The “Most Transparent Administration in History” Huddling Behind Closed Doors with Lobbyists on Immigration



The “Most Transparent Administration in History” Huddling Behind Closed Doors with Lobbyists on ImmigrationAs we all know, this is the most transparent administration in history. We know this, of course, because President Obama has told us so on repeated occasions. Here he is in 2010 and 2014.

Apparently The New York Times hasn’t been paying attention. According to a headline story in Monday’s edition, “Behind Closed Doors, Obama Crafts Executive Actions,” the paper details the many policies that are being made or radically altered in secret. The most prominent example of this sort of secret policymaking, cited by the Times, is the behind-the-scenes effort by the administration to implement a massive, unlegislated illegal alien amnesty.

Noting President Obama’s very public Rose Garden speech in June declaring his intent to take executive action on immigration, the paper observes that, “Since then, the process of drafting what will likely be the only significant immigration changes of his presidency — and his most consequential use of executive power — has been conducted almost entirely behind closed doors, where lobbyists and interest groups invited to the White House are making their case out of public view.” The story goes on to note that, “Cecilia Muñoz, Mr. Obama’s top immigration adviser and the domestic policy chief, has led meetings attended by White House political aides and lawyers to hear from interest groups, individual companies and business groups about what executive actions they believe the president should take on immigration.”

Thus, “the most consequential use of executive power” (or, more aptly, the most consequential breach of the Constitution’s Separation of Powers doctrine) is being hatched “almost entirely behind closed doors” by “lobbyists,” “interest groups,” “individual companies,” and “business groups.”

Even those who agree with the president’s ultimate objective on immigration policy are justifiably concerned about what is going on. We should all be.

About Author

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Ira joined the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) in 1986 with experience as a journalist, professor of journalism, special assistant to Gov. Richard Lamm (Colorado), and press secretary of the House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee. His columns have appeared in National Review, LA Times, NY Times, Washington Post, Newsweek, and more. He is an experienced TV and radio commentator.

26 Comments

  1. avatar

    When comes to taxes evaided by US multinationals overseas, Czar Obama says it is unpatriotic and violates the letter of the law to hide in tax havens overseas. According to Drudge Report, the Obama administration is planning to import about 100,000 new green card holders, mostly for MicroSoft, Apple, Facebook Oracle, Intel and others from cheap foreign government paid programs in India to staff with low wage easily exploitable domestic labor as there is no student loan debt. Somehow, importing cheap exploitable foreign labor is OK while hiding US corporate profits overseas to avoid taxes is not. Double-spreak.

    Recently touted as “Bringing Jobs Back to America” was an Intel plant built in southern Idaho. While a reporter expected to see 500 employees working there found only 18, all computer programers who’s job it was to keep the robots running and with even Intel advertising robots who repair robots. The economic advantage of robots only accrue to the people who “own” the robots and nobody else. In future, you will either live in a gated comminity or “on the street” with no middle ground.

    This is a total repeat. In the last days of the Roman Empire (which was agrarinan), about 1% of the population owned 100% of the land (wealth). When the Vandals arrived at the Gates in 420 AD (who wanted in like illegals today), burned it to the ground and for 1,000 years was desolute and vacant. It take a lot of years, a lot of money and a lot of effort to build something, but only about 10 minutes to burn it to the ground.

  2. avatar
    John WInthrop on

    Mik actually you are wring……………….but then again you have the right to believe whatever you do….

  3. avatar

    This coming from a president that himself had illegal relatives living in USA. What do we expect?

    • avatar

      open boarder migration is a direct assault on the conservation of natural resources in America. You can’t wrap yourself in the Green Flag of a Conservationist & be for open boarder unlimited migration @ the same time… Human population needs to be reduced for the sake of sustainability… Catholic Church is the Church of the Overbreeding 3rd world planet eater…

  4. avatar

    The U.S. Constitution has clearly defined that set up the greed cards quota (the annual worldwide limit on green cards) is the U.S. Congress’s Job. Obama can not do anything on it. It is not like DACA.

  5. avatar

    Even recapture the unused green cards for previous years, it is going to be over 675,000 annual worldwide limit. He is creating a new law. He is overriding the quota which is set by the Congress. It is unconstitutional. Only the Congress has the power to set the quota which is annual worldwide limit on green cards. The Supreme Court should be able to strike down his executive order. Nobody can stop this unlawful president unless the Supreme Court gets involved.

    • avatar

      800,000 is unsustainable… for the sake of other species in our country & future unborn generations of Americans the population needs to be reduced to under 100 million… 500 million predicted for 2050 is ecological insanity…

  6. avatar

    One of the more popular requests among business and family groups is a change in the way green cards are counted that would essentially free up some 800,000 additional visas the first year, advocates say.

    Can Obama make a change in the way green cards are counted?

    No, he cannot.

    The Immigration and Naturalization Act (INA), the body of law governing current immigration policy, provides for an annual worldwide limit of 675,000 permanent immigrants, with certain exceptions for close family members*.

    * There is no numerical limit on visas available for immediate relatives, but petitioners must meet certain age and financial requirements. Immediate relatives are:
    ▪ spouses of U.S. citizens.
    ▪ unmarried minor children of U.S. citizens (under 21 years old).
    ▪ parents of U.S. citizens (petitioner must be at least 21 years old to petition for a parent).

    If he does it, the annual worldwide limit of permanent immigrants will be over 675,000 (800,000>675,000). It is against the law created by Congress. It is unconstitutional. This is not his job to set up a new worldwide limit of green card.

    • avatar

      I was reading that, about how they will change the way visas “are counted”. Why not? They already cooked the books on their “record deportations” which are anything but and those numbers are only obtained by adding in what no previous administration counted. Which is border turnarounds. True deportations, from the interior of the country, are way way down.

      • avatar

        we have way more than our fair share of invading migrants here in Maryland .Extirpation of Northern Bobwhite Quail & Ruff Grouse has already taken place on the Western Shore because of habit loss. Where is the Ecological Impact Study from the EPA on Open Boarder Migration @ ?

        • avatar

          FAIR has a study on that subject, about the ecological impact on Chesapeake Bay. BTW, it’s border.

      • avatar

        He can cook the book because the Department of Homeland Security within his executive power, but he can not change the quota which the Congress sets. Also, DACA is within his power, but the green card quota is defined clearly in the U.S. Constitution, it is the Congress power.

      • avatar

        Sweigeir must be an illegal. Someone should get his IP address and track him down so he can be deported.

        • avatar
          arnlof sweigeir ft on

          mb c ahead I am waiting for you and u meet me you will meet up one of your forefathers……that is right…..my family has been here since th beginning and founded this country……please bring your suitcases when u come……then I will send u back wherever u got the green card or h1 from or may he u r a gang member playing here…either way…u make anybody ashamed to be an American…..just like a coward instead of being civilized…..

          • avatar

            my family has been on the same land here in Maryland since 1741… need to send these 3rd world over-breeding planet eaters back to their own country’s…

        • avatar
          John WInthrop on

          mb you must be the one that an illegal gang member………so that if reform happens you are afraid they will kick you out for being a criminal……hopefully they will catch you..your IP is already recorded.

        • avatar
          arnlof sweigeir ft on

          Mb actually it is u who is the illegal alien and probably a gang criminal member that wants to have the current status unchanged so that u will never be caught and deported!!!!

      • avatar

        No, he’s right, polls show most people are against Amnesty. Do some research, don’t just take the word of your savior, Obama, and his fellowship of minions.