As FAIR has been reporting for months, the Obama administration has been issuing memos recommending that large categories of illegal aliens are not to be deported. We have seen many recent examples of “prosecutorial discretion” used to grant deferred action to illegal aliens.
Yet at the same time, we’re witnessing media reports indicating that the Border Patrol is not operating under new Obama administrative amnesty guidelines. A recent Texas Tribune story included a Border Patrol (BP) agent saying “until there is policy and guidance from DHS, we still do what we have to do.” We’ve heard similar statements from ICE field agents revealing that, “it’s business as usual.” ICE agents say they’ve heard nothing from headquarters.
So what is happening?
The most likely possibility is that because it’s still early in the process, not all ICE and Border Patrol agents have been formally advised yet of the new non-enforcement policies. Over time, ICE and BP will be given more guidance and more “low priority” illegal aliens will simply being let go.
But another possibility is that the Obama administration is snookering its Hispanic base. The administration has announced administrative amnesty guidelines to appease a small, but much needed voting base and is buying time until the election. At the same time, the administration will continue apprehensions and deportations as usual to satisfy Obama’s broader base of moderates and independent voters who expect continued enforcement.
While cynical, this option is politically advantageous. And if this were true, it does not imply a benign state of affairs. By continuing to dangle an amnesty carrot, the incentive to come into the country illegally remains strong. And of course, President Obama is corrupting immigration policy by using it as a political instrument.
It’s just a theory, of course. But with no transparency in the policy-making process, and invitations to key White House meetings given only to illegal alien special interests groups, we do have to wonder.
3 Comments
The Obama, Napolitano, Morton and Vanison ‘back-door amnesty is unlawful and unconstitutional, and my criminal conspiracy complaint pointed this out to the Judiciary Committe.The DHS knows this. They are frantically pouring through court decisions and common law looking for more constitutional loopholes.
The new deportation policy violates one of the two exceptions to absolute discretion granted to the executive branch, in Heckler– it was an extreme departure from plenary applicable Congressional law.
It violates the equal treatment of those immigrants going through the naturalization and citizenship process.
It violates the equal treatment rights of citizens and legal residents who must always pay a penalty or serve jail time if they are caught using a false ID or someone else’s ID.
It puts our country at risk of increased terrorist and predator attacks, and that is a violation of the President and Napolitano’s oaths of office, because there is no way, for sure, to determine the criminal record ot the illegals back in their home countries, where so many cops can be paid off.
Most of all, it is an gross over-extending of the use and scale of ‘prosecutorial discretion’, when compared to the historic scale and common use of it in common law.
The actions of Obama shows that he is truly a radical Post-America oligarch, identifying with La Raza and other far left radical socialist groups, but what should hurt all American citizens is that, with this executive order, at a time when young Blacks are competing for jobs in the Urban areas and losing them to illegals, at a 40% rate, Obama is saying, ‘up yours’…’we (Obama adminstration) will do what we want.’
“By continuing to dangle an amnesty carrot, the incentive to come into the country illegally remains strong.”
Even talking about potential amnesty undermines deterrence–the “prosecutorial discretion” order makes a mockery of it.
Who cares if he’s bluffing the Hispanics, he’s a sham by nature, they should have grasped that already! The bottom line is, Pres.BO has been utterly deceitful (with his behind closed door antics) & he has lied to the American people repeatedly (remember his no lobbyists and his transparency BS, just to name a few). This incompetent is the WORST (president) EVER, & has to removed from office in 2012 , if not impeached before then!