U.S. Capital

Will Gun Control Delay Immigration Reform?

Feb 12, 2013

Miami, FL (Law Firm Newswire) February 11, 2013 – Sandy Hook shook up the whole country. Many political watchers wonder if gun control will delay immigration reform.

“In the wake of Sandy Hook, Obama made a pledge to do something about a package of gun control measures, and to do that as soon as soon as possible in the new term. Immigration advocates are wondering if this will divert the politicians from their immigration reform goals,” remarked Larry S. Rifkin, a Miami immigration lawyer and managing partner at Rifkin & Fox-Isicoff, with law offices in Miami, Florida and Orlando, Florida.

The Latin population backs Obama’s call for changes to gun control measures in the country, but also expresses the wish that this agenda does not derail his pledge to move forward, finally, with immigration reform. They realize that gun control is an important issue, however, so is immigration reform, and if the numbers of Latin voters at the polls is any indication of how seriously they take this issue, then Obama would be best advised to handle gun control and immigration reform —- promptly.

“The timing here is almost a perfect storm of opportunities,” said Rifkin, “as the Republicans are now making noises about being open to immigration reform, which makes sense, given the fact they got soundly thumped at the polls. It’s a smart move for the Republicans to get on the immigration reform wagon, as they need to rebuild their support base once again.”

Many immigration reform watchers predict 2013 is the window of opportunity for Obama to act. It is the right time to start the reform and put various changes in place for implementation down the road. If the first news conference is any indication of how serious Obama is, then the Latin community might expect to see movement on this issue within six months. “At least, that is the hope,” Rifkin added, “since he suggested he would like to have a comprehensive legislative bill into Congress very shortly after his inauguration.”

Add in the fiscal difficulties the country is facing, and it is a sobering thought to consider what may or may not be done over the next four years. The bottom line is that without a stable and thriving economy, whether or not 11 million immigrants get a path to citizenship may not matter much, because they may not be able to get jobs either. Growth and stability are inextricably intertwined with the economy.

Still, the President seems committed to accomplish immigration reform. On that note, those hoping for that to happen have started the countdown clock. Will it tick to a successful conclusion, or will it toll another delay or death of hope?

To learn more or to contact an Orlando immigration attorney or Miami immigration attorney, visit http://www.rifkinfox.com.

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