By passing the fickle House and Senate, President Obama announced that he was issuing an executive order to forbid the deportation of young illegal immigrants. In a recent poll conducted by Bloomberg not only has the new policy been well received by Latino voters but a majority of American voters at large approve of the new measure. This executive order lays down 5 key criteria that individuals have to meet and if they do then these individuals will be granted work visas but will not receive American citizenship.In the latest poll conducted after this announcement 64% of voters supported the new immigration policy and more than 2-1 independent voters agree with the executive order.
After Obama’s bold move, a shift in the political landscape has occurred and Republican’s are now struggling on how to counter this action or if they should address the decision at all. Romney has yet to address the order and has not stated whether he would terminate the order if he was elected into office or if his position will convert to be more accepting of young illegal immigrants. The Republican party has now reached a difficult impasse. Either try to appease the conservative base who wants strict immigration enforcement, or alienate the very important Latino vote that could be essential in the swing states essential to securing the 2012 presidential election. Indeed this order undermines one of the GOP’s Hispanic leaders Marco Rubio. This new policy effectively undermines his policy that was the GOP answer to the DREAM Act, he has since dropped the legislation after President Obama’s announcement.
Obama’s favorability ratings have been relatively split, however he has received a higher approval amongst the Hispanic community which will only grow from this recent policy shift. Republican’s have been struggling to reach the Hispanic community throughout the 2012 general election and this move by Obama will only make it more difficult. We have written on this blog before of how essential the Latino vote will be this year especially in the close races in battleground states. Obama has made his move and now waits for the GOP to react.
