****
My fellow Americans, tonight, I’d like to talk with you about immigration.
For more than 200 years, our tradition of welcoming immigrants from around the world has given us a tremendous advantage over other nations. It’s kept us youthful, dynamic, and entrepreneurial. It has shaped our character as a people with limitless possibilities — people not trapped by our past, but able to remake ourselves as we choose.
Media strategy behind immigration speech
But today, our immigration system is broken, and everybody knows it.
Families who enter our country the right way and play by the rules watch others flout the rules. Business owners who offer their workers good wages and benefits see the competition exploit undocumented immigrants by paying them far less. All of us take offense to anyone who reaps the rewards of living in America without taking on the responsibilities of living in America. And undocumented immigrants who desperately want to embrace those responsibilities see little option but to remain in the shadows, or risk their families being torn apart.
It’s been this way for decades. And for decades, we haven’t done much about it.
When I took office, I committed to fixing this broken immigration system. And I began by doing what I could to secure our borders. Today, we have more agents and technology deployed to secure our southern border than at any time in our history. And over the past six years, illegal border crossings have been cut by more than half. Although this summer, there was a brief spike in unaccompanied children being apprehended at our border, the number of such children is now actually lower than it’s been in nearly two years. Overall, the number of people trying to cross our border illegally is at its lowest level since the 1970s. Those are the facts.
Meanwhile, I worked with Congress on a comprehensive fix, and last year, 68 Democrats, Republicans, and Independents came together to pass a bipartisan bill in the Senate. It wasn’t perfect. It was a compromise, but it reflected common sense. It would have doubled the number of border patrol agents, while giving undocumented immigrants a pathway to citizenship if they paid a fine, started paying their taxes, and went to the back of the line. And independent experts said that it would help grow our economy and shrink our deficits.
Had the House of Representatives allowed that kind of a bill a simple yes-or-no vote, it would have passed with support from both parties, and today it would be the law. But for a year and a half now, Republican leaders in the House have refused to allow that simple vote.
Now, I continue to believe that the best way to solve this 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 am announcing those actions.
Carlos Zuniga kisses his wife, hunger-striker Lenka Zuniga, in front of WH after the President's immigration address http://t.co/gvFtqQBNVy
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TheObamaDiary.com (@TheObamaDiary) November 21, 2025First, 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 will make it easier and faster for high-skilled immigrants, graduates, and entrepreneurs to stay and contribute to our economy, as so many business leaders have proposed.
Third, we’ll take steps to deal responsibly with the millions of undocumented immigrants who already live in our country.
A woman stands in front of White House as President addresses nation on his executive action to reform immigration. http://t.co/VigEGQqW32
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TheObamaDiary.com (@TheObamaDiary) November 21, 2025I 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 are also a nation of laws. Undocumented 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 percent. 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 mother who’s working hard to provide for her kids. We’ll prioritize, just like law enforcement does every day.
DREAMers hugging and crying over Obama's #immigrationaction speech http://t.co/OrdypJLGoH
—
Esther Y. Lee 李御璽 (@estherindc) November 21, 2025But even as we focus on deporting criminals, the fact is, millions of immigrants — in every state, of every race and nationality — will 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 their kids are American-born or spent most of their lives here, and their hopes, dreams, and patriotism are just like ours.
As my predecessor, President Bush, once put it: “They are a part of American life.”
President Obama speaks via video broadcast during the 15th annual Latin Grammy Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena
Now here’s the thing: we expect people who live in this country to play by the rules. We expect that those who cut the line will not be unfairly rewarded. So we’re going to offer the following deal: If you’ve been in America for more than five years; if you have children who are American citizens or legal residents; if you register, pass a criminal background check, and you’re willing to pay your fair share of taxes — you’ll be able to apply to stay in this country temporarily, without fear of deportation. You can come out of the shadows and get right with the law.
That’s what this deal is. Now let’s be clear about what it isn’t. This deal does not apply to anyone who has come to this country recently. It does not apply to anyone who might come to America illegally in the future. It does not grant citizenship, or the right to stay here permanently, or offer the same benefits that citizens receive — only Congress can do that. All we’re saying is we’re not going to deport you.
