Obama Takes Revenge on Congress



Since Speaker Boehner initially declared immigration dead for 2013, the Obama administration has initiated sweeping, unilateral changes to U.S. immigration policy.

Without consultation – let alone approval – from Congress, the political leadership at the Department of Homeland Security issued no fewer than three memos in November and made an additional executive move to change immigration policies. The Obama administration seems intent on punishing Congress for not taking action by continuing to usurp their constitutionally granted authority over immigration. And, illegal aliens and immigrants are reaping the benefits.

Amnesty for Military Relatives

The policy memo released the day after Boehner’s “no immigration this year” declaration – November 15 – directs immigration officials to grant “parole in place” to the immediate relatives of active military servicemen, reservists, and veterans. The self-granted and completely fabricated “parole in place” designation is not found in law or regulation and the Obama administration appointees are claiming illegal alien relatives will be allowed to apply for green cards and citizenship. The effect: amnesty for illegal aliens.

Visa Waiver Program (VWP) Countries Get Unlimited Travel?

This less publicized memo, issued on November 14, grants illegal aliens who are immediate relatives of U.S. citizens who entered the country through the VWP the ability to obtain a green card and eventual citizenship even though they’ve remained beyond their authorized stay of 90 days. Even those ordered deported could obtain a green card under this memo.

Circumventing Time Limits on Temporary Work Visas

The November 11 memo allows the Obama administration to circumvent existing time limits for guest worker visas. The memo specifically applies to H-2A (agricultural workers), H-2B (low-skilled workers), and H-3 (“trainee”) visas. In practice, the changes under this memo could allow seasonal and temporary workers to establish de facto permanent residence in the United States.

Extending Foreign Student Visas

On November 20, DHS proposed changing federal regulations to allow even more foreign students to enroll in U.S. colleges and universities by permitting spouses and children of foreign students to study part-time. Over the past decade (2003-2013), the number of foreign students in the U.S. has grown 40 percent, now totaling 819,644. The main reason for the growth of foreign student enrollment is overseas recruitment by U.S. colleges and universities.

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Content written by Federation for American Immigration Reform staff.

10 Comments

  1. Pingback: The 12 Days of Amnesty: on the 2nd Day…

  2. avatar

    We have to fight this with everything we have. Call, write, email and fax the big O and all your Reps and Senators everyday. Join numbersusa.com and fax free!

  3. avatar
    Diana Reichardt on

    No amnesty!! These people are no different from the folks who came in the front door and obeyed our laws. They can do the same!!

  4. avatar

    How much longer is Congress going to allow Obama to change laws through the use of his “mighty” pen????? Maybe it’s a good thing that the Nuclear Option has passed. Now to impeach that imposter in the oval office! He is NOT looking out for the country’s best interest. He is only adding to the number of Democratic voters.

    Maybe a law needs to be passed that voters not only have to show a picture ID, but also show a birth certificate or green card (for permanent status)!!!!!!!!!! Very tired of all of this, it’s time to take action!

  5. avatar
    Thomas Clodfelter on

    Not NO … but HELL NO! Anything and EVERYTHING they have done since crossing our borders ILLEGALLY…is ILLEGAL!! It doesn’t matter how long they have been able to hide out It doesn’t matter how many children they have been able to sneak in or have while they are here hiding out. EVERYTHING they have done is ILLEGAL. Any politician that supports amnesty needs to be voted out of office. Barack Obama needs to be impeached and tried for treason against the United States of America, along with the likes of Nancy Pelosi (“We have to pass it to see what’s inside it!”), Harry Reid and Barbara Boxer!!!!

  6. avatar

    This president is a chronic liar. The old phrase is death by a thousand cuts. And that is what he is doing to the immigration laws of this country. Because once you are here, he’s not going to make you leave because his administration is going to issue directives that allow you to stay, no matter the terms you were admitted under or if you came illegally. He stands there and lies that he can’t pass amnesty by himself, but he said that about the Dream Act and then he mandated it by executive order.

    Why do we even have laws? We seem to have a president who ignores the laws at his will. The constitution says Congress makes the laws and the executive carries them out. I doesn’t say circumvent anything you don’t like.

    • avatar

      Sem, why should H4 status people get work authorization, when the company that issues the H-1 visa is supposed to show, or at least attest, that it can’t find an American for the job? Doing that, but letting the dependents of the H1-B holder take ANY job defeats the purpose of H1-B. If you’re an H-4 and want to work, find your own H1-B. Your inability to work should be factored into your decision as a family to accept the H1-B or not.