| ABC News | - |
The
announcement late Sunday night that a bipartisan group of eight
senators have agreed upon a framework for immigration reform sparked
reactions that ranged from excitement to downright hostility.
The Nation Reacts to the New Immigration Reform Framework
Here's a look at how the plan played as details of the framework emerged:
The Supporters
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid
Reid is "fully supportive of the group's efforts," an aide told the Huffington Post.
Representative Luis Gutierrez (D-Illinois)
The vocal reform advocated released a statement praising the group's efforts.
"As the President told me in the White House on Friday, immigration reform is his number one priority," he said. "Combine that with a serious bipartisan framework in the Senate and very constructive conversations with my House colleagues in both parties and I am confident we are poised for action and not just more talk on immigration reform."
U.S. Chamber of Commerce
U.S. Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Thomas J. Donohue issued a statement in favor of the plan.
"We strongly support the outline for immigration reform issued by the bipartisan group of Senators," read the statement. "We know that many details will need to be worked out, but we are very encouraged by this framework for reform and look forward to helping advance comprehensive immigration legislation and build public support. The Chamber stands ready to work with all stakeholders to enact immigration reform that strengthens our competitiveness, helps us attract and retain the world's best talent and hardest workers, secures our borders, and keeps faith with America's legacy as a welcoming society."
National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO)
The National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) Educational Fund issued a statement praising the plan's commitment to a path to citizenship.
"NALEO Educational Fund applauds the bipartisan efforts of U.S. Senators who today released their framework for moving comprehensive immigration reform forward," read the statement. "The principles acknowledge that our nation is struggling as a result of our broken immigration system, and aims to address this issue in a fair and humane manner that brings the more than 11 million undocumented immigrants living in the country today out of the shadows."
National Immigration Forum
Ali Noorani, the executive director of the National Immigration Forum, an immigrants' rights organization, released a statement praising the plan.
"We are pleased to see our political leaders in both parties prioritize broad, commonsense immigration reform, starting with their announcement of these principles. For these Republicans and Democrats to be leading their parties forward speaks volumes. Creating a 21st century immigration process won't be easy, but the framework the senators are proposing is a powerful and practical start to the legislative process, and it will make the peaks and valleys ahead much easier to traverse," he said. "The bipartisan support surrounding immigration reform is unlike nearly any other issue facing Congress because people who hold a Bible, wear a badge or own a business want a commonsense immigration system. And today's debate on immigration is fundamentally different from previous reform efforts for exactly the same reason."
United Farm Workers
The UFW said in a statement that they welcome the plan.
"We thank this bipartisan group of Republicans and Democrats for understanding that a roadmap to citizenship is essential to any immigration reform plan. We also endorse the proposal's commitment to strong labor protections as part of any future flow program and allowing temporary workers who have worked in this country for many years to earn green cards," said UFW Arturo S. Rodriguez in a statement.
Sister Simone Campbell, executive director of NETWORK
The religious leader, and head of progressive Catholic lobby NETWORK, voiced her support for the recognition given to DREAMers in the plan during a Monday news conference.
"As a people of faith, we have great hope today," she said.
"We were grateful to see that the Senate addressed that reality for DREAMers," Campbell said, referring to the fact that many DREAMers have been in the country for years and don't know another home.
Some said the plan represents a step in the right direction, but voiced reservations, among them that LGBT families may be left out of the plan's call to keep immigrant families together.
Philip Wolgin, an immigration policy analyst with the Center for American Progress, a left-leaning think tank, agreed that same-sex partners were left vulnerable.
"Very true, big absence RT @petejryan: One thing not in blueprint: perm residency sponsorship provision for same sex partners #immigration," he tweeted.
Asian American Justice Center
"Finally it looks as if commonsense immigration reform will become a reality," Mee Moua, president and executive director of the Asian American Justice Center, said on a news call on Monday. "We are pleased to see that the senate's principles reflect our beliefs."
But Moua also noted that the plan doesn't specifically include LGBT families and urged Congress and the White House to make sure they receive the same benefits as other immigrant families.
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The Nation Reacts to the New Immigration Reform Framework
I think the pragmatists in both parties crafted this legislation. More people are realizing that with the present demographics the Republican Party is basically over if it doesn't become more practical and pragmatic. But this doesn't mean there won't be diehards who won't accept these changes no matter how pragmatic and useful they are.
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