Outside the White House tonight:
‘Gracias Presidente Obama’
#ImmigrationAction http://t.co/tbWHnSZb1X
—
TheObamaDiary.com (@TheObamaDiary) November 21, 2025I know some of the critics of this action call it amnesty. Well, it’s not. Amnesty is the immigration system we have today — millions of people who live here without paying their taxes or playing by the rules, while politicians use the issue to scare people and whip up votes at election time.
That’s the real amnesty — leaving this broken system the way it is. Mass amnesty would be unfair. Mass deportation would be both impossible and contrary to our character. What I’m describing is accountability — a commonsense, middle ground approach: If you meet the criteria, you can come out of the shadows and get right with the law. If you’re a criminal, you’ll be deported. If you plan to enter the U.S. illegally, your chances of getting caught and sent back just went up.
Oh my, look at these faces: Ana Temu and others watch President's #ImmigrationAction address in Denver, Colorado. http://t.co/uP6T5bmUTw
—
TheObamaDiary.com (@TheObamaDiary) November 21, 2025The actions I’m taking are not only lawful, they’re the kinds of actions taken by every single Republican President and every single Democratic President for the past half century. And to those Members of Congress who question my authority to make our immigration system work better, or question the wisdom of me acting where Congress has failed, I have one answer: Pass a bill. I want to work with both parties to pass a more permanent legislative solution. And the day I sign that bill into law, the actions I take will no longer be necessary. Meanwhile, don’t let a disagreement over a single issue be a dealbreaker on every issue. That’s not how our democracy works, and Congress certainly shouldn’t shut down our government again just because we disagree on this. Americans are tired of gridlock. What our country needs from us right now is a common purpose — a higher purpose.
The President did what was right, fair, and just to bring our fellow human beings out of the shadows and into the light.
—
John Lewis (@repjohnlewis) November 21, 2025Most Americans support the types of reforms I’ve talked about tonight. But I understand the disagreements held by many of you at home. Millions of us, myself included, go back generations in this country, with ancestors who put in the painstaking work to become citizens. So we don’t like the notion that anyone might get a free pass to American citizenship. I know that some worry immigration will change the very fabric of who we are, or take our jobs, or stick it to middle-class families at a time when they already feel like they’ve gotten the raw end of the deal for over a decade. I hear these concerns. But that’s not what these steps would do. Our history and the facts show that immigrants are a net plus for our economy and our society. And I believe it’s important that all of us have this debate without impugning each other’s character.
Carlos and Lupe Santibanez watch the President's #ImmigrationAction address in Denver.
Tomorrow is a bright new day. http://t.co/A0soavGSj9
—
TheObamaDiary.com (@TheObamaDiary) November 21, 2025Because for all the back-and-forth of Washington, we have to remember that this debate is about something bigger. It’s about who we are as a country, and who we want to be for future generations.
Are we a nation that tolerates the hypocrisy of a system where workers who pick our fruit and make our beds never have a chance to get right with the law? Or are we a nation that gives them a chance to make amends, take responsibility, and give their kids a better future?
Are we a nation that accepts the cruelty of ripping children from their parents’ arms? Or are we a nation that values families, and works to keep them together?
Are we a nation that educates the world’s best and brightest in our universities, only to send them home to create businesses in countries that compete against us? Or are we a nation that encourages them to stay and create jobs, businesses, and industries right here in America?
That’s what this debate is all about. We need more than politics as usual when it comes to immigration; we need reasoned, thoughtful, compassionate debate that focuses on our hopes, not our fears.
I know the politics of this issue are tough. But let me tell you why I have come to feel so strongly about it. Over the past few years, I have seen the determination of immigrant fathers who worked two or three jobs, without taking a dime from the government, and at risk at any moment of losing it all, just to build a better life for their kids. I’ve seen the heartbreak and anxiety of children whose mothers might be taken away from them just because they didn’t have the right papers. I’ve seen the courage of students who, except for the circumstances of their birth, are as American as Malia or Sasha; students who bravely come out as undocumented in hopes they could make a difference in a country they love. These people — our neighbors, our classmates, our friends — they did not come here in search of a free ride or an easy life. They came to work, and study, and serve in our military, and above all, contribute to America’s success.
