Subject: UPDATE: Draft statement on immigration executive
From: Dan Schwerin <[email-masked]>
To: Nick Merrill <[email-masked]>, Jake Sullivan <[email-masked]>, Robert Mook <[email-masked]>, Ethan Gelber <[email-masked]>, Cheryl Mills <[email-masked]>, Philippe Reines <[email-masked]>, John Podesta <[email-masked]>, Huma Abedin <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 20 Nov 2014 21:04:47 +0000

Nick and I gave HRC two tweet options and two statement options (shorter or longer).  She wants to tweet, release the more robust statement, and talk to Walter tomorrow on camera - so all of the above.
The text she approved is below.  If anyone has any further concerns or edits, please let us know.  Still time to make another run at her if folks feel strongly.  Otherwise, we'll plan on moving ahead.
Thanks for all the help on this.
Dan

Tweet:

 "I commend President Obama for taking action on immigration in the face of inaction.  Now let's turn to permanent bipartisan reform."

Draft Statement:

I support the President's decision to begin fixing our broken immigration system and focus finite resources on deporting felons rather than families.  I was hopeful that the bipartisan bill passed by the Senate in 2013 would spur the House of Representatives to act, but they refused even to advance an alternative. Their abdication of responsibility paved the way for this executive action, which follows established precedent from Presidents of both parties going back 70 years.  But, only Congress can finish the job by passing permanent bipartisan reform that keeps families together, treats everyone with dignity and compassion, upholds the rule of law, protects our border and national security, and brings millions of hard-working people out of the shadows and into the formal economy so they can pay taxes and contribute to our nation's prosperity.  Our disagreements on this important issue may grow heated at times, but I am confident that people of good will and good faith can yet find common ground. We should never forget that we're not discussing abstract statistics - we're talking about real families with real experiences.  We're talking about parents lying awake at night afraid of a knock on the door that could tear their families apart, people who love this country, work hard, and want nothing more than a chance to contribute to the community and build better lives for themselves and their children.