In his speech on responsible home ownership in Phoenix Tuesday, President Barack Obama tied comprehensive immigration reform to building a durable housing market, saying “when more people buy homes and play by the rules, home values go up for everybody.”
“Step three is something you don’t always hear about when it comes to the housing market – and that’s fixing a broken immigration system,” Obama said, according to a White House transcript. “It’s pretty simple: when more people buy homes, and play by the rules, home values go up for everybody. According to one recent study, the average homeowner has already seen the value of their home boosted by thousands of dollars, just because of immigration.
“Now, with the help of your Senators, John McCain and Jeff Flake, the Senate has already passed a bipartisan immigration bill that’s got the support of CEOs, labor, and law enforcement,” he added. “And considering what this bill can do for homeowners, that’s just one more reason Republicans in the House should stop dragging their feet and get this done.”