Astrid Silva, the DREAMer that Obama just name-checked, is here. Breaks down in tears when she hears her name http://t.co/LzDVtMuycZ
—
Amanda M. Sakuma (@iamsakuma) November 21, 2025Tomorrow, I’ll travel to Las Vegas and meet with some of these students, including a young woman named Astrid Silva. Astrid was brought to America when she was four years old. Her only possessions were a cross, her doll, and the frilly dress she had on. When she started school, she didn’t speak any English. She caught up to the other kids by reading newspapers and watching PBS, and became a good student. Her father worked in landscaping. Her mother cleaned other people’s homes. They wouldn’t let Astrid apply to a technology magnet school for fear the paperwork would out her as an undocumented immigrant — so she applied behind their back and got in. Still, she mostly lived in the shadows — until her grandmother, who visited every year from Mexico, passed away, and she couldn’t travel to the funeral without risk of being found out and deported. It was around that time she decided to begin advocating for herself and others like her, and today, Astrid Silva is a college student working on her third degree.
Are we a nation that kicks out a striving, hopeful immigrant like Astrid — or are we a nation that finds a way to welcome her in?
Scripture tells us that we shall not oppress a stranger, for we know the heart of a stranger — we were strangers once, too.
My fellow Americans, we are and always will be a nation of immigrants. We were strangers once, too. And whether our forebears were strangers who crossed the Atlantic, or the Pacific, or the Rio Grande, we are here only because this country welcomed them in, and taught them that to be an American is about something more than what we look like, or what our last names are, or how we worship. What makes us Americans is our shared commitment to an ideal — that all of us are created equal, and all of us have the chance to make of our lives what we will.
That’s the country our parents and grandparents and generations before them built for us. That’s the tradition we must uphold. That’s the legacy we must leave for those who are yet to come.
Thank you, God bless you, and God bless this country we love.
****
And that, ladies and gentlemen, is why we elected this man twice.
Thank you, Mr President.
#ImmigrationAction http://t.co/7N0dmbcwgR
—
TheObamaDiary.com (@TheObamaDiary) November 21, 2025My only regret about tonight?
That we cannot vote for him a third time.
Thank you Barack Obama, thank you. http://t.co/xEHa2WcHPp
—
TheObamaDiary.com (@TheObamaDiary) November 21, 2025
White House.gov
Ha.
:bear:
Beautifully nuanced speech
Wow Chips! You are amazing. How did you put this together so quickly. Wow!
Wow, this is cool! And to think so many stations weren’t going to carry it at all! Shows you how out of touch the MSM is.
Brilliant!
wow really? That’s amazing!
Good Evening TODVille!
Exciting night for many people; relief for millions.
Thank you President Obama.
Love. This. Man. :-)
YES and love you, too, for all of this. All. Of. This.
Ooooh, love you more, Majestic Meta - damn it, I genuinely honestly truthfully never loved him more either, blown away. Literally blown away.
Me too Chips, He is simply amazing! There are no words. I LOVE this president so much!
Me too!
Thanks Chips, for this thread with the transcript and YouTube together. I just emailed the link to f&f.
A complete and total pleasure MadameSoph, thank you.
This^ 1000x and what meta says below 1000 more. Thank you Mr. President and thank you Ms. Chips~
<3 <3 him too.
It's because we all truly love **him** that we are still here, I think. Can you imagine what it would be like if we had a small handful of future politicians forged from Pres Obama's 'school of politic? In the immediate future, I mean.
‘school of politics’
That we are still here?
At TODville?
On planet earth?
Regardless of what the MSM spins, we are and always will be Obots.
Yes, ditto what Meta said. :)
Yes, yes, yes , yes and yes! :)
Deval Patrick is a beautiful writer and speaker. His words are profound!
The more I know of him, and read what he says, the more I wish he would run in 2016! He has the heart, the mind, the will, the, yes, the charisma.
Remember our current President found the model for his “Just Words” speech from Governor Patrick!
OMG, I’d forgotten that. Wowie.
AMAZING
I’ll watch that again in a short while! Thanks for posting.
Oh dear, more tears. . .
I couldn’t agree more. Just beautiful.
Ha Ha! Gawd, can you imagine the GOP 1947 faces (or Dem 1947, for that matter) if they actually could foresee President Barack Hussein Obama :-)
Yes, Bloomberg News, to which I would respond: No shit, Sherlock!
Beautiful …beautiful post…the words stand tall….stand tall…along with the pictures….a great day
Indeed, indeed.
