Obama Admin Plans More Executive Action on Immigration

he Obama administration is moving forward with plans to expand a waiver program that will allow additional illegal aliens to remain in the country rather than apply for legal status from abroad.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a proposed rule on Tuesday that would make changes to a waiver program created by President Barack Obama’s executive action on immigration in 2013. The action created a waiver that primarily allowed illegal immigrants with a U.S. citizen spouse or parent to stay in the country instead of having to leave the United States and be barred from returning for three or 10 years, if they proved their absence would create an “extreme hardship” for their spouse.

The new rule expands eligibility to a host of other categories of illegal immigrants beyond those with citizen spouses and parents.

“DHS proposes to expand the class of aliens who may be eligible for a provisional waiver beyond immediate relatives of U.S. citizens to aliens in all statutorily eligible immigrant visa categories,” the proposed rule stated. “Such aliens include family-sponsored immigrants, employment-based immigrants, certain special immigrants, and Diversity Visa program selectees, together with their derivative spouses and children.”

The waivers allow illegal immigrants to stay in the country while they await visas, and avoid a penalty under U.S. law that bars persons who entered the country illegally from returning for at least three years.

An illegal immigrant who lives in the country for less than a year and then leaves is barred from reentering the United States for three years. Any time spent illegally in the United States over one year results in the illegal immigrant being inadmissible for 10 years. The waiver program allowed individuals to remain in the country and avoid these penalties.

“It’s a very bad policy,” said Jessica Vaughan, director of policy studies at the Center for Immigration Studies. “It makes it possible for illegal aliens to avoid the consequences established by Congress to deter people from settling here illegally and then laundering their status by adjusting to a green card.”

Vaughan, who has been following the issue for over two years, said the changes to the waiver program would increase fraud.

“It is a slap in the face to the many legal immigrants who abide by the law, follow the process, and wait their turn,” she said. “In addition, it will increase the likelihood of fraud in the marriage categories, which produce tens of thousands of new green cards each year.”

“Green cards are the golden ticket. Once you get a green cards you get welfare, you get tax credits, you get entitlements,” said a GOP Senate aide. “The U.S. hands out one million green cards every year, and these documents are bankrupting the country.”

DHS said it is proposing the rule based on its “broad authority” under the Homeland Security Act of 2002.

The rule would also broaden the category of those whom an illegal alien can claim their absence from the United States would create an “extreme hardship.” Previously, the waiver only could be given if the illegal immigrant has a spouse or parent who is an American citizen.

“DHS also proposes to expand who may be considered a qualifying relative for purposes of the extreme hardship determination to include [legal permanent resident] LPR spouses and parents,” the proposed rule said.

The agency said the rule is intended to “prioritize the family reunification of immediate relatives of U.S. citizens over other categories of aliens.”

“The president should not be issuing executive actions that serve only to expedite the legalization process for those who have ignored our laws,” said Vaughan. “This legalization gimmick is undermining the integrity of our legal immigration system, and Congress should take steps to block it.”

The public will have 60 days to comment on the proposal.

Via: WFB

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Obama Admin Plans More Executive Action on Immigration

The Obama administration is moving forward with plans to expand a waiver program that will allow additional illegal aliens to remain in the country rather than apply for legal status from abroad.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a proposed rule on Tuesday that would make changes to a waiver program created by President Barack Obama’s executive action on immigration in 2013. The action created a waiver that primarily allowed illegal immigrants with a U.S. citizen spouse or parent to stay in the country instead of having to leave the United States and be barred from returning for three or 10 years, if they proved their absence would create an “extreme hardship” for their spouse.

The new rule expands eligibility to a host of other categories of illegal immigrants beyond those with citizen spouses and parents.

“DHS proposes to expand the class of aliens who may be eligible for a provisional waiver beyond immediate relatives of U.S. citizens to aliens in all statutorily eligible immigrant visa categories,” the proposed rule stated. “Such aliens include family-sponsored immigrants, employment-based immigrants, certain special immigrants, and Diversity Visa program selectees, together with their derivative spouses and children.”

The waivers allow illegal immigrants to stay in the country while they await visas, and avoid a penalty under U.S. law that bars persons who entered the country illegally from returning for at least three years.

An illegal immigrant who lives in the country for less than a year and then leaves is barred from reentering the United States for three years. Any time spent illegally in the United States over one year results in the illegal immigrant being inadmissible for 10 years. The waiver program allowed individuals to remain in the country and avoid these penalties.

“It’s a very bad policy,” said Jessica Vaughan, director of policy studies at the Center for Immigration Studies. “It makes it possible for illegal aliens to avoid the consequences established by Congress to deter people from settling here illegally and then laundering their status by adjusting to a green card.”

Vaughan, who has been following the issue for over two years, said the changes to the waiver program would increase fraud.

“It is a slap in the face to the many legal immigrants who abide by the law, follow the process, and wait their turn,” she said. “In addition, it will increase the likelihood of fraud in the marriage categories, which produce tens of thousands of new green cards each year.”

“Green cards are the golden ticket. Once you get a green cards you get welfare, you get tax credits, you get entitlements,” said a GOP Senate aide. “The U.S. hands out one million green cards every year, and these documents are bankrupting the country.”

DHS said it is proposing the rule based on its “broad authority” under the Homeland Security Act of 2002.

The rule would also broaden the category of those whom an illegal alien can claim their absence from the United States would create an “extreme hardship.” Previously, the waiver only could be given if the illegal immigrant has a spouse or parent who is an American citizen.

“DHS also proposes to expand who may be considered a qualifying relative for purposes of the extreme hardship determination to include [legal permanent resident] LPR spouses and parents,” the proposed rule said.

