Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/376789
ByJimKuhnhenn The Associated Press WASHINGTON Leavinghis timing uncertain, President Barack Obama laid out am- bitious objectives Friday for immigration steps he in- tends to take on his own and said he had already re- ceived some recommenda- tions from the Homeland Security and Justice depart- ments for executive action he could implement without Congress. Facing competing pres- sures from immigration advocacy groups and from Democrats nervous about November's midterm elec- tion, Obama made no com- mitment about whether he would act in the com- ing weeks as he had earlier pledged. "My expectation is that fairly soon, I'll be consider- ing what the next steps are," he said during a news con- ference in Wales at the end of a two-day NATO summit. Still, Obama spelled out his goals with a degree of specificity that he had pre- viously not detailed. He said that without con- gressional action to over- haul the immigration sys- tem, he would take steps to increase border security, to upgrade the processing of border crossers, to en- courage legal immigration and to give immigrants who have been illegally in the United States for some time a path to become legal residents, pay taxes, pay a fine and learn English. "I want to be very clear: My intention is, in the ab- sence of...action by Con- gress, I'm going to do what I can do within the legal constraints of my office, be- cause it's the right thing to do for the country," he said. On June 30, Obama said he had directed Home- land Security Secretary Jeh Johnson and Attorney General Eric Holder to give him recommendations for executive action by the end of summer and pledged to "adopt those recommenda- tions without further delay." Legal experts and law- makers have debated the extent of Obama's authority, and Holder's and Johnson's recommendations remain closely held. It's also un- clear how far Obama could go without congressional ap- proval in meeting the goals he delineated Friday. In 2012, Obama autho- rized the Homeland Secu- rity Department to consider applications to defer depor- tations for immigrants who had entered the country ille- gally as children. Since then, the program has deferred the deportation of more than 580,000 immigrants. Immigrant advocates say Obama has the author- ity to allow similar defer- rals to potentially millions of other immigrants, be- ginning with the parents of those young immigrants whose deportations have al- ready been deferred. But the White House has been under pressure from some Democrats to delay any action until after the elections out of fear that taking steps now would en- ergize Republican opposi- tion against vulnerable Sen- ate Democrats. Some have voiced misgivings about Obama acting on his own at all. "We need to fix our na- tion's broken immigration system, which is why I sup- ported the Senate's biparti- san, comprehensive immi- gration reform bill," said Sen. Al Franken, a Demo- crat seeking re-election In Minnesota. "I have con- cerns about executive ac- tion. This is a job for Con- gress, and it's time for the House to act." Advocacy groups have countered by stepping up their calls for swift action. In a letter to Obama on Fri- day, leaders of major pro- immigrant groups called on him to stick to his self- imposed deadline and "not to allow shortsighted polit- ical interests to get in the way of doing what is right for our communities and our country. "Being a leader requires making difficult and coura- geous decisions," the letter, whose signers included the National Council of La Raza and the League of United Latin American Citizens, said. "It is your time to lead, Mr. President." EXECUTIVE ACTION Ob am a la ys o ut i mmi gr at io n go al s, n ot t im in g By Brady Mccombs The Associated Press SALT LAKE CITY In one glass case sits a weathered page from the original Book of Mormon manuscript that Latter-day Saints be- lieve was translated from ancient Egyptian and dic- tated to scribes by founder Joseph Smith 185 years ago with help from God. In other nearby cases are Smith's first journal and the first printed editions of books that contain com- mandments, doctrine and covenants based on early revelations Smith received while forming The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in upstate New York in 1830. They are part of a new public exhibit that features some of the faith's most treasured artifacts dating back to the early days of Mormonism. The priceless collection of 26 books, man- uscripts and documents was unveiled Wednesday at a news conference with church leaders that marks the latest example of the faith being more forthcom- ing about its history and te- nets. "These four display cases comprise our most pre- cious documents," said Ste- ven E. Snow, church histo- rian and recorder. "They go to the foundation of our faith. These are our spiri- tual roots." The religion founded with 30 