Immigration and the SOTU
I don't tend to get too worked up about State of the Union addresses, the content of which I tend to forget a day or two later. However, here is the immigration mention, which focuses largely on the DREAM Act though oddly without mentioning it:
One last point about education. Today, there are hundreds of thousands of students excelling in our schools who are not American citizens. Some are the children of undocumented workers, who had nothing to do with the actions of their parents. They grew up as Americans and pledge allegiance to our flag, and yet they live every day with the threat of deportation. Others come here from abroad to study in our colleges and universities. But as soon as they obtain advanced degrees, we send them back home to compete against us. It makes no sense.
Now, I strongly believe that we should take on, once and for all, the issue of illegal immigration. And I am prepared to work with Republicans and Democrats to protect our borders, enforce our laws and address the millions of undocumented workers who are now living in the shadows. (Applause.) I know that debate will be difficult. I know it will take time. But tonight, let's agree to make that effort. And let's stop expelling talented, responsible young people who could be staffing our research labs or starting a new business, who could be further enriching this nation. (Applause.)
It is the sort of mention that shows people he is paying attention, but will have no impact on actually getting anything passed. When I first blogged about a SOTU five years ago, and every year since, either Bush or Obama has mentioned immigration in some way without getting anything done.
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Excerpts from Obama's State of the Union speech - Paragraphs referencing Hemispheric Relations and Trade :
Some excerpts from Obama State of the Union speech, Tuesday January 25, 2011 :
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On Trade with the Western Hemisphere including Colombia and Panama :
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To help businesses sell more products abroad, we set a goal of doubling our exports by 2014 - because the more we export, the more jobs we create here at home. Already, our exports are up. Recently, we signed agreements with India and China that will support more than 250,000 jobs here in the United States. And last month, we finalized a trade agreement with South Korea that will support at least 70,000 American jobs. This agreement has unprecedented support from business and labor, Democrats and Republicans - and I ask this Congress to pass it as soon as possible.
Now, before I took office, I made it clear that we would enforce our trade agreements, and that I would only sign deals that keep faith with American workers and promote American jobs. That's what we did with Korea, and that's what I intend to do as we pursue agreements with Panama and Colombia and continue our Asia Pacific and global trade talks.
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This March, I will travel to Brazil, Chile and El Salvador to forge new alliances across the Americas. Around the globe, we're standing with those who take responsibility - helping farmers grow more food, supporting doctors who care for the sick and combating the corruption that can rot a society and rob people of opportunity.
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