WASHINGTON (AP) — President
Barack Obama made some notable omissions in his remarks about the
unilateral actions he's taking on immigration.
A look at his statements Thursday and how they compare with the facts:
OBAMA:
"It does not grant citizenship, or the right to stay here permanently,
or offer the same benefits that citizens receive. Only Congress can do
that. All we're saying is we're not going to deport you."
THE
FACTS: He's saying, and doing, more than that. The changes also will
make those covered eligible for work permits, allowing them to be
employed in the country legally and compete with citizens and legal
residents for better-paying jobs.
___
OBAMA:
"Although this summer, there was a brief spike in unaccompanied
children being apprehended at our border, the number of such children is
now actually lower than it's been in nearly two years."
THE FACTS: The numbers
certainly surged this year, but it was more than a "brief spike." The
number of unaccompanied children apprehended at the border has been on
the rise since the 2011 budget year. That year about 16,000 children
were found crossing the border alone. In 2012, the Border Patrol
reported more than 24,000 children, followed by more than 38,800 in
2013. In the past budget year, more than 68,361 children were
apprehended.
___
OBAMA:
"Overall, the number of people trying to cross our border illegally is
at its lowest level since the 1970s. Those are the facts."
THE
FACTS: Indeed, in the 2014 budget year ending Sept. 30 the Border
Patrol made 486,651 arrests of border crossers, among the fewest since
the early 1970s. But border arrests have been on the rise since 2011.
The
decline in crossings is not purely, or perhaps even primarily, due to
the Obama administration. The deep economic recession early in his
presidency and the shaky aftermath made the U.S. a less attractive place
to come for work. The increase in arrests since 2011 also can be traced
in part to the economy — as the recovery improved, more people came in
search of opportunity.
___OBAMA: "When I took office, I committed to fixing this broken immigration system. And I began by doing what I could to secure our borders."
THE FACTS: He overlooked the fact that he promised as a candidate for president in 2008 to have an immigration bill during his first year in office and move forward on it quickly. He never kept that promise to the Latino community.
___
Associated Press writers Calvin Woodward and Jim Kuhnhenn contributed to this report.