Obama Chides GOP on Immigration: 'They'll Want a Moat'

President Obama stood near the border with Mexico today and declared it more secure than ever, trying to build pressure on Republicans to take on a comprehensive immigration overhaul—and working to show Hispanic voters that he is not the one standing in the way. Countering Republican calls to focus on border security before moving to a comprehensive overhaul, Obama said their demands have been more than met by his administration, but "they'll never be satisfied."

On his first trip to the US-Mexico border since becoming president, Obama boasted of increasing border patrol agents, nearing completion of a border fence, and screening more cargo. "Maybe they'll need a moat," said Obama, who called reform an economic imperative. "Maybe they'll want alligators in the moat." The GOP's Eric Cantor: "The president's off talking about comprehensive reform. We've been down that road before. I believe, in turn, we should do things that actually produce some progress and results." Click to read the full text of Obama's speech. (More President Obama stories.)