Obama Administration Quietly Prepares 'Surge' Of Millions Of New Immigrant IDs
by Jonathan Strong 19 Oct 2014, 5:53 PM PDT
breitbart
Despite no official action from the president ahead of the election, the Obama administration has quietly begun preparing to issue millions of work authorization permits, suggesting the implementation of a large-scale executive amnesty may have already begun.
Unnoticed until now, a draft solicitation for bids issued by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Oct. 6 says potential vendors must be capable of handling a “surge” scenario of 9 million id cards in one year “to support possible future immigration reform initiative requirements.”
The request for proposals says the agency will need a minimum of four million cards per year. In the “surge,” scenario in 2016, the agency would need an additional five million cards – more than double the baseline annual amount for a total of 9 million.
“The guaranteed minimum for each ordering period is 4,000,000 cards. The estimated maximum for the entire contract is 34,000,000 cards,” the document says.
The agency is buying the materials need to construct both Permanent Residency Cards (PRC), commonly known as green cards, as well as Employment Authorization Documentation (EAD) cards which have been used to implement President Obama's “Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals” (DACA) program. The RFP does not specify how many of each type of card would be issued.
Jessica Vaughn, an immigration expert at the Center for Immigration Studies and former State Department official, said the document suggests a new program of remarkable breadth.
The RFP “seems to indicate that the president is contemplating an enormous executive action that is even more expansive than the plan that Congress rejected in the 'Gang of Eight' bill,” Vaughn said.
Last year, Vaughn reviewed the Gang of Eight's provisions to estimate that it would have roughly doubled legal immigration. In the “surge” scenario of this RFP, even the relatively high four million cards per year would be more than doubled, meaning that even on its own terms, the agency is preparing for a huge uptick of 125 percent its normal annual output.
It's not unheard of for federal agencies to plan for contingencies, but the request specifically explains that the surge is related to potential changes in immigration policy.
“The Contractor shall demonstrate the capability to support potential 'surge' in PRC and EAD card demand for up to 9M cards during the initial period of performance to support possible future immigration reform initiative requirements,” the document says.
A year ago, such a plan might have been attributed to a forthcoming immigration bill. Now, following the summer's border crisis, the chances of such a new law are extremely low, giving additional credence to the possibility the move is in preparation for an executive amnesty by Obama.
Even four million combined green cards and EADs is a significant number, let alone the “surge” contemplated by USCIS. For instance, in the first two years after Obama unilaterally enacted DACA, about 600,000 people were approved by USCIS under the program. Statistics provided by USCIS on its website show that the entire agency had processed 862,000 total EADs in 2014 as of June.
Vaughn said EADs are increasingly coming under scrutiny as a tool used by the Obama administration to provide legalization for groups of illegal aliens short of full green card status.
In addition to providing government approval to work for illegal aliens, EADs also cost significantly less in fees to acquire, about $450 compared to more than $1000. In many states, EADs give aliens rights to social services and the ability to obtain drivers' licenses.
Vaughn noted there are currently about 4.5 million individuals waiting for approval for the green cards having followed immigration law and obtained sponsorships from relatives in the U.S. or otherwise, less than the number of id cards contemplated by the USCIS “surge.”
USCIS officials did not provide additional information about the RFP by press time.
http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Governm...-Immigrant-IDs
Up to 34 MILLION blank 'green cards' and work permits to be ordered ahead of Obama il
Up to 34 MILLION blank 'green cards' and work permits to be ordered ahead of Obama illegal immigrant 'amnesty'
By David Martosko, Us Political Editor for MailOnline
Published: 10:39 EST, 20 October 2014 | Updated: 12:08 EST, 20 October 2014
*An online draft proposal from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services says it will look for a vendor to supply the blank cards
*At least 4 million per year for five years, including a possible 9 million in the early going
*Document says the move is 'to support possible future immigration reform initiative requirements'
*Obama has pledged to unilaterally change US immigration policy this year, but recently pushed back his timetable until after November 4 elections
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services plans to seek a vendor to produce as many as 34 million blank work permits and 'green cards' – the paperwork that authorizes illegal immigrants to live in the United States – as the White House prepares to issue an executive order after the Nov. 4 midterm elections.
