President Barack Obama said Thursday that being American “is not a matter of blood or birth,” but said that “no matter how decent” the 11 million illegal immigrants in the U.S. are, they should be held accountable for breaking the law.
Speaking at the American University School of International Service in Washington D.C., Obama expressed an understanding for why states would pass individual anti-illegal immigration laws, but said taking such action is “ill conceived.”
The president said laws, such as the one signed by Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer in April, are “divisive,” put pressure on local law enforcement, burden state and local budgets and could potentially violate the rights of innocent American citizens and legal residents.
The Obama administration has come out against Arizona’s immigration law, which requires police officers to question a person’s immigration status if there is reasonable suspicion that the person is in the country illegally. The law takes effect July 29.
Obama said Thursday that while America has always defined itself as a nation of immigrants, and while the “overwhelming majority” of illegal immigrants come to the U.S. in search of a better life, “The presence of so many illegal immigrants makes a mockery of all those who are going through the process of immigration legally.”
“Ultimately, our nation, like all nations, has the right and obligation to control its borders and set laws for residency and citizenship,” he said. “And no matter how decent they are, no matter their reasons, the 11 million who broke these laws should be held accountable.”
The president called for a “pathway to legal status that is fair, reflective of our values and works,” a process he said has been “held hostage by political posturing and special interest wrangling.”
“I’m ready to move forward. The majority of Democrats are ready to move forward, and I believe the majority of Americans are ready to move forward,” Obama said.
“But the fact is, without bipartisan support, as we had just a few years ago, we cannot solve this problem. Reform that brings accountability to our immigration system cannot pass without Republican votes.”