Obama: America's Borders 'Just Too Vast' to Secure

Obama: America's Borders 'Just Too Vast' to Secure: "President Barack Obama says America's borders are 'just too vast' for the immigration problem to be solved with fences and border patrols alone.

He said that a comprehensive solution is needed, instead, urging one that holds everyone accountable, from illegal immigrants to the businesses that hire them.

Obama said the reality is, Republican support is needed to arrive at such a solution. Right now, GOP support is not forthcoming in an election year.

In his first major speech on immigration at president, Obama also spoke to the need to reform the system of legal immigration. That's a welcome message to advocates who contend too much emphasis has been placed on enforcing laws against illegal immigrants even as eligible citizenship applicants languish.

Obama blamed immigration policy gridlock on 'political posturing and special interest wrangling.'

In the speech Obama took Republicans to task, in particular 11 GOP senators who supported recent efforts to improve the immigration system. He did not name any in particular, but told his largely supportive audience at American University that those lawmakers had succumbed to the 'pressures of partisanship and election-year politics.'

Seeking to rally new momentum to an issue that many advocates had hoped would be completed by this point, Obama laid out his rationale for a comprehensive approach to fixing what he and others, Republicans included, say is a broken immigration system.

He said the problem cannot be solved 'only with fences and border patrols' but said the government should be held accountable for its responsibility to secure the border. Obama also said businesses should face consequences for knowingly employing illegal immigrants and that those who enter the country illegally should own up to their actions before they can begin the process of becoming citizens.

- Sent using Google Toolbar"