According to a draft solicitation published online, the government agency will look for a company that can produce a minimum 4 million cards per year for five years, and 9 million in the early stages.
President Barack Obama has pledged that he will make a move on immigration reform this year. His original timetable called for a decision by the end of the summer.
Republicans have decried the plan as an 'amnesty' for millions of illegal immigrants, including hundreds of thousands of unaccompanied minors who have come across the U.S.-Mexico border this year.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2014/...activist_y.jpg
#Not1More': An immigration activist heckled President Barack Obama on Sunday as he spoke during a campaign event for Democratic Maryland gubernatorial candidate Anthony Brown
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2014/...solicitati.JPG
Along with its solicitation for blank green cards and work permits, USCIS published images showing what the finished cards will look like
A draft RFP – a Request For Proposal – is typically published in advance so government contractors can prepare to submit their bids when the final version is published.
The draft came complete with photos of what the finished cards will look like.
Breitbart.com first reported on the planned solicitation.
Obama's high numbers of illegal immigration 'removals' – what used to be called 'deportation' – has earned him the nickname 'deportation president,' but most of those ejected border-crossers never get to the interior of the U.S.
Still, activists have protested his policies, including some who heckle his speeches. One yelled at him Sunday in the middle of a campaign stump speech supporting Democratic Maryland gubernatorial candidate Anthony Brown.
A USCIS official told MailOnline on Monday that the draft was published 'in case the president makes the move we think he will,' but added that the agency's Document Management Division (DMD) is by no means committed to buying the materials.
Still, the online draft explains that 'DMD requires card consumables for the production of USCIS' Permanent Resident Card (PRC) and Employment Authorization Document (EAD) cards.'
'These cards and related consumables, when assembled, become highly specialized and secure identification documents.'
And a successful bid, the draft solicitation says, will be able to support a 'potential "surge" in PRC and EAD card demand for up to 9M (9 million) cards during the initial period of performance to support possible future immigration reform initiative requirements.'
Former State Department foreign service officer Jessica Vaughan, now an immigration expert at the Center for Immigration Studies, told Breitbart that the RFP 'seems to indicate that the president is contemplating an enormous executive action that is even more expansive than the plan that Congress rejected in the 'Gang of Eight' bill.'
That legislation, which passed in the U.S. Senate last year only to be stalled in the House of Representatives, was a broad reboot of American immigration policy that won support from a handful of Republicans.
In included a provision to provide a pathway to citizenship for so-called 'dreamers' – people living in the country illegally who were brought to Americans as children before June 15, 2007.
Obama's Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which he ultimately enacted without congressional support, uses the EAD cards as part of its implementation.
USCIS says it processed 862,000 EADs overall between January and June of this year.
But 'the guaranteed minimum for each ordering period is 4,000,000 cards,' according to the draft RFP.
'The estimated maximum for the entire contract is 34,000,000 cards.'
The company that ultimately wins the contract will also be required to store the blank cards until the government needs them.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...al-aliens.html
House Judiciary Committee Staff Request Briefing on USCIS Immigrant ID Solicitation
by Caroline May 20 Oct 2014, 3:10 PM PDT
breitbart
House Judiciary Committee staff have requested a briefing from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services about the agency’s recent solicitation for millions of new immigrant IDs.
In a statement provided to Breitbart News, Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) expressed alarm that the Obama administration could already be moving forward with its plans to take unilateral action on immigration reform.
“It is alarming that the Obama Administration seems to be silently forging ahead with its plan to unilaterally grant millions of unlawful immigrants legal status and work authorization,” Goodlatte said. “Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee have demanded that President Obama publicly reveal the recommendations he has received that would further dismantle our nation’s immigration laws.”
