The pressure on the Republican party to deliver some tangible results in the campaign for immigration reform in the United States continues. On 12th May John Boehner, the speaker of the House of Representatives, paid a visit to a group of professionals and business leaders in Texas in the capacity of guest speaker for San Antonio Conversions, an event sponsored by IBC Bank and the San Antonio Chambers.
The aim of the meeting was to bolster support for Boehner’s own re-election campaign and this was supposed to revolve around economic issues; however, questions were still asked about the speaker’s attitude to the issue of immigration reform. Boehner says that the entire structure of the US immigration system is flawed and cannot cope with the demands of the increasing amount of people trying to gain citizenship.
Boehner notes that he supports the step-by-step implementation of immigration reform and wants to work with his colleagues in the Republican party to change the laws. “A leader without followers is simply a man taking a walk,” Boehner declared. “This is not about politics. It’s not about elections. It’s about doing the right thing for the American people, and doing the right thing for the country.”
As Boehner spoke with members of the North and South San Antonio Chambers of Commerce, the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce, activists outside the venue were demanding that Congress takes action on immigration reform.