WASHINGTON, UNITED STATES. –President Joe Biden he faces the political risk associated with great ambition.
As one of his first steps, Biden last week offered a comprehensive immigration reform that would pave the way for US citizenship for an estimated 11 million people living in the United States without permission. It would also amend the clauses to eliminate some of the harsh policies approved by the president. Donald Trump, such as efforts to end the protection of immigrants brought to the United States as children and asylum restrictions.
It’s just the kind of action that Latino activists have wanted, especially after the harsh strategy of the Trump era. But it has to compete with the other legislative goals promised by Biden, including a $ 1.9 trillion plan to combat the coronavirus, an infrastructure package to promote clean energy initiatives, and a “public option” to eliminate health insurance. expand.
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In the best of circumstances, it can be difficult to implement such a wide variety of laws. But in such a divided convention it would be impossible. And that has worried Latinos, the country’s fastest growing electoral bloc, that Biden and congressional leaders could scrap deals that seriously weaken the final product or even deny something.
“This cannot be a situation where a simple visionary bill, a messaging bill, is sent to Congress and nothing is done with it,” said Marielena Hincapié, director of the United States. National Center for Immigration Law. “There is an expectation that they will deliver and that there is now a mandate for Biden to be pro-immigrant with no regrets and a political obligation to do so, and so are the Democrats.”
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If Latinos eventually feel betrayed, the political ramifications for Democrats could last a long time. The 2020 election had multiple warnings that despite democratic efforts to create a multi-racial coalition, Latino support could be at risk.
Biden has already caused skepticism among some Latino activists because of his ties to the former president Barack Obama, dubbed the “deporter-in-chief” because of the record number of immigrants removed from the country during his rule. Senator Bernie Sanders challenged Biden last year in the Nevada caucuses and the California primary, which served as the first thermometers for the Latino mood.
PLUS: Nancy Pelosi sends impeachment against Trump to the Senate on Monday