Immigration Reform News: President Obama Says He Will Continue to Fight for Immigration Reform
In light of Immigrant Heritage Month, President Barack Obama promised to continue his fight to overhaul the country's broken immigration system during his weekly address on Saturday.
"I'm going to keep doing everything I can to make our immigration system more just and more fair," Obama said.
During the speech, the president talked about the executive action he took last November to protect up to 5 million undocumented residents from deportation. However, in response Texas led a coalition of 25 states in filing a lawsuit against the relief programs, arguing that it would hurt their states and violate the Constitution. Subsequently, a Texas district judge issued a temporary injunction in February that stalled the implementation of Obama's plan while the constitutionality of the policy is being considered.
Obama hit another stumbling block in late May when a federal appeals court panel refused to lift a Texas judge's injunction that prevents him from implementing his immigration plan. As a result, the Justice Department plans to appeal the decision in July, reports The Hill.
"Some folks are still fighting against these actions," Obama said. "I'm going to keep fighting for them. Because the law is on our side. It's the right thing to do. And it will make America stronger."
The president went on to criticize Republican leaders in the House who refused to allow a vote on the bipartisan immigration reform bill that passed in the Senate back in 2013.
"For nearly two years, Republican leaders in the House have refused to even allow a vote on it," he said.
Furthermore, the president encouraged Americans their or their families' stories of immigration on the White House website.
"Of course, we can't just celebrate this heritage, we have to defend it -- by fixing our broken immigration system," he said.
Watch the president's weekly address below.
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