New York, NY, January 29, 2013 … The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) today applauded President Obama’s vision for comprehensive immigration reform and welcomed his remarks on not allowing this issue to be “bogged down in an endless debate.”
ADL also welcomed a recent similar effort by a bipartisan group of Senators.
In a speech given today in Las Vegas, the President laid out his desire to fix a broken immigration system with a smarter enforcement, a pathway to citizenship and reform of our legal immigration system to prioritize family reunification.
Barry Curtiss-Lusher, ADL National Chair, and Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director issued the following statement:
It is clear that both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue have heard the American people calling for leaders to overcome partisan divides and create a common sense solution to fix a broken immigration system.
We look forward to working with Congress and with the President to advance comprehensive immigration reform that will honor America’s heritage as an inclusive, compassionate nation of immigrants that values the diversity of its people. We join the President in calling for a civilized debate, free of bigotry and xenophobic rhetoric.
We applaud the leadership of the President and Senators Charles E. Schumer (D-NY), John McCain (R-AZ), Richard Durbin (D-IL), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Michael Bennet (D-CO) and Jeff Flake (R-AZ).
The set of principles unveiled by the bipartisan group of eight Senators includes a pathway to citizenship for undocumented citizens who came to the U.S. as minors, requires a reduction in the backlog of visas for family and employment and gives green cards to immigrants who earn master’s degrees in the fields of science and technology. The plan also increases border security by requiring updated technology and personnel.
ADL has long advocated for immigration reform that will serve America’s security, humanitarian and economic interests and has opposed measures that focus solely on enforcement and facilitating deportation without creating a path for legalization of undocumented immigrants.
The League has also taken a lead role in speaking out against anti-foreigner and anti-Latino xenophobia that has emerged as part of this ongoing debate.