Jim Kouri
Law Enforcement Examiner

April 11, 2012


President Obama made a lot of promises to a lot of people regarding Mexican illegal aliens.
Photo credit: WH Press Office


President Barack Obama's administration appointees at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services this week revealed their plans to move forward with the rulemaking process to allow illegal alien spouses and children with U.S. citizen relatives to stay in the United States while the federal government decides on their waiver request, according to the U.S. House of Representatives' Committee on the Judiciary.

Ironically, two of Obama's relatives -- an aunt and an uncle who was arrested for drunk driving -- are currently in the United States illegally.

Under current U.S. immigration law, illegal aliens must leave the country before they can ask the federal government to waive the three and 10 year bars on legally coming back to the United States.

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) released a statement criticizing Obama's proposed change without the approval of Congress.

“President Obama is bending long established immigration laws to grant backdoor amnesty to potentially millions of illegal immigrants. Congress has defeated amnesty attempts several times in recent years. According to a recent poll, two-thirds of Americans want to see immigration laws enforced, not ignored. Once again, President Obama is rewarding law breakers and disrespecting the rule of law,” stated Chairman Smith.

The U.S. Congress instituted the three and 10 year bars during the Clinton Administration in 1996 to provide a penalty for immigrants who had been illegally present in the U.S. for long periods of time. Although the waiver of these bars is legal under current law, it is not intended to be applied to millions of illegal immigrants, according to Rep. Smith.

Political strategist and attorney Michael Baker believes Obama and his immigration appointees are pushing their agenda "full speed ahead while members of Congress appear unwilling to try to stop his bending U.S. laws regarding illegal alien lawbreakers."

According to Baker, beginning in late April, the Homeland Security Department will suspend all non-detained dockets for illegal immigrants in four additional jurisdictions, as it previously did in Baltimore and Denver, for two weeks. These jurisdictions include Detroit, New Orleans, Orlando, and Seattle.

In May, DHS will partially suspend the non-detained docket in New York City and then in July, it will implement the same procedures in San Francisco and Los Angeles.

This means that DHS intends to solely focus on detained cases in these jurisdictions, meaning those who come to the attention of law enforcement, claims Rep. Lamar Smith.

But if the illegal or criminal immigrant bonds out of jail, they can be put on the non-detained docket and could potentially remain in the U.S. This decision is just another part of the Obama administration’s plan to grant administrative amnesty to potentially millions of illegal immigrants, Smith stated.

“The Obama administration’s decision to expand its backdoor amnesty plan to cities across the United States endangers Americans and insults law enforcement officials," noted Smith in his statement.

“The Obama administration’s refusal to enforce immigration law encourages more illegal immigration and rewards those who have broken our laws by allowing them to remain here and apply for work authorization. And the Department of Homeland Security could let some criminal illegal immigrants, such as those charged with drunk driving, stay in the U.S.," Smith said.

"Why would the Obama administration knowingly jeopardize the health and lives of Americans?" he asked.

Lawmaker: White House bends immigration laws - National Law Enforcement | Examiner.com