Breitbart News first reported Sunday that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has issued a draft solicitation for vendors that can supply the materials necessary for millions of Permanent Residency Cards (PRC) and Employment Authorization Documentation (EAD) “to support possible future immigration reform initiative requirements.”
The solicitation comes in the wake of President Obama’s announcement that he plans to take executive action on immigration after the midterm elections.
Obama has not let the details of his plans slip out, instead expressing his intent to take executive action on immigration but refusing to reveal those actions until after the midterm elections.
“However, President Obama has left Americans in the dark and has decided to keep his plans secret until after the midterm elections," Goodlatte added. "House Judiciary Committee staff have demanded a briefing from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services on their draft solicitation to get to the bottom of this troubling issue.”
Republicans Monday voiced outrage at the expected upcoming actions.
Rep. Walter Jones (R-NC) said it is just one of a multitude of examples of why people are frustrated with their government.
“I see a heck of a lot of people [in my district], and the frustration with Washington is as deep as I’ve ever seen. I’ve been there 20 years and it's as deep as I’ve ever seen,” Jones said in an interview with Breitbart News.
“For a president not to get serious about securing the border and start rewarding people for being here illegally is unacceptable to the American people, and I represent part of the American people in the 3rd District," Jones added.
A spokesman for House Speaker Boehner used the same language, reacting to the solicitation.
“The Speaker has made perfectly clear to the president that it is unacceptable for him to unilaterally re-write immigration law on his own, and the Speaker will never support this type of action,” Boehner spokesman Kevin Smith told Breitbart.
USCIS has attempted to shrug off the implication that the solicitation has anything to do with Obama’s expected executive amnesty, telling Breitbart News the additional material for IDs could be needed for “any number of reasons.”
http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Governm...D-Solicitation
Limbaugh: Amnesty One of Post-Election 'Horror Stories'
on Breitbart TV 20 Oct 2014, 11:17 AM PDT
On Monday, conservative talk radio host Rush Limbaugh argued that a report that the federal government issued a draft solicitation for vendors to issue ID cards “to support possible future immigration reform initiative requirements” was proof that “all kinds of new horror stories” would become true after the election and “one of them is amnesty.”
Limbaugh predicted that “amnesty is coming,” and “we’re getting ready to pass out work IDs to 9 million people.” He pointed out, “we’ve seen this before,” and that the federal government issued a solicitation for “Escort Services for Unaccompanied Alien Children” back in January. He declared, “there’s all kinds of new horror stories in a lot of areas that are going to become reality after the election and one of them is amnesty.”
He added “it’s not going to happen until every Senate election has been decided, including Mary Landrieu in Louisiana if that goes to a run-off” because such an executive order would be “pure governing against the will of the people.”
Limbaugh also quipped, “apparently, not only do we need illegal immigrants to do the work Americans will no longer do, we need illegal aliens to commit the crimes Americans will no longer commit” in response to another report that interior deportations were down 34 percent and “167,000 convicted criminal immigrants with final orders of removal still in the United States.”
http://www.breitbart.com/Breitbart-T...Horror-Stories
Obama’s Deputies Prepare To Print Work Permits For Millions Of Illegals
8:43 AM 10/20/2014
Neil Munro
The Daily Caller
President Barack Obama deputies are secretly preparing to print work permits for up to 11 million illegal immigrants over the next two years, despite the nation’s high unemployment, stalled wages and increasing automation.
If Obama actually goes ahead with the plan that is sketched in a federal contract document, he would provide employers with the ability to legally hire 13 million foreign workers even as 12 million Americans turn 18 in 2015, 2016 and 2017.
The plan to print millions of work permits and green cards — dubbed “permanent resident cards” — is outlined in Oct. 3 and Oct. 6 federal announcements to contractors.
The contract plan was discovered by the Center for Immigration Studies, which favors a lower level of immigration.
“The objective of this procurement is … to produce Permanent Resident Cards (PRC) and Employment Authorization Documentation (EAD) cards,” said the Oct. 6 official announcement at FedBizOpps.gov.
