WASHINGTON, D.C. --- The National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) Educational Fund issued the following statement regarding today’s White House meeting on comprehensive immigration reform:
“The National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) Educational Fund welcomes the meeting between President Obama and a bipartisan group of leaders to discuss comprehensive immigration reform.
It is our hope that this meeting is more than just a discussion on this pressing issue, and is one that focuses on solutions that should be implemented. Furthermore, we trust it moves beyond strictly border security measures.
Our Board principles on comprehensive immigration reform envision a system which both recognizes the invaluable contributions that immigrants have made to the United States and restores public confidence in a system of laws that promotes national security.
Thus, we believe that comprehensive immigration reform must provide a path to U.S. citizenship for those immigrants who have played by the rules and are contributing to our society. Our immigration policies must also promote family reunification, provide a meaningful opportunity for immigrant students to pursue a college education, and promote the civic integration of newcomers.
We look forward to seeing what concrete steps emerge from today’s meeting and are ready to work with the President and Congress on a legislative plan aimed at fixing our broken immigration system and which makes comprehensive immigration reform a reality.”
