On May 16th, 2019, President Trump took to the South Lawn of the White House to unveil his Administration’s latest proposed immigration reforms. As reported by the Associated Press, the Trump Administration’s latest proposals seek to transform the immigration system in this country into one that devalues family-based immigration and puts a greater emphasis on attracting skilled workers.
Spearheaded by his son-in-law Jared Kushner, the “plan”, to the extent it exists, is extremely vague. The president was short on specifics regarding how exactly the administration plans to change specific policies. Beyond that, many key issues, including DACA, were not addressed at all in the speech. Here, our immigration law team reviews some of the reactions from political leaders in California.
California Governor Gavin Newsom: “No Confidence”
California Governor Gavin Newsom responded to the speech by highlighting the vast differences between the president’s values on immigration and the values in California. As Governor Newsom told reporters, the Trump Administration has “completely failed” on immigration and he has “no confidence” in the president’s ability or intention to make things better. It is worth mentioning the fact that President Trump’s immigration reform speech comes only weeks after his illegal threat to transport undocumented immigrants into sanctuary cities.
San Francisco Mayor London Breed: “Not a Real Plan”
Local leaders also took this opportunity to respond to the president’s view on immigration. San Francisco Mayor London Breed remarked that this is “not a real plan”. Among other things, she pointed to the fact that the president’s speech did not mention Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) at all, let alone a path to citizenship for the people who have been in the United States for decades. As Mayor Breed explains, real immigration reform is needed, but “this is definitely not it.”
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi: “Dead on Arrival”
Finally, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who is perhaps the single most important oppositional voice to the president in any immigration negotiations, called the plan “dead on arrival”. As it exists, there is no viable legislative path forward for the president’s reforms. Collectively, Congressional Democrats have made it clear that any immigration reform that does not provide protections for Dreamers will not pass through this Congress. Beyond that, a plan that seeks to cut family immigration is a bad plan. Reuniting families is an important part of the American immigration system. There is no reason to set up a false choice between family immigration and employment-based immigration. We can and should have both.
Get Advice From Our California Immigration Law Attorney Right Away
At the Goldstein Immigration Lawyers, our team has a proven track record of success in winning in complex immigration cases. If you need immigration law advice in Southern California, please call us for a confidential review of your claim. With an office in Los Angeles, we represent clients throughout the region, including Anaheim, Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, East Los Angeles, and Garden Grove.
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