This country is a country of immigrants. We need comprehensive immigration reform WITH a pathway to citizenship. Mass deportations that separate families and detentions in private prisons for the sole purpose of profit are inhumane. I encourage Obama to keep his campaign promise to push for immigration reform.

Being a college educated natural born American married to a college educated immigrant resident in this country for 7 years I have learned firsthand that the college and university system on the east coast put ridiculous requirements on English skills from students from non-English speaking countries. The TOEFL test for English proficiency is a barrier to immigrants improving themselves and making the better citizens. It is so difficult that most American high school graduates could not pass it, yet natural born Americans are not subject to this barrier to enter college. My wife, a college graduate from Brazil and very functional English speaker has not been able to pass it and is locked out of every college and trade school in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. In California and western US, there is no such barrier or exam required to enroll in state and private colleges and Universities. Why is it that the so-called “liberal” east coast employs draconian restrictions on foreign students? Allow students to take the classes and pass or fail on their own merits and capabilities. These Jim Crow literacy tests serve no purpose in the majority of degree programs and serve only to harm the larger society by stopping excellent students and motivated individuals from bettering themselves.

In the last election, Republicans took control of the Alabama House, Senate, and Governorship for the first time since reconstruction. Now, they've gone absolutely crazy with their power. One of their latest laws has lead to teachers asking school children for their immigration papers and forced entire Alabama communities to live in fear.

In most every state, there are people not eligible for a social security number who are not allowed to obtain a driver's license. Many of them must drive to work, or for some other reason, without a license and without insurance. In case of an accident, they do not have insurance or the funds to pay for the damage caused. To protect all Americans, driver's licenses and insurance must be available to all that apply and, of course, pass the driver's exam.

Governor Nathan Deal (R-GA) has appointed the nativist leader of the hate group Americans for Immigration Control (AIC) to his Immigration Enforcement Review Board. AIC has been for over a decade listed as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, and Kent himself is responsible for using intense racist imagery to convey his terrible beliefs. For more information about Phil Kent, please visit the SPLC at http://www.splcenter.org/blog/2011/09/02/georgia-governor-appoints-nativist-hate-group-leader-to-immigration-board/

We are calling for a moratorium on deportations until there is rational, family sensitive immigration reform.

News outlets have used and abused terms like "illegal aliens," "illegal immigrants" or "illegals" in news stories about immigrants in this country who do not have the proper authorization to live and work in this country. Such use has not only fueled violent anti-immigrant sentiments but has de-humanized and criminalized people whose only "crime" is to seek a better life, contribute to American society and keep their families together.

This is just a test

Secure communities is a federal program that deports people who are stopped for minor traffic offenses, tears families apart, undermines community policing and terrifies immigrant communities. This program was supposed to protect us from terrorists not hardworking people with dark skin.

The objective is to make English the official language of the United States. English unifies us, a Tower of Babel separates us. When everyone shares a common language, they better understand each others meaning. As S. I. Hayakawa said, "You guys are both saying the same thing. The only reason you're arguing is because you're using different words".

A bill to recapture all unused/wasted Green Cards. Department of State is currently having ridiculous wait for those families (US Citizens or Residents) who made petition to reunite families legally to this country. Unfortunately, Republican and Democratic lawmakers are opposed to do anything about it. Most cases the Wait in between 5-12 years. The current legal Immigration system does not work.

There are reportedly 12 million undocumented immigrants in the U.S. Many millions of them have U.S. born children and an undocumented immigrant without a social security number cannot get a Driver's License. This creates a lot of hardship and an unfair situation to their U.S. born children.