Obama said he would delay
action on increasing visas and providing a path to citizenship for some 11
million US-based illegal immigrants until after mid-term elections in November.
The decision, which he made
while returning from Nato talks in the UK, has angered immigration campaigners,
who accused him of lacking political backbone.
A White House official said
Mr Obama still planned to roll out the controversial changes before the end of
the year.
After efforts to pass a
comprehensive immigration bill died in the Republican-led House of
Representatives, Mr Obama gave a high-profile speech in June saying he would do
it on his own.
"If Congress won't do
their job, at least we can do ours," he promised.
But he came under pressure
from Democrats facing tough re-election battles. They feared a Republican
backlash if Mr Obama made his announcement before then.
U.S. President Obama shakes
hands with U.S. Secretary of Defense Hagel during the NATO Summit Leaders?
Meeting: Future NATO at the Celtic Manor Resort in Newport
Mr Obama made the decision
while returning from Nato talks in Wales
Among their chief concerns
was a plan to protect millions of illegal immigrants from deportation, which
has been reviled as an "amnesty" by many Republicans.
Immigration campaigners
blasted Mr Obama and Senate Democrats over the U-turn, saying both have shown a
lack of political will.
"We are bitterly disappointed,"
said Frank Sharry, executive director of America's Voice.
"We advocates didn't
make the reform promise; we just made the mistake of believing it. The
president and Senate Democrats have chosen politics over people, the status quo
over solving real problems."
No comments:
Post a Comment