“civil debate”, Obama? Sure.

Comprehensive immigration reform probably doomed

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Barack Obama revisited a key campaign promise when he hosted a White House meeting of elected officials and experts on immigration. But if a major overhaul of the nation’s immigration policy is his goal, Republicans in Congress say he shouldn’t hold his breath.

They say any bill that even hints at amnesty or legalization for millions of illegal immigrants already living and working in the United States is dead before it ever makes an appearance in a congressional committee.

Obama also promised to continue working to build a bipartisan consensus around immigration and said he would lead a “civil debate” on the issue in the months ahead, the White House said. But he also said he will not succeed if he alone is leading the debate.

For his part, Smith said he thinks the Obama administration should first secure the U.S.-Mexican border and put a greater emphasis on rooting out illegal workers and the businesses that hire them.

“There are 7 million illegal workers in this country,” Smith said. “I’d like to see those jobs go to American citizens and legal workers.”

He also criticized the Obama administration for what he sees as a substantial reduction in workplace enforcement.