Thanks much for this new post. Just “Wow”!
Woah, tears:
This story is replicated in millions of homes tonight. It’s going to take some time for some to trust that they’re not dreaming, that this really happened.
Hey TOD!! What happened to the media boycott? :D This is a BFD!! And even though this moment has been telegraphed for awhile, I seriously believe not much real thought has gone into considering the immediate impact of freedom for a significant portion of society; the focus has been on the possible impact on politics. A free people is a beautiful, awesome thing. Power to the people!! Look how fast the networks caved, in spite of their futile attempts to control the message.
Love you guys! <3 <3
I tells ya. They caved with tails between legs
Ha!
The tweets I am seeing are fantastic. And not seeing any negative responses, yet. I am sure if I was following some RWNJ’s it would be different. They would probably be incoherent though.
There are a bunch of right wing heads exploding. The responses to John Lewis’ tweet are disgusting.
Oh, you mean the non-American-heroes who respond to American hero John Lewis? Eff ‘em!
Well, if they didn’t want the President to have them by their balls, they should have done something when they could.
FOR REAL. {{{{choking up}}}}
Hugs to you, Meta. Big hugs!
Love you back, JO’B!
Oh, Chips, getting chills here. Thank you for bringing us all this goodness.
Chips, this is an amazing post to bring to us so quickly after President Obama’s poetic and heartfelt address.
Hey Paul, who would Jesus deport? (I could watch VP Biden clean his debate clock anytime).
Wouldn’t you think, by now, and with something this big, those msm stations which chose not to air so enormous an advance in directive, and so welcome to millions, those people who willfully and ignorantly continue to watch said stations, now have missed one of the most vital movements toward civil liberty in decades. Does make me wonder how they will reflect (if) on being uniformed through their own stupidity. Any chance they might start asking WHY did they not hear anything on their oh-so-very favorite stations?
This man always astounds and goes beyond expectations…….so thankful for tonight’s speech, and tomorrow’s signing of the EO.
Through all of this, I think of our two good landscape miracle workers who are from El Salvador. One weekend we couldn’t reach them…..they didn’t answer their phone, and we were SCARED TO DEATH!!! I don’t know their status, but they have a thriving business, they are extremely hard workers, and we trust them implicitly. Now we will not worry about them any more. Their son is a senior at the local high school, and plans to join the service after graduation…….they exactly illustrate what the president was talking about. AND……they are firm supporters of PBO and know exactly what is going on, and who is doing what.
PBO is the man Cassius could have been talking about when he said the following lines about Caesar in Shakespeare’s play. We’ve quoted them before when he has been on international trips, but I think these words speak to tonight:
Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world
Like a Colossus, and we petty men
Walk under his huge legs and peep about.
Think of all the petty men that walk around him…….they are legion. He is the Colossus. And, I think these men know it, and resent it.
Perfectly on point!!!
“Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world
Like a Colossus, and we petty men
Walk under his huge legs and peep about.
Think of all the petty men that walk around him…….they are legion. He is the Colossus. And, I think these men know it, and resent it.”
This just made start crying all over again. Wow.
Oh my, I have to de-lurk and say that decribes this President and his critics both Democrat and Republican to a tee.
well said Carolyn (and Shakespeare! ;-) )
Beautiful, carolyn! Beautiful.
This quote is so perfect for Our President on this occasion.
Of course PBO’s excellence is part of what the GOP agita is about.
Only the heartless could be against this.
I know it’s bad to stereotype, but so many undocumented/temporary green card holders are the hardest working persons in America.
They’re busy tending to other people’s domestic lives and comfort or are seeking solutions to computer bugs/glitches or providing medical aid/research.
They aren’t getting paid to sit in climate controlled offices trading snark with colleagues and mindlessly speculate about GOP/HRC 2016 candidacies.
Chips, I could hug you for posting this speech in a way I could access. I was so frustrated by not being able to see it, I was pounding my computer and screaming. What a speech given by a leader of monumental greatness. Bless him and all those who love and support him. It breaks my heart that the weak-kneed Dems asked him to postpone this speech until after the election. They shot themselves and all of us in the foot. I’m still shaking from the impact of our president’s words and his brilliant, incomparable leadership.
Ain’t that the truth.