“The requirement is for an estimated 4 million cards annually with the potential to buy as many as 34 million cards total,” the document says.
But the proposed five-year contract includes a so-called “surge” capability to produce an additional five million work-permit cards in one year.
“The Contractor shall demonstrate the capability to support potential ‘surge’ in PRC and EAD card demand for up to 9M [nine million] cards during the initial period of performance to support possible future immigration reform initiative requirements,” said the government’s description of the pending contract.
Those contract terms would give Obama the technical ability to hand out more than nine million work permits in one year, or 13 million in two years, as part of his much-touted unilateral immigration plan.
The plan could give work permits to more foreigners than the total number of U.S. jobs that have been created by businesses during his tenure.
“Over the past four and a half years, our businesses have created more than 10 million new jobs,” Obama declared at an Oct. 19 campaign speech in Maryland. “For the first time in six years, unemployment is below six percent.”
Currently, the federal government awards green cards to one million people per year. That’s roughly one new immigrant for every four Americans who turns 18.
If legal immigrants are given first priority, the proposed contract would still leave 11 million cards for illegal immigrants in the first two years.
The current inflow of legal immigrants — and the resident population of roughly 1.5 million guest workers — already increases the supply of blue-collar and professional workers. Few of the immigrants work in the agriculture sector. The extra labor supply flattens wages when the economy grows slowly, or as technology replaces lower-skilled workers, say economists.
Obama has promised progressives and advocates for immigrants that he will take major action on immigration by the end of the year.
He made that promise after Democratic lawmakers pleaded with him to delay the executive action until after the election.
Obama has repeatedly threatened to roll back enforcement of the nation’s immigration laws because the GOP won’t agree to his political priorities.
In early 2014, national polls and primary voters prompted House Republicans to reject the Senate’s 2013 comprehensive immigration bill.
The Senate bill was backed by Obama, progressives, the Chamber of Commerce, Silicon Valley, many established media outlets, universities, labor unions, the agricultural sector and Wall Street.
The bill would have provided a path to legalization to at least 12 million illegal immigrants, and boosted the annual inflow of legal immigrants and guest workers. It would have also provided more money for border security and a national E-Verify system.
Overall, in combination with existing laws, the Senate’s bill would have annually added up to nearly three million working-age immigrants and guest workers to compete for jobs against the four million Americans who enter the workforce each year.
Obama has taken similar — but much smaller — unilateral immigration actions before.
Collectively, those actions are providing works permits to roughly one million illegal immigrants or foreigners.
Since June 2012, Obama used the legally questionable “Deferred Action For Childhood Arrivals” program to give work permits to more than 600,000 illegal immigrants. That DACA number may go above 1.5 million.
Since 2011, he’s allowed roughly 200,000 Central Americans adults, youths and children to apply for green cards via immigration courts. That application process allows the adults and youths to work during the multi-year lawsuits.
In May 2014, Obama’s deputy announced a plan to give work permits to roughly 100,000 resident spouses of foreign guest workers.
On Friday, Obama’s deputies announced they would award work permits in 2015 to 110,000 Haitians who were expected to migrate over the next several years.
He’s also scaled back enforcement efforts so much that immigration officials have not deported 900,000 illegals — including 167,000 foreign criminals — who have been given deportation orders by federal judges. In 2013, for example, fewer than one percent of illegal immigrants living in the United States were repatriated.
The public opposes Obama’s immigration plans by a ratio of roughly three to one.
Polls show Obama’s policies are unpopular, even among his core supporters, such as unmarried women and Hispanics. Others polls shows that GOP voters, many Hispanics, Democratic voters, swing voters and people worried about jobs also oppose Obama’s immigration priorities.
http://dailycaller.com/2014/10/20/ob...s-of-illegals/
EDITORIAL: Green cards on the table
President Obama lets slip his scheme for a permanent majority
By THE WASHINGTON TIMES - - Monday, October 20, 2014
The White House intended to remain silent about its plans for immigration. Revealing a scheme to open the floodgates of amnesty would be disastrous on the eve of the critical midterm elections. But this is the gang that can't shoot straight.
