Administration hostile to enforcement of immigration laws

[peejay 327]

Administration hostility to enforce laws are part of a broader pattern

By Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Texas)

06/10/10 05:58 PM ET

Attorney General Eric Holder has threatened to have the federal government sue the people of the State of Arizona for attempting to do what the feds have failed to do: enforce our nation’s laws and secure the border. This is not surprising because President Barack Obama has assailed the law. And, despite admitting that they had not actually read the legislation, both Mr. Holder and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano have criticized it as well.

Their position not only disregards the will of the majority of Arizonans, but the will of the majority of Americans.

The Obama administration’s hostility to immigration enforcement goes far beyond its opposition to Arizona’s law. It is part of a broader pattern to ignore the law until they can change it to allow millions of illegal immigrants to become citizens.

Speaking before a gathering of the National Council of La Raza as a candidate for president, Obama said the federal law enforcement officers who are charged with enforcing the nation’s immigration laws were responsible for “terrorizing” communities. It was a shining moment for the open borders crowd. To the federal agents at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the message was clear: “I don’t like what you do, and I’ll stop you if I’m elected.”

It didn’t take long for the campaign rhetoric to turn into action.

Last year, after having arrested a criminal illegal immigrant gang member and learning he worked with other illegal immigrants at a manufacturing plant, ICE Special Agents began a criminal investigation. They ended up arresting 28 illegal immigrants as part of the investigation. It was good police work, but President Obama’s Homeland Security Secretary responded by announcing that she would investigate the investigators!

The Obama administration has all but abandoned worksite enforcement efforts. Through April, administrative arrests are down 80 percent, criminal arrests are down 68 percent, the number of criminal indictments is down 74 percent and convictions are down 75 percent since 2008. What an insult to the millions of unemployed citizen and legal immigrant workers who need those jobs held by millions of illegal immigrants!

The Obama administration argues that they have increased the number of audits of employers. But audits do almost nothing to stop illegal immigration or discourage illegal hiring. Audits can result in fines, though employers consider them just the cost of doing business. Illegal workers are typically not arrested and are simply turned loose in the community to compete with citizens and legal immigrants for other jobs.

Of course, worrying about jobs lost wouldn’t be as large a problem if the border itself was secure and illegal immigrants couldn’t come in the first place. And completion of the border fence would help.

We know that a border fence can be very effective – in San Diego, the fence reduced apprehensions by 95 percent. But there is no fence in many other areas.

To date the administration has only built about 344 miles of actual pedestrian fencing along the nearly 2,000 miles of southwest border. The Secure Fence Act required nearly 800 miles of actual fencing.

The president’s budget reflects his administration’s distaste for immigration enforcement. The administration didn’t request money for a single new detention bed, no increase in funds to find and deport illegal immigrant criminals and no additional special agents to investigate workplace immigration violations.

We deserve the federal government’s protection. The Obama administration should put the interests of Americans first and enforce our immigration laws and secure our borders.

Smith is the ranking member on the House Judiciary Committee.

http://thehill.com/special-reports/immigration-june-2010/102581-administration-hostility-to-enforce-laws-are-part-of-a-broader-pattern

[Pooky 3,880]

[Saddle Bronc 124]

Not surprising, since NO post-Reagan administration has actually been PRO-enforcement--both Bushes made much of "immigration reform" (euphemism for amnesty which would, under the junior, have DWARFED 1986 scamnesty--from which I suffered greatly the delayed aftereffects) as does 0bama; Reagan's 1986 scamnesty of 3 million (for which potential legal immigrants CONTINUE to pay through delayed processes) encouraged a far larger number (estimated 12-24 million) to attempt such!

[Sofiyya 1,687]

Every post Reagan administration has held a One World philosophy. Bush I spoke openly about it, Clinton and Bush II were a bit more muted in their terminology, and, now, Barry is open about it again. We are being assailed by open borders advocates seeking to protect oppressive oligarchies in the southern hemispheres from potential backlash from their own populations. The US serves as their safety valve and employers who cannot outsource to cheaper venues can use illegals to reap greater profits at the expense of legal workers. That is why our cries for enforcement and justice land on deaf ears.

