What this new immigrant thinks of Obama's immigration executive order

Hello everyone,

As a newly arrived immigrant to the United States, immigration is a topic that is very close to my heart. I have been through the system and experienced the constant delays, bureaucracy and red tape, filled in a thousand forms and been subjected to interviews and medical examinations. It wasn't pretty - and I went about it the perfectly legal way!

Of course, being a fair and reasonable human being, even if I wasn't an immigrant myself, I would still think the same things I am about to discuss. It's just that given everything I've been through, it all means a little more to me that it did before. I am by no means an experienced political writer, but I wanted to at least share my thoughts on what just transpired.

Many Republicans and right wing supporters are currently up in arms about President Obama's speech last night, and his executive order to make some allowances to illegal immigrants in the United States. Many of the right wing supporters are saying this is illegal and that it's undemocratic. Well, we can't forget that two years ago Obama pledged to reform the immigration system, with a bill finally passing through the Senate on 27th June 2013, with a vote in favour, 68 to 32. However, when it got to the House, Speaker John Boehner refused to allow the vote on it! (There are hundreds of articles on the internet documenting this, just Google it, but for reference linked to just one.) The House didn't even get a chance to vote on immigration reform because one person, one, did not want it to happen - and now that person, Mr Boehner, is threatening action against the President.

First of all, if the Republicans really wanted a say in the matter, they should be demanding that John Boehner allow them that vote. Second, it was made clear in the speech that that isn't a way to allow millions of criminals to stay in the country, but in fact a way to allow millions of people who want the chance of a better life to "come out of the shadows" (as Obama said) and start to rebuild their lives in a country that they believed would give them the chance - otherwise, why would they have come here? Human compassion should be at the forefront here, not the right wing trying to make a point. An illegal mother who wants the best for her young children, who wants to work and pay taxes, should not be deported and given a criminal recored for trying to better herself. Young people who came here as children who were either brought here by others, or escaped here because they didn't know where else to turn, should be allowed to prove themselves now as adults, and be allowed to get on with their lives without fear of persecution. In my head, it simply doesn't make sense. Why would anyone want to stop these families from improving their lives? These people came to this country because they believed it could offer them more. They believed in America. Yet all the Republicans want to do is show how nasty and vindictive they can be. Thirdly, commentators are saying this could affect up to 5 million illegal immigrants. Let's be realistic here, the population of the United States is more than 316 million people. 5 million is just 1.58% of the entire population of the US. There are more people than that in New York City alone. Spread out across the nation, I doubt anybody who isn't directly affected by this order will notice a single change.

I'll leave it there, as I could go on about this all day, but one thing is for sure, Obama cannot be accused of inaction on this one. A bill was sent to the Senate, it passed. The bill went to the House, and it was blocked by one person. The President had to take action on this, and I absolutely believe he has done the right thing.

Dan.