Posted on 11/21/2014 8:11:24 AM PST by SeekAndFind
WASHINGTON — Republicans predictably came down hard on President Obama’s address announcing his immigration executive order, with House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) vowing to “work with our members and protect the Constitution.”
How they were planning to funnel their outrage into legislative or judicial action was less clear.
“First, we’ll build on our progress at the border with additional resources for our law enforcement personnel so that they can stem the flow of illegal crossings, and speed the return of those who do cross over,” Obama said in the White House’s Cross Hall during the primetime address.
“Second, I’ll make it easier and faster for high-skilled immigrants, graduates, and entrepreneurs to stay and contribute to our economy, as so many business leaders have proposed,” he said. “Third, we’ll take steps to deal responsibly with the millions of undocumented immigrants who already live in our country.”
According to the White House, the Department of Homeland Security will be establishing a new deferred action program for parents of U.S. Citizens or legal permanent residents “who are not enforcement priorities and have been in the country for more than 5 years.” His previous Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals order would be expanded to include all illegal immigrants brought to the country as children before Jan. 1, 2010, regardless of current age.
Obama elaborated on his third step “because it generates the most passion and controversy,” adding that “we’ll prioritize, just like law enforcement does every day.”
“Felons, not families. Criminals, not children. Gang members, not a mom who’s working hard to provide for her kids,” he said of deportation targets. “…And let’s be honest -– tracking down, rounding up, and deporting millions of people isn’t realistic. Anyone who suggests otherwise isn’t being straight with you. It’s also not who we are as Americans. After all, most of these immigrants have been here a long time. They work hard, often in tough, low-paying jobs. They support their families. They worship at our churches.”
Obama acknowledged that “some of the critics of this action call it amnesty.”
“Well, it’s not. Amnesty is the immigration system we have today -– millions of people who live here without paying their taxes or playing by the rules while politicians use the issue to scare people and whip up votes at election time,” he said.
“That’s the real amnesty –- leaving this broken system the way it is. Mass amnesty would be unfair. Mass deportation would be both impossible and contrary to our character. What I’m describing is accountability –- a common-sense, middle-ground approach: If you meet the criteria, you can come out of the shadows and get right with the law. If you’re a criminal, you’ll be deported. If you plan to enter the U.S. illegally, your chances of getting caught and sent back just went up.”
The president then stressed it’s “important that all of us have this debate without impugning each other’s character.”
“Are we a nation that tolerates the hypocrisy of a system where workers who pick our fruit and make our beds never have a chance to get right with the law? Or are we a nation that gives them a chance to make amends, take responsibility, and give their kids a better future?” he asked. “Are we a nation that accepts the cruelty of ripping children from their parents’ arms? Or are we a nation that values families, and works together to keep them together?”
Republicans’ general reaction to the speech was that Obama is favoring a nation of lawlessness.
“Not long ago, President Obama said the unilateral action he just announced was ‘not an option’ and claimed he’d already ‘done everything that I can on my own.’ He said it would lead to a ‘surge in more illegal immigration.’ He said he was ‘not a king’ and ‘not the emperor’ and that he was ‘bound by the Constitution.’ He said an action like this would exceed his authority and be ‘difficult to justify legally,’” Boehner said. “He may have changed his position, but that doesn’t change the Constitution.”
The Speaker added that Obama “cemented his legacy of lawlessness and squandered what little credibility he had left.”
“This short-sighted view and these ill-advised actions will unfortunately have a host of unintended, negative consequences on an already strained immigration system. Attempting to justify his actions by harkening back to the 1986 immigration reform package is flat wrong – and ignores the fact that almost 30 years after 1986 our immigration system is more broken than ever,” Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) said, referencing President Reagan’s actions.
“…America is both a compassionate nation and a nation of laws, and to keep that balance the White House must work with Congress, not, as the old phrase goes, take their ball and go home.”
Georgia GOP Sens. Johnny Isakson and Saxby Chambliss vowed in a joint statement to “stop the president from executing bad policy” and stressed they “will consider all legislative and legal options when determining the best course of action to do so.”
Obama’s timing comes just as Congress has adjourned for the Thanksgiving recess, meaning options to counter or support the president won’t be weighed in a caucus room until December.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) is heading to the Center for Latino Progress in Hartford tomorrow for a rally with immigration advocates.
“The president’s reforms are only a first step, and the nation still needs the comprehensive immigration overhaul that only legislative action can achieve,” Blumenthal said. “Having reviewed existing law, I am very well satisfied that the President’s actions are well within his authority.”