Dems are cowards afraid of their own shadows. They should have learned from the GOP that fear is not leadership.
I believe that quite a few close races would have tipped to the Dems favor if PBO had given this speech on Oct 28 (see CO, GA, NC and TX on map):
Now I’m starting to cry.
Me too. I was teary during the speech and each time I see the tweets of those that will be able to stay with their families. Pres Obama is hope manifesting in our time.
Yes. Which is why we love and support him!
Mrs O’Boomer, I have had tears in my eyes also. I just watched the speech again.
It’s all so great, isn’t it, COS? <3
Of course, blubbering Barb lost it; what a great decision!
Oh, Chipstix! Once again, faster than the speeds of sound and light, nimbler than a ninja, you’ve woven glowing strands of responses and context into this presentation of the words and the visuals and the intangible aspects of this action by our mighty, transcendant, superhero great soul of a President. Thank you for this expansion and bejeweled gilded frame around a point in time when the finest greatest strongest bravest coolest sweetest deepest smartest President we have ever had moved us once again, Forward! My eyes are wet, my heart is full. Bobfr always gets it right: TrustBarack. “Obama. Amigo. El Pueblo esta contigo!” Yes, yes, yes.
Wow, I’ve seen him talk about this issue so many times. This is all so profoundly moving.
Love potential Dem candidates who support our President:
Thank you Chips for a great post. Saw NW on Twitter, engrossed in #Sandal ;-)
Deval Patrick’s tweet all in one statement
THANK you, TME! Nice to ‘favourite’ it in one tweet
I think it was kind of funny how the media was trying to tout out what happened in Oregon this election cycle about the bill that gave illegal immigrants driver licenses. I wonder if they realize that the turnout this election cycle was one of the lowest in the last 20 years or so.
CA @JerryBrownGov did that on his own within the past year.
Was pretty much of a non-issue here, in a majority minority state.
Chips, this is for you and the exceptional community you created …
Hopefully you’ll see this soon, Chips …
Love this man, what else can you say? We need him so desperately.
I was so moved by the President’s words tonight. Tears rolled at his passion and heartfelt words and actions. I cannot imagine the joy of those 5 million families who no longer have to live in fear of being separated from their kids. Steve Schmidt was madder than a wet hornet because as Kasie Hunt reported from RGA, he has them right by the balls and they know it. Every American that truly listened to his words tonight know it. Those that did not have no idea what being an American truly means. These 5 million are more American than they will ever be. God bless President Obama!
This is a leader like we’ve rarely had, and always want. This was not politics talking; it was morality and justice. This is the best of America.
Well said gatodicima.
Perfect summation, gatodicima!
Thank you Chips for all these amazing tweets. I so love our President.
So timely. Again.
Thank You Sir!
Beautiful, searingly truthful quote. Thank you, yardarm.
This is the man I voted for twice. And he’s never not been the man I voted for twice.
Top Conservative Cat @TeaPartyCat · 1h1 hour ago
ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox all ignore a prime-time speech by a sitting president, but in their defense the president is, well, you know.
O.k. time for dinner. Thanks TOD! Rock on President Obama!
In awe of our President! Ofa would like us to use #ImmigrationAction and #OFAction in support of this landmark speech.
I’m sure the people who were most proud of this President were his wife and two daughters who probably watched his speech this evening. Of course we were too.
New post.
http://theobamadiary.com/2014/11/20/a-new-day-2/
I must be in moderation
Try posting on the new thread just opened up. :)
Thank you, I did as you suggested.
Thank you everyone for your comments and thoughts about this momentous news! Tears of joy for this most incredible man…bound to do the right thing for America and her immigrants. I’m so proud right now. I couldn’t wait to get home and watch this speech! One for all time:)
And here is some important (and FUN) data: Sun moves into Sagittarius (0 degrees of course) (party, party) on Saturday 22 November 2014 at 4:38amEST (1:38amPST). New Moon follows shortly afterward at 0.07 Sagittarius conjunct the Sun at 7:19amEST (4:19amPST). I might add I think PBO’s address today was excellently timed, astrologically speaking. New Moon = New Hopes, new energy, and many millions will be riding on the joy which accompanies today’s action by our finest leader. Ever.
They love their President and are grateful…
Normally wouldn’t comment about these folks, but thought this was funny.
That’s leadership. Our PBO is.