AZ leaders fire back at President Obama's immigration reform speech

PHOENIX - President Barack Obama, Thursday, broke his silence on immigration reform. During the first immigration speech of his presidency, President Obama blamed our broken immigration system on "political posturing and special interest wrangling."

Speaking at American University on Thursday, Obama laid out his rationale for a comprehensive approach to fixing what he and others, Republicans included, say is a broken immigration system.

He mentioned there are approximately 11 million immigrants in the U.S. illegally. "The 11 million who broke these laws should be held accountable," he said.

Yet, President Obama continues to clamp down on Arizona's passage of SB 1070.

"Laws like Arizona's puts huge pressures on local law enforcement to enforce rules that are ultimately are unenforceable. It makes it hard for people here illegally to report crimes," the President said.

That's because they're the ones committing the crimes, according to supporters of the law, including Arizona Governor Jan Brewer.

"Talk to the local law enforcement in the state of Arizona. They support 1070 and they will do their job," she said.

President Obama, meanwhile, faults Washington lawmakers for immigration hurdles. "And now under the pressures of partisanship and election year politics many of the 11 Republican senators who voted for reform in the past have now backed away from their previous support," he said.

"I happen to be one of those 11," Senator Jon Kyl (R-Arizona) told ABC15. He claims when it comes to border security, the President's doing more finger pointing then policing. "So quit bragging about what you think is a wonderful thing and get to the job," said Kyl.

"We're seizing more illegal guns, cash and drugs than in years past," said the President. "The southern border is more secure today than at any time in the past 20 years."

"He didn't mention the crimes against the illegal immigrants themselves," said Sen. Kyl. "There's a lot more drug smuggling now I think throughout all of the border then there ever was 20 years ago."

President Obama said the problem cannot be solved "only with fences and border patrols," but said the government should be held accountable for its responsibility to secure the border. Obama also said businesses should face consequences for knowingly employing undocumented immigrants and that those who enter the country illegally should own up to their actions before they can begin the process of becoming citizens.

"The question now is whether we will have the courage and the political will to pass a bill through Congress, to finally get it done," Obama said. "I'm ready to move forward, the majority of Democrats are ready to move forward and I believe the majority of Americans are ready to move forward. But the fact is that without bipartisan support, as we had just a few years ago, we cannot solve this problem."

"Reform that brings accountability to our immigration system cannot pass without Republican votes," he said. "That is the political and mathematical reality."