New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg is making comprehensive immigration reform part of his platform for this, his third, and final, term.

"We're committing what I call national suicide. Somehow or other, after 9/11 we went from reaching out and trying to get the best and the brightest to come here, to trying to keep them out. In fact, we do the stupidest thing, we give them educations and then don't give them green cards."

"With leaders from across the country, we will assemble a bipartisan coalition to support President Obama's call for comprehensive immigration reform that honors our history, upholds our values, and promotes our economy," said Bloomberg as part of his remarks after being sworn in to term number three.

This fits with what the White House has said, indicating that they will pursue immigration reform in 2010 that opens an opportunity for citizenship for immigrants currently living illegally, a number around 12 million.

It’s interesting that this cause is getting traction with the White House and with Mayor Bloomberg. While I agree that there needs to be something sweeping and meaningful done about the sheer number of people who struggle living illegally in the U.S., I am fascinated that this issue doesn’t really have the push of a voting block. People who are undocumented can’t vote, so how does that figure into the classic view of politics that you do what will get you reelected? I can see why Bloomberg chooses his third term to make this happen, but Obama is making it a first term, election year issue, certain to draw as much if not more heat than his health care reform plans.

Bloomberg almost ran for president in 2008 as an independent, and as he is saying he will not seek a fourth term in the Mayoral office in New York, this could be part of his strategy to set himself up for the 2012 election. If Obama’s policies don’t make it through Congress and the Republicans can’t field a strong candidate, he could actually have a chance running as an independent… but that’s for another time.

On the hot-button issue of immigration, he favors more liberal laws on allowing immigrants into the country and legalizing those who lack documentation. That will draw opposition from advocates of tightening the border and deportation of illegal aliens.

Bloomberg’s views on immigration are pretty liberal- he wants to allow anyone living in the country without documentation to get it, and he also leans toward liberal laws on immigration in general. It would be part of the redefinition of what it means to be American, and a revolutionary act for everyone who is currently living illegally in the states.

This is obviously a big issue in New York City. I don’t know the numbers on the City, but there have to be hundreds of thousands of people living illegally in the city. I applaud Bloomberg for taking this issue and putting it at the top of the pile- a brave move, whether he is seeking reelection or not.

It is a new decade and we need to take a look at issues like this that are fundamental to how the United States if formed and functions as a country- just as old models of industry and finance are proving faulty, so is our immigration system when the light is shining.

Photo Credit: Ralph Alswang (via Flickr under CCL)