WASHINGTON - May 26 - After meeting with Senate Republicans yesterday, President Obama announced that he would send up to 1,200 additional National Guard troops to the Southwest border and would request an extra $500 million in border security spending from Congress. The move was advocated by Sen. John McCain and Sen. Jon Kyl, both of whom have retreated from their previous support of comprehensive immigration reform.

Michael B. Keegan, President of People For the American Way, issued the following statement:

"We all recognize that border enforcement is an important part of any comprehensive immigration policy; but it is only part. The Right Wing has demanded that real reform efforts be set aside in favor of soundbite-ready increases to border enforcement, and it is disheartening that the President seems to have acquiesced to those demands.

"America deserves an honest approach to comprehensive immigration reform. Such an approach requires a real discussion about treatment and dignity of the millions of undocumented immigrants who are already living and working in our country, and a commitment to eliminating the root causes of illegal immigration.

"Let's not get distracted-the Right Wing is not serious about immigration reform. If they were, they would recognize that border security is only part of the solution and begin to work with the President to bring about a real, comprehensive, and pragmatic solution to the country's immigration problem. The Right's endless and seemingly exclusive focus on border security makes clear that they have no interest in actually moving the country forward and solving this dilemma."