Bringing Our Immigration System into the Digital Age

In November, President Obama announced a series of Executive Actions to fix the broken immigration system. As a part of these efforts, he charged the key federal agencies responsible for administering our legal immigration system to explore ways to modernize and streamline the system. The goal was to develop recommendations to bring the system into the 21st century to grow our economy, help businesses and workers, and protect families.

Today, we are taking the next step in this effort, releasing a report on Modernizing and Streamlining Our Legal Immigration System for the 21st Century. This report includes a wide range of new actions that federal agencies will undertake to improve the visa experience for families, workers, employers, and people in need of humanitarian relief.

President Obama delivers remarks at the NAACP Convention

President Barack Obama delivers remarks at the NAACP Convention in Philadelphia, Pa., July 14, 2015.

(Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

Watch on YouTube

Yesterday, the President traveled to Philadelphia to address the NAACP's 106th national convention. In his remarks, he laid out the reasons why we need to reform America's criminal justice system, and why we need to invest in our communities and expand opportunity for all Americans.

Restoring Hope and Closing Opportunity Gaps

Ed. note: This is cross-posted on the U.S. Department of Labor's blog. See the original post here.

No young person should have to face the future without hope and optimism. Young people should be excited to learn, to grow, to succeed and to contribute to their communities. But in many disadvantaged neighborhoods and for many young people of color, opportunity gaps strangle hope.

That doesn’t have to be the case — we can do something about it. I believe government has no greater obligation than to help expand opportunity with smart, strategic investments. That’s why, in the last few weeks, the Department of Labor has awarded nearly $22.5 million to seven communities to help connect youth and young adults (ages 16 to 29) with job opportunities.

This Photo of Pluto Is Worth Sharing:

Today, Dr. John P. Holdren — the President's science advisor — sent the following message to the White House list, sharing a brand-new photo of Pluto. The photo, from NASA's New Horizons interplanetary probe, is the sharpest photo ever seen of the "dwarf planet."

If you didn't get the email, make sure to sign up for email updates here.

This morning, the United States became the first country to reach Pluto — and the first country to explore the entire classical solar system: Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto.

NASA's New Horizons interplanetary probe has been making its way to Pluto since January 19, 2006, and has been providing the world with the sharpest photos ever seen of our Solar System's most prominent "dwarf planet." Today, it made its closest approach to Pluto yet — about 8,000 miles — at around 07:49:57 EDT.

Here's the photo they took — which, despite traveling at the speed of light (186,000 miles per second), took four and a half hours to reach us here on Earth as it crossed the 3 billion miles between here and Pluto:

The Iran Deal:

This morning, the President sent the following message to the White House email list, explaining the details of today's historic nuclear deal with Iran and how it will make our country, our allies, and the world safer and more secure.

Watch the highlights from his speech today — then read his email below:

(function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = “//connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v2.3”; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);}(document, ‘script’, ‘facebook-jssdk’));

Watch President Obama speak on the historic deal to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon: http://ift.tt/1Lec0pu #IranDeal

Posted by The White House on Tuesday, July 14, 2015

Didn't get the President's message? Sign up for email updates here.

Today, after two years of negotiations, the United States — together with our international partners — has achieved what decades of animosity has not:

A comprehensive, long-term deal that will verifiably prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

This deal shows the real and meaningful change that American leadership and diplomacy can bring — change that makes our country and the world safer and more secure.

We negotiated from a position of strength and principle — and the result is a nuclear deal that cuts off every pathway to a nuclear weapon.

I want to make sure every American knows what this deal means and how it works. Take a look here.

Asked and Answered: Conner’s Recovery Story

Today, the President commuted the sentences of 46 prisoners convicted of non-violent crimes many years — or even decades — ago. The message, at its heart, is clear: America is a nation of second chances, and these are Americans who deserve that second chance.

That’s incredibly personal for me.

Despite the fact that nearly every family and community in America is affected by substance use disorders, those fighting to overcome this disease are too often hidden in the shadows of shame or stigma. As a result, many do not get the treatment they need.

That’s why it is so powerful to hear the stories of Americans who — like me — are in recovery from substance use disorders.

I wanted to share one of those stories with you today.

President Obama Announces 46 Commutations in Video Address: “America Is a Nation of Second Chances”

“As a former Assistant U.S. Attorney and criminal defense attorney, I’m well acquainted with how federal sentencing practices can, in too many instances, lead nonviolent drug offenders to spend decades, if not life, in prison. Now, don’t get me wrong, many people are justly punished for causing harm and perpetuating violence in our communities. But, in some cases, the punishment required by law far exceeded the offense.

These unduly harsh sentences are one of the reasons the President is committed to using all the tools at his disposal to remedy unfairness in our criminal justice system. Today, he is continuing this effort by granting clemency to 46 men and women, nearly all of whom would have already served their time and returned to society if they were convicted of the exact same crime today.

In a video released today, the President underscored the responsibility and opportunity that comes with a commutation:

BREAKING: President Obama just granted clemency to 46 men and women whose sentences didn’t fit their crimes. Nearly all…

Posted by The White House on Monday, July 13, 2015

The President also shared his thoughts in a personal letter written to each of the 46 individuals receiving a commutation today:

President Barack Obama tapes the Weekly Address in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, July 10, 2015.

(Official White House Photo by Amanda Lucidon)

In this week’s address, the President discussed a new rule announced by his Administration earlier this week to make it easier for communities to implement the Fair Housing Act.

For nearly 50 years, the Fair Housing Act has prohibited landlords from turning away tenants because of race, religion, sex, national origin, or disability, and has made a big difference in this country. This week, the Administration announced new steps to provide communities with the tools they need to ensure that housing is fair, and that no American’s destiny is determined by a zip code.

Transcript | mp4 | mp3

Tune in on July 13 to Join a National Conversation on Aging in America

2015 marks the 50th anniversary of Medicare, Medicaid, and the Older Americans Act, as well as the 80th anniversary of Social Security. On July 13, President Obama will host the 2015 White House Conference on Aging. It will be an opportunity to recognize the importance of these landmark programs, while looking ahead to address the issues that will improve the quality of life for older Americans for the next decade.

The Conference will convene senior Administration officials, community leaders, caregivers, older adults, families, advocates, and experts from a wide range of health and social service disciplines at the White House. Many more will tune in online to join the national dialogue, as well as focus on the important issues that often require local solutions.

Compared to previous generations, the possibility of living 20 to 30 years beyond traditional retirement age has created both opportunities and challenges. The White House Conference on Aging represents an important opportunity for communities and decision makers from both the public and private sectors to share best practices, identify future goals, and strengthen partnerships – which will all serve to better assist our aging population as their needs, lifestyles, and ambitions evolve over time.

President Obama Designates 3 New National Monuments, Protecting More than 1 Million Acres of Public Land

Today, we joined community members from California, Texas, and Nevada to celebrate the President’s announcement of three new national monuments. The new monuments include Berryessa Snow Mountain in California, Waco Mammoth in Texas, and Basin and Range in Nevada. Together, these striking places demonstrate the wide range of historic, cultural, and natural values that make America’s public lands so treasured.

With these new designations, President Obama will have used the Antiquities Act to establish or expand 19 national monuments. Today’s addition of three national monuments will protect more than 1 million acres of public land, adding to the more than 260 million acres of public lands and waters President Obama has protected for future generations – more than any other President.

White House.gov Blog Feed