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services on Friday threw open the door to as many as 100,000 Haitians, who will now move into the United States without a visa. Sen. Chuck Grassley, Iowa Republican, rightly and accurately denounced enabling Haitians awaiting a U.S. visa to enter the country and legally apply for work permits as "an irresponsible overreach of the executive branch's authority."
That was just the beginning. The immigration agency earlier this month had solicited a printer able to handle a "surge" of 9 million green cards "to support possible future immigration-reform initiative requirements." In an ordinary year, about 1 million green cards are issued, and over the life of this contract the company is expected to produce up to 34 million cards, a figure representing an increase of the population of the United States by 10 percent.
The cards do not come with automatic voter registration, but that's obviously what the scheme portends. President Obama's promised "executive actions" to bring about this enormous wave of amnesty constitute a transparent and cynical ploy to expand the Democratic voter base, creating a permanent majority. Republicans running for the House and Senate should demand that Mr. Obama lay his green cards on the table now, before — and not after — the Nov. 4 elections. No other campaign issue carries as much of an impact on the future of the nation.
In economic terms, importing millions of unskilled workers creates competition for the diminishing number of available jobs. Combine a flooded job market with the Democratic proposals for a doubling of the minimum wage to $15 an hour, and millions more American citizens will be without a job. Those who do have jobs will pay to provide federal freebies, from Obamaphones to Obamacare, to the formerly illegal aliens now with a green card.
As the recent influx of minor children over the southern border demonstrates, word of amnesty on the way travels fast. Handing green cards to those who cheated the system and entered the country illegally creates an incentive to millions more to follow in their path, collecting as many benefits as possible along the way. It's a disaster in the making — indeed already here — for public health and national security, straining the welfare state to its limit.
Most Americans want no part of this. A Gallup survey finds that 74 percent of Americans want the level of immigration to stay where it is, or reduce it. Mr. Obama has no support for his amnesty scheme except from those who want to transform America into a nation that no one would recognize. Voters can get to work on stopping the transformation on Nov. 4.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/...-on-the-table/
White House Punts on USCIS Request for 'Surge' of Immigration ID's
by Charlie Spiering 21 Oct 2014, 11:38 AM PDT
breitbart
http://cdn.breitbart.com/mediaserver...protest-ap.jpg
White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest declined to address a Breitbart News report about a “surge” of immigration ID’s requested by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
When asked about the report at the White House Press Briefing today, Earnest referred Breitbart News to the USCIS for comment.
A draft solicitation for bids issued by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Oct. 6 says potential vendors must be capable of handling a “surge” scenario of nine million id cards in one year “to support possible future immigration reform initiative requirements.”
The request for proposals says the agency will need a minimum of four million cards per year. In the “surge,” scenario in 2016, the agency would need an additional five million cards – more than double the baseline annual amount – for a total of nine million.
“The guaranteed minimum for each ordering period is 4,000,000 cards. The estimated maximum for the entire contract is 34,000,000 cards,” the document says.
http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Governm...migration-ID-s
White House: Order For Surge of Immigration ID's For 'Ongoing Operations'
by Charlie Spiering 22 Oct 2014, 11:18 AM PDT
breitbart
Grilled by reporters, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest addressed an order for a “surge” of immigration IDs of up to 9 million in one year, but said the move is no confirmation President Obama will issue a major executive amnesty after the election.
“I think those who are trying to read into those specific orders about what the president may decide are a little too cleverly trying to divine what the president’s ultimate conclusion might be,” he said.
As reported by Breitbart News, USCIS is soliciting the materials to required to print green cards and employment permits of the type used to implement Obama's "Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals" program. The draft solicitation says that in addition to a minimum order necessary to print 4 million such IDs per year, vendors must have the capacity to produce materials for a "surge" of 9 million IDs in 2016.
