WH begins push to alter U.S. immigration system
WASHINGTON — The White House is embarking on a major campaign against the nation’s largely family-based immigration system ahead of an all-out push toward a more meritbased structure.
The administration was laying the groundwork for such a drive even before an Islamic State-inspired extremist born in Bangladesh tried to blow himself up in Midtown Manhattan on Monday. It is assembling data to bolster the argument that the current legal immigration system is not only ill-conceived, but also dangerous and damaging to U.S. workers.
“We believe that data drives policy, and this data will help drive votes for comprehensive immigration reform in Congress,” said White House spokesman Hogan Gidley.
White House officials outlined their strategy exclusively to The Associated Press and said data demonstrate that changes are needed immediately. But their effort will play out in a difficult political climate, as even Republicans in Congress are wary of a major immigration debate ahead of the 2018 midterm elections.
The issue is expected to be prominently featured in the president’s Jan. 30 State of the Union address. The White House also plans a push to stress the issue in conservative media.
The administration began its campaign stressing key numbers: Department of Homeland Security data show nearly 9.3 million of the roughly 13 million immigrants to the U.S. from 2005 to 2016 were joining family already in the U.S. and just one in 15 immigrants admitted in the past decade by green card entered the country because of their skills.