Democrats hit Obama with gap on illegals

[Geee]

Washington Times:

President Obama is pledging border security and pleading for help from Republicans as he steps up his campaign to pass an immigration reform bill, but new polling suggests the rift within his own party is actually deeper than within the GOP on the issue.

The data from the Pew Center for the People and the Press’ massive look at political parties, released last week, found that the gap between the ends of the Democratic coalition on favoring stricter enforcement and on legalization is twice as large as the gap between hard-line Republicans and their more libertarian-leaning cohorts.

Mr. Obama will visit the border on Tuesday and deliver an immigration speech in El Paso, Texas, as the latest step in his push for action. But he is increasingly running up against some on his left flank who say he can take steps right now, without Congress, to halt deportations - a move immigrant-rights advocates say Hispanic voters will need to see before the next election.

“The debate over whether the president has powers under existing law to provide relief from deportation for certain immigrants is over. He does,” said Rep. Luis V. Gutierrez, Illinois Democrat and a key voice for immigrant rights in Congress. “The question is how broadly and how generously he will use those powers. That is what I will be listening for.”

Hispanic groups say the president promised them during the 2008 campaign that he would work for an immigration bill during his first year in office, but that failed to happen as he focused instead on the economic stimulus and health care.

Now, though, the president is trying to make up for lost time.