According to the White House press secretary, Robert Gibbs, immigration is a topic likely to be mentioned during tomorrow’s nationally-televised State of the Union address, the first of Obama’s presidency.
Via USA Today:
White House press secretary Robert Gibbs confirmed a few more subjects that may surface in the State of the Union tomorrow night, including immigration and gays in the military — but he provided few details and noted that the address is still being edited.
“Let’s wait for tomorrow’s speech,” Gibbs said at one point.
The same article notes that Gibbs had little new to say about specific details of reform. While he mentioned that work is already underway by the Administration, he placed most of the onus on Congress to get immigration reform moving.
From the White House transcript of Gibbs’ comments:
MR. GIBBS: “Well, I think one of the things the President will — has talked about and one of the things you’ll hear him mention tomorrow and in the coming days, similar to what I’ve said on cap and trade, and that is that if — we’ve started a process on this and if Congress can put together the way forward, a coalition to get the way forward, then it’s something we’ll work through.”
No matter what President Obama says during the State of the Union tomorrow, one thing is certain: it will take real leadership from both the President and from bipartisan members of Congress to tackle this pressing issue. Independent, Republican, and Democratic voters alike want it solved. A growing, major demographic in this country expects it solved. Moreover, a strong bipartisan effort is gearing up to do just that.