Goodlatte Statement on President Obama's Immigration Speech

Washington, D.C. – House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) today released the statement below following President Barack Obama’s speech on immigration reform.

Chairman Goodlatte: “I hope President Obama meant what he said today about listening to new and different ideas presented by House Republicans to improve our immigration system because House Republicans and the American public have rejected the Senate approach. Our immigration system is in desperate need of reform and I remain committed to working on this critical issue. But we don’t need another massive, Obamacare-like bill that is full of surprises and dysfunction after it becomes law.  The President’s unworkable health care system highlights the need for a more thoughtful approach to immigration reform so that the end product is actually workable and enforceable. 

“That is why the House is taking a step-by-step approach to immigration reform, methodically examining each component in detail so that we get immigration reform right.  The American people deserve no less.  We must first address immigration enforcement and border security and make sure they are up and operating effectively.  We also need to improve our legal immigration system and find the appropriate legal status for unlawful immigrants.  It’s imperative that we avoid the same type of disasters that we are currently witnessing in the botched Obamacare rollout.  The President should work with Congress, including House Republicans, to achieve immigration reform and not against us.”

A July 2013 poll conducted by the Washington Post and ABC News found that the American people support the House’s step-by-step approach instead of taking up the Senate bill.