D TO ALLOW THAT 
SIMPLE VOTE.
NOW I CONTINUE TO BELIEVE THE 
BEST WAY TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM IS
BY WORKING TOGETHER TO PASS THAT
KIND OF COMMON SENSE LAW.
BUT UNTIL THAT HAPPENS, THERE 
ARE ACTIONS I HAVE THE LEGAL 
AUTHORITY TO TAKE AS PRESIDENT, 
THE SAME KINDS OF ACTIONS TAKEN 
BY DEMOCRATIC AND REPUBLICAN 
PRESIDENTS BEFORE ME, THAT WILL 
HELP MAKE OUR IMMIGRATION SYSTEM
MORE FAIR AND MORE JUST.
TONIGHT I'M ANNOUNCING THOSE 
ACTIONS.
FIRST, WE'LL BUILD ON OUR 
PROGRESS AT THE BORDER WITH 
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR OUR LAW
ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL SO THAT 
THEY CAN STEM THE FLOW OF 
ILLEGAL CROSSINGS AND SPEED THE 
RETURN OF THOSE WHO DO CROSS 
OVER.
SECOND, I'LL MAKE IT EASIER AND 
FAST
FASTER FOR HIGH-SKILLED 
IMMIGRANTS, GRADUATES AND 
ENTREPRENEURS TO STAY AND 
CONTRIBUTE TO OUR ECONOMY AS SO 
MANY BUSINESS LEADERS PROPOSED.
THIRD, WE'LL TAKE STEPS TO DEAL 
RESPONSIBLY WITH THE MILLIONS OF
UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS WHO 
ALREADY HAD LIVE IN OUR COUNTRY.
I WANT TO SAY MORE ABOUT THIS 
THIRD ISSUE BECAUSE IT GENERATES
THE MOST PASSION AND 
CONTROVERSY.
EVEN AS WE ARE A NATION OF 
IMMIGRANTS, WE'RE A NATION OF 
LAWS.
UNTOUMTED WORKERS BROKE OUR 
IMMIGRATION LAWS AND I BELIEVE 
THAT THEY MUST BE HELD 
ACCOUNTABLE, ESPECIALLY THOSE 
WHO MAY BE DANGEROUS.
THAT'S WHY OVER THE PAST SIX 
YEARS DEPORTATIONS OF CRIMINALS 
ARE UP 80%.
AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE GOING TO 
KEEP FOCUSING ENFORCEMENT 
RESOURCES ON ACTUAL THREATS TO 
OUR SECURITY.
FELONS, NOT FAMILIES, CRIMINALS,
NOT CHILDREN.
GANG MEMBERS, NOT A MOM WHO IS 
WORKING HARD TO PROVIDE FOR HER 
KIDS.
WE'LL PRIORITIZE LIKE LAW 
ENFORCEMENT DOES EVERY DAY.
BUT EVEN AS WE FOCUS ON 
DEPORTING CRIMINALS, THE FACT IS
MILLIONS OF IMMIGRANTS IN EVERY 
STATE, OF EVERY RACE AND 
NATIONALITY STILL LIVE HERE 
ILLEGALLY.
AND LET'S BE HONEST, TRACKING 
DOWN, ROUNDING UP AND DEPORTING 
MILLIONS OF PEOPLE ISN'T 
REALISTIC.
ANYONE WHO SUGGESTS OTHERWISE 
ISN'T BEING STRAIGHT WITH YOU.
IT'S ALSO NOT WHO WE ARE AS 
AMERICANS.
AFTER ALL, MOST OF THESE 
IMMIGRANTS HAVE BEEN HERE A LONG
TIME.
THEY WORK HARD OFTEN IN TOUGH, 
LOW PAYING JOBS.
THEY SUPPORT THEIR FAMILIES.
THEY WORSHIP AT OUR CHURCHES.
MANY OF THE KIDS ARE AMERICAN 
BORN.
THEY SPENT MOST OF THEIR LAVS 
HERE AND THEIR HOPES, DREAMS, 
AND PATRIOTISM ARE JUST LIKE 
OURS.
AS MY 
