Obama urges faith leaders to help him push immigration bill

In a White House statement on Tuesday, President Barack Obama is asking faith leaders to aid him in expediting the progress of the immigration bill in the Republican-led US House. USA Today said Obama, White House aides and six other guests recently concluded their discussions on the effect of the existing immigration laws on families, of some who were forced to separate in order to comply with the laws.

"The President and the religious leaders expressed their longstanding commitment to immigration reform as a moral imperative," the statement read.

The White House also said that faith leaders reportedly talked about the impact of failing to fix the nation's immigration systems in their congregations and communities.

USA Today said participants in the White House meeting about the immigration bill progress were senior adviser to the president Valerie Jarrett, White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships executive director Melissa Rogers, Christian Community Development Association chief executive officer Noel Castellanos, Philadelphia-based Esperanza president Luis Cortes, Wesleyan Church general superintendent JoAnne Lyon, Southern Baptist Convention representative Russell Moore, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship executive coordinator Suzii Paynter and Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints representative Dieter Uchtdorf.

Last year, the Senate reportedly passed an immigration bill, which include a provision that would make citizenship for people who entered in the US illegally possible. Many Republicans at the House had opposed to such provision, citing that the move would be deemed an amnesty for lawmakers. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi remarked earlier as based on feedback that she received from activists that the slow progress of the bill in the House was due to racial issues.

"I think race has something to do with the fact that they are not bringing up an immigration bill. I've heard them say to the Irish, ‘If it was you, it would be easy,'" the California Democrat said at a news conference.

On the other hand, Obama has been criticized as his administration posted record deportation levels.

"While his Administration can take steps to better enforce and administer immigration laws, nothing can replace the certainty of legislative reform and this permanent solution can only be achieved by Congress," the White House statement read.

Tags

immigration reform, Undocumented Immigrants, President Barack Obama, White House, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi

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