Thread: Republicans Decry DHS Deportation Review as 'Amnesty'

Republicans Decry DHS Deportation Review as 'Amnesty'
Published August 19, 2011
FoxNews.com

Republicans accused the Obama administration of instituting "backdoor amnesty" after officials announced they would launch a case-by-case review of illegal immigrants slated for deportation in an effort to thin the list and focus resources on kicking out criminals.

The move would likely grant a reprieve to many would-be DREAM Act beneficiaries and thousands of others. The DREAM Act is a proposal in Congress to give illegal immigrants who came to the U.S. as children a chance at legal status if they complete two years of college or military service. Though the bill has not passed, Thursday's announcement could serve to carry out its provisions.

Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer, one of the president's toughest critics on border policy, said the move amounts to the administration implementing an immigration overhaul "via executive fiat."

"This plan amounts to backdoor amnesty for hundreds of thousands -- if not millions -- of illegal aliens," the Republican governor said in a written statement. "We need to remind President Obama that we elected a president that serves beneath the law and did not anoint a king that is above the law."

Texas Republican Rep. Michael McCaul said the plan circumvents Congress.

"It is just the latest attempt by this president to bypass the intended legislative process when he does not get his way," McCaul said.

But Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said in a letter to Senate Democrats that it would "enhance public safety" by focusing deportation efforts on those "who pose a threat."


Department of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano administers the oath of citizenship during a naturalization ceremony Aug. 5 in New York.

Under the plan, DHS and the Department of Justice will review all cases in removal proceedings as well as any new cases to make sure those who are deported meet the kind of criteria established in a June 17 agency memo.

The memo from Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director John Morton instructed staff to consider 19 factors when exercising "prosecutorial discretion" -- or the discretion an ICE attorney has in deciding whether and how to pursue an immigration case. The list includes factors similar to those in the DREAM Act, like whether someone arrived in the U.S. as a "young child," is pursuing an education or has served in the military.

Thursday's announcement goes beyond the memo by establishing a process to flag and exempt certain illegal immigrants from deportation. A team of attorneys and officials will be tasked with reviewing the more than 300,000 cases in the system.

Cecilia Munoz, White House director of intergovernmental affairs, wrote on the White House blog that the review would "clear out low-priority cases on a case-by-case basis and make more room to deport people who have been convicted of crimes or pose a security risk" -- while ensuring the low-priority cases are kept "out of the deportation pipeline in the first place."

Describing groups of people similar to those targeted in the DREAM Act, she said the low-priority list would include "individuals such as young people who were brought to this country as small children, and who know no other home," as well as "individuals such as military veterans and the spouses of active-duty military personnel."

She said that with more than 10 million people in the country illegally, the strategy is meant to focus limited resources on those who pose the greatest risk.

House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid praised the decision.

"This new DHS directive will help prioritize our limited enforcement resources to focus on serious felons, gang members and individuals who are a national security threat rather than college students and veterans who have risked their lives for our country," Reid said in a statement. "I am especially pleased about the impact these new policies will have on those who would benefit from the DREAM Act. ... We lose a lot by sending them back to countries they do not know."

Reid said Congress should still pass immigration reform legislation.

Napolitano also stressed in her letter that the new process "will not alleviate the need for passage of the DREAM Act or for larger reforms."

But the Federation for American Immigration Reform described the announcement as a complete overhaul of immigration law without approval by Congress.

"Having failed in the legislative process, the Obama administration has simply decided to usurp Congress's constitutional authority and implement an amnesty program for millions of illegal aliens," FAIR President Dan Stein said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/08 ... z1VUPLT4u0

FULL DEPLOYMENT NEEDED NOW!


http://www.alipac.us/ftopicp-1257492.html#1257492

If I donot see any serious action by Congressional Repubs/moderate Dems to stop this then we have truely become a Bananna Republic where "The Rule Of Law" means NOTHING.

Our Reps. have the power to stop this so they best get it done.

NO MORE Repub threats to this admin I want to see ACTION NOW !

I don't see how we could possible put up with four more years of this fool. But the republicans have to get together and nominate someone who can WIN. I think they blew it in 2008, with divisions over religious issues that really don't carry over into the political realm.

Republicans---avoid the fringe candidates! We can discuss those issues later or they can be appointed into the Cabinet. Get behind a team that can actually win, not another McCain/Palin ticket.

Romney and Bachmann are the strongest leaders at this point.

Originally Posted by Captainron

I don't see how we could possible put up with four more years of this fool. But the republicans have to get together and nominate someone who can WIN. I think they blew it in 2008, with divisions over religious issues that really don't carry over into the political realm.

Republicans---avoid the fringe candidates! We can discuss those issues later or they can be appointed into the Cabinet. Get behind a team that can actually win, not another McCain/Palin ticket.

Romney and Bachmann are the strongest leaders at this point.

Unless the Repubs really stop this backdoor Amnesty then they are just as guilty as this administration.

Actually this is neither a left or right wing issue but instead a National Crisis of whether we have a "Rule of Law" or a Dictatorship which ends our Republic as we know it and ends our constitution.

This is the most dangerous and serious breach of our Democracy I have ever witnessed. Even those who want immigration reform should heed the warning of a Breakdown in our most precious "rule of law" which,has always in the past,stopped zealots (on both sides) from sidestepping our constitution.

I have called 10 members of Congress so far... how many have you called !!!

There are almost 9,000 comments at the source link.

Added to Homepage:
http://www.alipac.us/article-6514--0-0.html

We have to stop the dictator Obama. THis cannot and must not continue.

A team of attorneys and officials will be tasked with reviewing the more than 300,000 cases in the system.

Team of attorneys? At what? $200 or $300K a year each? By Team Obama.

And, "ten million illegals in the country"? It was 10 million in the early 90's. Even when they were considering the number of illegals that would get health care under Obamacare they decided it was 17 million. And, everyone that reads this site knows it's two to three times yjr 17 million. How can they come close to even attempting to handle a problem if they don't ever acknowledge the magnitude of the sheer numbers that are invading. And, it has not lightened up because of our poor economy and the Mexican middle-class doing well.

1. Gets the debt ceiling raised 2 Trillion dollars before the election. Now he is bankrolled for the payoffs.

2. Calls for more government hiring of "minorities". EO Thursday 08/19/2011. Wnats to hire more "Hispanics" - PAYOFF to La RAza

3. Calls for a "new stimlulus" Has already signed EO in 2008 that requires all governemnt infrastructure contracts over $25,000.00 to go to Unions - PAYOFF to the Unions

4. Ammends immigration law without Congress to allow illegals to stay in the country and be given work permits to fill all of theose newly created jobs. PAYOFF to La RAza, MecHa, LULAC.

The Republicans have given him all the money he needs to buy the next election from the public coffers. He will enrich himself with election contributions and the racist policies that he promotes will only become more and more overt. Read Michelle Obama's thesis.

Since it appears we have an ineffectual, enabling and complict congress, why are we paying them now and why should they be paid for the rest of their lives?

I am confused about what country I am living in.