“One of the preeminent benefits of this action will be to keep families together, ending the prospect of deporting parents of U.S. citizens, and enabling them to seek jobs, pay taxes, and support their families,” he added. “These steps serve basic American values that make us the greatest country in the history of the world.”
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) also urged congressional actions, underscoring fears that Obama’s actions could be overturned when he leaves office or sooner via lawsuit or legislation.
“Executive action is no substitute for legislation, and the President’s action does not absolve Congress of its own responsibility,” Pelosi said in a statement. “Democrats will continue to demand action on bipartisan immigration legislation that will provide lasting certainty to immigrant families, and secure the billions of dollars in economic benefits Republicans’ inaction has denied our country.”
Stressing that more than 16 percent of Texans are foreign-born, Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) predicted that Obama’s actions “increase the chances that anyone attempting to cross the border illegally will be caught and sent back.”
“There is a very simple solution to the perception that somehow the President is exercising too much executive authority and that is for Congress to pass a bipartisan bill to permanently fix the system,” she said.
“This is a win-win for everybody,” Rep. Jose Serrano (D-N.Y.) said. “If Republicans didn’t like what they heard tonight, they need to come up with a better plan in response.”
“Those who are unhappy with the president’s action need to direct their focus at the Speaker of the House,” said Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.).
Republican said they needed to get firm details on Obama’s plan before arriving at firm strategy options to counter the executive order.
“We need to see details on exactly how he purports to do what he says he will do — the president said absolutely nothing about how he was going to implement his plan —before we can know the best way to resolve this constitutional challenge,” Rep. Mick Mulvaney (R-S.C.) said. “And I absolutely reject the concept floated by some that Congress simply cannot do anything.”
If millions of people indeed sign up to get green cards, 0bummerCare, or whatever, under an amnesty that’s unconstitutional, won’t it be an opportunity to get their names and addresses for investigation, legal action, locating other offenders, and deportation?
..... And the masses collectively scratched their heads and declared ..... WOW ..... THIS GUY IS BRILLIANT ..... PLEASE RULE OVER US AND ENLIGHTEN US SOME MORE WITH YOUR ABSOLUTE BRILLIANCE.
RE: won’t it be an opportunity to get their names and addresses for investigation, legal action, locating other offenders, and deportation?
OK, let’s ask ourselves this question — practically, how does one deport 12 million people? (that’s the PEW estimate of those who are here illegally ).
I am starting to understand it.
Today’s system is doubleplusungood and we must assign the ministry of truthaplenty to resolve this issue to the satisfaction of all involved!
Yeah, right. And illegals are tooth faries... and dogs are unicorns and the sky is pink...
Governors have executive authority as well.
There are soon to be thirty-five Republican governors.
Republican governors should exercise Prosecutorial Discretion and simply ignore Obama’s executive order.
Lawsuits have no impact against the lawless.
Con gusto! (Was the question supposed to be a stopper of some kind? Hee-hee.)
How do you fight any widespread disease? All kinds of ways—it's crucial for survival, so you do it. First of all, the problem is financial at its root. So stop all money wires to the offending countries until they stop sending us their illegals. Can't get that done nationally without a signature from 0bama? Do it by state. Arrest the officers of banks that process these transactions. And of course, fine and arrest employers of illegals. Self-deportation starts very fast with these first two steps.
Send the info to local sheriffs. They actually want to do their jobs—and the people who elected them will help. Those states that care about the Constitution will help sheriffs beef up their budgets to hire the extra men. Round up the illegals. They will tend to flee to the "sanctuary" states. Let them. And police the state borders for out-of-state and otherwise suspicious vans and such. Electronically or by drone—put that stuff to good use, finally. Business and employment will boom in the "legals-only" states.
Drop off the illegals in Mexico, wherever they're from—who cares? The Mexicans will hate that. Too bad, so sad. States that border Mexico need to fortify their own boundaries—sorry, it's expensive, but this is a war. Will our own Federales interfere? Let them try. They won't be able to handle all the border states at once, and Federal will to keep the illegals will soon be weak, since there's zero popular support for the continued invasion of foreigners and foreign diseases.
The sanctuary states won't be able to stand this for long, especially as the criminal gangs' activities heat up. They will face revolt from non-illegals within their borders.
And so on. It's a crisis of national identity. It's happening for a reason. Make it a time of mass public education about our country's founding and history, the separation of powers, and the rule of law. It's an opportunity for renewal. Let's take it.
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