Whats the outlook for federal immigration reform legislation?
Several senior Democratic sources said last week they see virtually no chance of Congress taking up such a measure before November’s midterm elections. Still, the sources said it was politically crucial for the president to put pressure on Republicans and reassure angry Latino voters that Democrats haven’t forgotten about this issue. Immigration is not necessarily a make-it-or-break-it issue for the influential voting bloc. A Pew study released in 2008 indicated that Latinos placed immigration second to last on a list of seven policy priorities. The economy, education and health care were ranked as more important. But in the months since Arizona passed its immigration law, more recent surveys have indicated that the issue has risen to the top for Latinos. A survey commissioned by the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials indicates that the immigration debate has made Latinos more likely to vote in November.CNN’s John Helton, Kristi Keck and Paul Steinhauser con