Edited June 12, 2010 by Sofiyya

[Susita 175]

The Obama administration argues that they have increased the number of audits of employers. But audits do almost nothing to stop illegal immigration or discourage illegal hiring. Audits can result in fines, though employers consider them just the cost of doing business. Illegal workers are typically not arrested and are simply turned loose in the community to compete with citizens and legal immigrants for other jobs.

What's the point of doing an audit of a business and letting illegal immigrants go? I understand that the business does pay a fine but they're not solving the problem. The only reason I can think of to not detain them is that there is no room in the detention centers. I saw a program on Discovery en Español the other day about illegal immigration proceedings. They could be held for months in a detention facility while their status is verified. Does it really take months to verify someone's status? We have biometrics now and everything. Damn bureaucracy.

And I also wonder why the IRS doesn't get involved with these audits. With all the taxes that were not being paid by these businesses, the federal gov't could at least try to recuperate some of it. We DO need the money after all!

[peejay 327]

What's the point of doing an audit of a business and letting illegal immigrants go? I understand that the business does pay a fine but they're not solving the problem. The only reason I can think of to not detain them is that there is no room in the detention centers. I saw a program on Discovery en Español the other day about illegal immigration proceedings. They could be held for months in a detention facility while their status is verified. Does it really take months to verify someone's status? We have biometrics now and everything. Damn bureaucracy.

And I also wonder why the IRS doesn't get involved with these audits. With all the taxes that were not being paid by these businesses, the federal gov't could at least try to recuperate some of it. We DO need the money after all!

I'm no expert on the stats, but many of the people detained in detention facilities are fighting deportation. They could just end their incarceration by going home voluntarily. They aren't stateless. Who's to blame for that?

The point of the Obama administration's practice of letting illegals go is to pander to ethnic interests for their own self interest while refusing to enforce long standing law that protects the best interests of American citizens. Obama and many corrupt Dumbocrats see millions of amnestied illegal aliens and their relatives as their path to perpetual political hegemony. They are nothing more than party hacks looking out for themselves. I hope the American people note what they are doing and remember this treachery in 2010 & 2012. Of course there are Democrats that don't abide by this corrupt thinking. Hopefully they will make their positions clear during their campaigns.

I'm an independent voter, but the Dumbocrats just utterly disgust me on this issue. They need to be called out on it.

[evli1966 88]

Every post Reagan administration has held a One World philosophy. Bush I spoke openly about it, Clinton and Bush II were a bit more muted in their terminology, and, now, Barry is open about it again. We are being assailed by open borders advocates seeking to protect oppressive oligarchies in the southern hemispheres from potential backlash from their own populations. The US serves as their safety valve and employers who cannot outsource to cheaper venues can use illegals to reap greater profits at the expense of legal workers. That is why our cries for enforcement and justice land on deaf ears.

Every post submitted they ignore the diaries or the people that worked closely with Reagan.

Reagan believed in protected borders and legal immigration.

His dream was the USA as "The Shining City on a Hill" with open doors to all who make the journey. We have open doors to all that make the journey legally.

I am not able to find the statement he made before the signing of the 1986 Amnesty Act ..something to the affect of " I sign this with hesitation" he knew he was making a deal with the devil (so to speak) but was tryign to secure the borders with increased security and to hold employers accountable.

"He failed"

No the supporters of Illegal immigration twist his views because he made that deal.

[john & jean 37]

campaign strategy?

[evli1966 88]

Every post submitted they ignore the diaries or the people that worked closely with Reagan.

Reagan believed in protected borders and legal immigration.

His dream was the USA as "The Shining City on a Hill" with open doors to all who make the journey. We have open doors to all that make the journey legally.

I am not able to find the statement he made before the signing of the 1986 Amnesty Act ..something to the affect of " I sign this with hesitation" he knew he was making a deal with the devil (so to speak) but was tryign to secure the borders with increased security and to hold employers accountable.

"He failed"

No the supporters of Illegal immigration twist his views because he made that deal.

I must strike what I say here because I can not support this and it is only by memory I am recalling this.