White House defends immigration raids as ‘clear signal’ to Central Americans
by Dave Boyer - The Washington Times - Wednesday, May 18, 2016
Facing a sustained outcry from advocacy groups, the White House said Wednesday that the new series of immigration raids should discourage families in Central America from sending their children to the U.S. illegally.
"This should send a pretty clear signal to everyone, particularly individuals who are considering having their children smuggled into the country, that that's a really bad idea," said White House press secretary Josh Earnest. "The pitch being peddled by human traffickers that they can get their child in the United States and their child will be allowed to stay is false. That is not an available option."
Immigration advocates and some Democratic lawmakers are raising concerns that the raids, which the Department of Homeland Security said are a continuation of operations announced earlier this year, are not affording due process to some of the illegal immigrants being deported.
Mr. Earnest said the administration is demonstrating "a firm commitment to due process."
"That is just an important principle of living in the United States of America and it's certainly one that this government is committed to," he said. "What's also true though is, this is a nation of laws and we have to enforce the laws. We can do all of that consistent with due process."
He said the immigration system would be "far more effective" if Congress had passed comprehensive immigration reform legislation.
The administration is funding a $700 million effort in El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala to address what it calls "the root causes" of the surge in illegal immigration from those countries to the U.S.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/...ntral-america/
