Joe Guzzardi: Obama stakes re-election on immigration policy
limaohio.com
August 23, 2011 10:39 AM
Joe Guzzardi, Californians for Population Stabilization

Talk about bad timing! For the third time in three years, President Barack Obama is on a 10-day vacation at tony Martha's Vineyard. Disregarding soaring debt, high unemployment, home foreclosures, two costly wars and a tumultuous stock market Obama took wife Michelle and daughters Malia and Sasha to hang out with the rich and famous on their 28-acre leased estate.

Before he left on vacation, Obama had a nasty surprise for unemployed Americans and citizens who believe in enforcing the nation's laws. According to new rules issued by the Department of Homeland Security, illegal immigrants facing deportation will now be allowed to stay in the country indefinitely and get a work permit. Break the law; be rewarded with a job opportunity.

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano presented the new policy as one that will allow the government to focus on deporting only illegal immigrants who are criminals or who pose a threat to national security. But given the broad nature of the Homeland Security edict, it's clear that the true purpose is to grant a backdoor amnesty to an unlimited number of illegal aliens.

In her letter sent to Sen. Richard Durbin, who sponsored various versions of the DREAM Act, and 20 of his like-mined colleagues, Napolitano outlined the new system.

Working groups from the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Justice will develop specific criteria to identify so called low-priority removal cases that will be considered for what they refer to as “prosecutorial discretion.â€