—is false. He’s deported more people than any other president.”
After defending President Obama, Schumer explained the suggestion by adding that the delay would be beneficial.
“You could actually have the law start in 2017 without doing much violence to it.”
But so far one Latino group is not too keen on the Senior Senator of New York suggestion, and with other Democrats in Congress. Some are even referring to the suggestion as being a cop-out and having no back bone by the Democrats, and Schumer himself, in Congress.
One such group is Latino Rebels.
On their site the Latino group published a commentary following Schumer’s appearance on the morning political program. The commentary was critical and posed as warning to the Democratic party suggesting that the Latino vote in the United States is not guaranteed to them if they do not stand up to the Republicans..
“A note to the Democrats: stop leading with fear of Republicans and stop playing the U.S. Latino community,” the authors of the site wrote, and with a warning against future elections, “Don’t assume that we will side with you because the other team doesn’t get it. Democrats need to lead and be bold right now. Call the GOP’s bluff, because that is what it is, a bluff.”
Will Schumer and other Democratic members of Congress heed the warning of one Latino group?
Will it be best to wait until 2017 for the enactment of the implemented immigration bill?
The answer is unknown. But, what can be said about this recent development is that if you have an opinion and feel you need to be heard you can contact your local senator and make yourself heard. Like Latino Rebels they took to the web to speak their grievances over what is being done in congress.
Either by letter, phone, or email you can contact your senator and let them know how you feel about your rights.