“The Contractor shall demonstrate the capability to support potential 'surge' in PRC and EAD card demand for up to 9M cards during the initial period of performance to support possible future immigration reform initiative requirements,” the document says.
Earnest explained that he had a chance to read reports about the issue after declining to address it at yesterday’s press briefing, but dismissed questions about it as a a “relatively clever way” of trying to predict Obama’s decision.
“So you are suggesting that ordering these green cards shows that the government is at least preparing the president to announce this soon?” Fox News reporter Ed Henry asked during the White House Press briefing.
Earnest denied that the order was a indication of what Obama was planning to do.
“I think the report is that they ordered some paper,” Earnest said, insisting that the order was for “ongoing operations” at the Department of Homeland Security.
“Don’t be absurd with us!” replied White House CBS reporter Major Garrett. “That’s not just an ordinary piece of paper it’s central to what the president has promised in public to do … is that coincidental or is it unrelated?”
“You would have to ask the DHS about orders of green colored papers that they’ve ordered,” Earnest said.
“I mean this is crazy,” Earnest chuckled as Garrett continued to press him on the issue.
“Why isn’t it just obvious that that seems to be related?” asked Garrett.
Earnest laughed and again suggested that the orders for more “card stock” associated with making IDs was just part of their daily operations.
“You would have ask them about the policies that govern their procurement of green paper. Right?” Earnest said, insisting that he was not trying to be clever with his response.
Garrett replied that it would be difficult for the DHS to be caught without a proper supply of materials - if the president decided to issue an executive order.
“There are a lot of things we don’t know,” Earnest replied, adding that there were still decision to be made about Obama’s executive actions.
“What I would caution you against doing, is making assumptions about what will be in those announcements based on the procurement practices of the Department of Homeland Security.”
According to the USCIS solicitation, the "surge" capacity would allow the agency to issue more than double the baseline number of immigrant IDs it would issue as part of its current "ongoing operations."
The document describes the materials sought by the agency as "100% polycarbonate solid body card stock with Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and holographic images embedded within the card construction substrate layers, card design service, and storage."
Top Republicans including Speaker John Boehner have denounced Obama over the issue, and immigration experts said the solicitation suggests the administration is already beginning to implement a broad executive action.
http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Governm...ing-Operations
Obama Admin To Brief Goodlatte On Immigrant ID 'Surge'
by Caroline May 22 Oct 2014, 2:27 PM PDT
breitbart
With questions swirling about the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ solicitation for material to create millions of new immigrant IDs and work permits, the agency has agreed to brief House Judiciary Committee staff, Breitbart News has learned.
Breitbart first reported Sunday that USCIS has issued a draft solicitation for vendors that can supply the materials necessary for millions of Permanent Residency Cards (PRC) and Employment Authorization Documentation (EAD) “to support possible future immigration reform initiative requirements.”
Monday, House Judiciary Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) revealed that his staff have demanded a briefing.
“It is alarming that the Obama Administration seems to be silently forging ahead with its plan to unilaterally grant millions of unlawful immigrants legal status and work authorization,” Goodlatte said at the time.
A House Judiciary aide confirmed to Breitbart News Wednesday that the agency has agreed to brief the committee staff but noted such a meeting has not yet happened. The aide did not provide any information about when the briefing will occur.
With President Obama poised to take executive actions on immigration after the midterm election, White House Press Secretary John Earnest faced a barrage of questions Wednesday from reporters about the USCIS solicitation.
Earnest denied — to skeptical reporters — that the order provided hints about Obama’s executive action plans.
Nevertheless, many questions remain about the solicitation which explained the agency is looking for a contractor that can handle a “surge” of 9 million ID cards in a single year and up to 34 million cards for the entire contract.
“The Contractor shall demonstrate the capability to support potential 'surge' in PRC and EAD card demand for up to 9M cards during the initial period of performance to support possible future immigration reform initiative requirements,” the solicitation reads.
http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Governm...e-Solicitation
