Pew Research Study: Gingrich Immigration Plan May Prevent Deportation of Millions

The Pew Research Center, a nonpartisan "fact tank," has conducted a study that analyzes Newt Gingrich's recent immigration proposal that would create a path to legalization for certain unauthorized immigrants in situations where they have lived in the country for a long period of time, have U.S. citizen children, and are tax payers.  The data from the study was derived from the March 2010 Current Population Survey (CPS), conducted jointly by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Census Bureau.

Pew estimates that almost two-thirds of the estimated 10.2 million unauthorized adult immigrants have lived in the United States for at least 10 years, 35% of which have been in the United States for 15 years or more.  Pew further estimates that nearly half of the estimated 10.2 million have minor United States citizen children.  

This translates into potentially millions of people in this country without authorization that could benefit from Speaker Gingrich's proposal, and could be spared the harsh realities of the Obama administration's deportation machine.

Public opinion seems to be on Newt's side here as polling shows that 72% of all Americans support a path to citizenship for unauthorized immigrants under these conditions, with 86% of Latinos supporting this type of plan. See: Pew Research Center for the People & the Press, 2011.

Regardless of whether Gingrich's plan is the right plan, what I find most troubling is that three years into the Obama Presidency we have yet to see ANY plan from him.  There has been virtually no leadership from the oval office on the issue of immigration reform.  

On the issue of immigration reform President Obama gets an 'F' for effort. Having lunch with Shakira and a Desperate Housewife simply doesn't cut it, Mr. President.

Bottom line: We all expected more.