Immigration Supporters Push For Ron Johnson, Walker To Back Obama’s Plan

Immigration supporters held a news conference on Friday outside the Milwaukee office of U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson to urge reforms to the nation’s immigration system.

Some people helped by President Barack Obama’s recent executive order to reduce deportations criticized Johnson for suggesting funding for the president’s plan be cut, and criticized Gov. Scott Walker for joining a multi-state lawsuit against the president’s order.

Journalist and activist Jose Vargas was born in the Philippines and raised in California. He said at the news conference that he finds Walker and Johnson confusing.

“I don’t really understand specifically, the Republican governors, who are mostly behind this, and including Sen. Johnson here. What do they want to do with us exactly?” he said. “They can’t make up their minds. They say they want to enforce the law. OK, do you want to deport us? Is that what you want to do? Or, do you want to give us some sort of path to legalization or some sort of path to citizenship?”

In a statement, Johnson, R-Wis., said it’s up to the new Congress to demonstrate federal lawmakers stand for legal immigration while Obama stands for illegal immigration.

Johnson said he’s working on a new border security and enforcement bill.