followers now counts 15 million world- wide after experiencing a tripling of membership in the past three decades. As Mormons became more prominent in America and questions emerged about the burgeoning faith, some criticized it as being secre- tive about its beliefs and practices. In recent years, the Salt Lake City-based church has taken concerted steps to change that image. A year ago, it began re- leasing books containing historical documents that shed light on how Smith formed the church. The re- ligion also has issued a se- ries of in-depth articles that explain or clarify some of the more sensitive parts of its history that it once side- stepped, such as the faith's past ban on black men in the lay clergy and its early history of polygamy. The church's website has become a treasure trove of information about its doc- trine, gospel and practices. The new "Foundations of Faith" exhibit, which opens to the public this week at the church's Salt Lake City history library, is another illustration of the religion's push to open its vault and take on questions, said Ter- ryl Givens, professor of lit- erature and religion and the James Bostwick chair of English at the University of Richmond. The collection should generate widespread inter- est among Mormons who will be able to see, in per- son, the artifacts associ- ated with keystone events in church history, Givens said. The items have been in the church vault, taken out from time to time to show, but they have never before been displayed in one col- lection. Church leaders hope the exhibit will bol- ster members' faith and help non-Mormons better understand the religion. "We need to be open and transparent," Snow said. "There are questions that arise occasionally, and we need to deal with them in an honest, forthright way, which we are trying to do." NEW PUBLIC EXHIBIT Pr ic el es s Mo rm on a rt if ac ts g o on d is pl ay RICKBOWMER—THEASSOCIATEDPRESS A architectural rendering, center, for the Nauvoo Temple (circa 1841-45) is shown during the "Foundations of Faith" exhibit news conference on Wednesday in Salt Lake City. By Matthew Daly The Associated Press WASHINGTON The Sen- ate's No. 2 Democrat on Friday asked Defense Sec- retary Chuck Hagel to re- view a program that pro- vides high-powered rifles and other surplus mili- tary equipment to civilian police departments across the country. Sen. Dick Durbin of Illi- nois said he has long been concerned about the adop- tion of military-style tac- tics by local police depart- ments and their use of mil- itary equipment, but, he said, the fatal shooting of an unarmed teenager by a Ferguson, Missouri, police officer gives "new urgency" to a review of the Pentagon program. Durbin said he looks forward to working with Hagel to ensure that the military equipment pro- gram "is carried out with the safeguards, account- ability and oversight that our communities need and deserve." Specifically, Durbin said he wants to ensure that the Defense Department con- sults with the Justice De- partment to determine whether police depart- ments need the equipment and comply with federal standards for receiving grants. He also wants to increase oversight of the program and improve training for local police. Durbin's letter comes as Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., plans a hearing next week to examine the Pentagon program and similar programs that en- able local police depart- ments to acquire surplus military equipment, in- cluding armored cars and assault rifles. McCaskill, who chairs a subcommit- tee on financial and con- tracting oversight, has called for authorities in Ferguson to "demilitarize" the situation. Speakers at the hear- ing, set for Tuesday, in- clude a top Pentagon of- ficial overseeing acqui- sition, technology and logistics, as well as offi- cials from the Homeland Security and Justice de- partments. Both depart- ments award grants to local law enforcement agencies for tactical equipment. The White House is con- ducting a review of pro- grams that have equipped local police departments with military gear from the Pentagon, and the Justice Department has launched a broad investi- gation into the Ferguson Police Department, fol- lowing the shooting last month of Michael Brown, a black 18-year-old by a white police officer. 'NEW URGENCY' Durbin: Pentagon should review police equipment program Landscape/Fence Steve's Tractor &LandscapeService •FenceBuilding•Landscaping • Trenching • Rototilling • Disking • Mowing • Ridging • Post Hole Digging • Blade Work • Sprinkler Installation • Concrete Work Cont. Lic. #703511 SteveDyke 385-1783 Construction Burrows Construction Remodel, New Additions, Siding Repair and Replacement, Water and Dryrot Damage Specialist, New Construction Foundation to Finish Ph:(530) 515-9779 Residential • Commerical PATIOS•DECKS REFRENCES Lic#824770 InPrintEvery Tues. - Thurs. - Sat. 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