The agency said the rule is intended to “prioritize the family reunification of immediate relatives of U.S. citizens over other categories of aliens.”

“The president should not be issuing executive actions that serve only to expedite the legalization process for those who have ignored our laws,” said Vaughan. “This legalization gimmick is undermining the integrity of our legal immigration system, and Congress should take steps to block it.”

The public will have 60 days to comment on the proposal.

Via: WFB

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House readies vote on denying funds to sanctuary cities

House Republicans have put the finishing touches on a bill that would deny millions of dollars in federal funding to cities that refuse to enforce federal immigration laws.

Washington Examiner:

The legislation was added Monday to the House schedule, and according to a spokesman from the office of the Majority Leader. The earliest that vote could come is Thursday, since the House Rules Committee will meet Wednesday evening to agree on rules for debate and voting on the legislation. 

The "Enforce the law for Sanctuary Cities Act," would withhold several kinds of federal grants for police and immigration services in cities that intentionally ignore immigration laws. 

The legislation is sponsored by Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., and while he first proposed the measure in 2011, it has become a sudden priority for the GOP leadership in the wake of the the July 1 shooting death of Kate Steinle on a San Francisco pier. 

The House measure could cost sanctuary cities tens of millions of dollars in policing grants and grants to help cities cope with the influx criminal illegal immigrants. Specifically, it would shut down grants that states use under a criminal alien assistance program, and cut grants under the Community-Oriented Policing Services program to states with policies that go against federal immigration law. 

States that prohibit law enforcement from gathering information about citizenship or immigration status would also be denied funding.

Via: American Thinker

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[VIDEO] CRUZ: ‘THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY SUPPORTS ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION’

Texas Senator and Republican presidential candidate 

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX)

96%

argued “the Democratic Party supports illegal immigration” on Tuesday’s “On the Record” on the Fox News Channel.

Cruz said that sanctuary cities were a “persistent problem” where “you’ve got, often Democratic, mayors who are elected from the far left and who decline enforce the law. Now, it varies in terms of how brazen it is. It’s not always as brazen as San Francisco is, but it’s a problem when you have cities that are in the control of the Democrats and don’t want to follow the law.” And “they disagree with the law, and so they’re ignoring it.” Before touting legislation to cut off federal funding with sanctuary cities.

Cruz was then asked why the federal government has not passed legislation to force compliance with the law, he responded, “Well, it’s because the Democratic Party supports illegal immigration. … They don’t even call it illegal immigration. They’ve come up with this ‘undocumented’ term because they don’t acknowledge  — I’m reminded of a famous exchange where Sonny Bono, years ago — remember the former congressman? Was asked, ‘What’s your view on illegal immigration?’ He said [paraphrasing] ‘Well, It’s illegal, isn’t it?’ In 2013, the Obama administration released 36,000 criminals, people with criminal convictions who were illegal aliens. They released them publicly, 116 of them were murderers, they had homicide convictions. Over 15,000 of the criminal aliens the Obama administration released had convictions for drunk driving. These are Democrats that are endangering the security of this country by refusing to follow our laws, and it’s wrong.”

He also commented on the Iran deal, stating, “It is catastrophic. If it goes through, it will result in funding terrorism. It will endanger the lives of Americans. It will endanger Israel.” And vowed to “repudiate it on day one” if elected president.

Via: Breitbart

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Why aren't Democrats asked if they agree with sanctuary cities who refuse to enforce immigration laws?

Why does the administration sue states like Arizona who want to enforce federal immigration laws and essentially reward sanctuary cities like San Francisco who refuse to enforce the laws of the land?

Since sanctuary cities are acceptable to the administration, I believe the concept of sanctuary businesses should be set up nationwide. These businesses could choose to not comply with Federal immigration laws. They would get the double benefit of not having to cover illegal immigrants for Obama Care since that is not required. I am sure the Justice Department, the Obama Administrations, all Democrats, the compliant media, the ACLU and others would be major supporters of these sanctuary businesses since they are just trying to help out their fellow man and we all know that the U.S became the greatest economic power in the World because of illegal immigration.

Anyone who opposes these common sense sanctuary businesses should be called hostile to all immigrants.

I actually think the concept of sanctuary cities and businesses should be expanded so they can pick and choose the  federal laws they want to comply with. After all, some laws just aren’t working and the legislative process is just too cumbersome. What could go wrong?

Most of the media essentially portrays Republicans who want to enforce existing immigration laws as far right extremists and portrays Democrats who willingly ignore existing laws as common sense politicians.

I guess laws of the land only have to be obeyed if Democrats and the media agrees with those laws. Ignoring the oath of office and the Constitution is obviously fine when the media agrees.

Most of the media essentially portrays Republicans who want to enforce existing immigration laws as far right extremists and portrays Democrats who willingly ignore existing laws as common sense politicians.

I guess laws of the land only have to be obeyed if Democrats and the media agrees with those laws. Ignoring the oath of office and the Constitution is obviously fine when the media agrees.

Where are the protests and where is the outrage by the media that San Francisco politicians and the Obama Administration willingly look the other way as they let  a criminal illegal alien who had already been deported five times out on the street to kill an innocent woman. .We have been told that the borders are more secure than ever and that is obviously true because the murderer has only been deported five times. Now we learn that he killed the woman with a gun stolen from a federal agent. That shows that we have to get all guns out of the hands of federal agents because one death like this is one too many.

I am also shocked that President Obama is not giving the eulogy on the murdered woman and that there is not continuous coverage of her funeral.

And we all must remember, that, according to Josh Earnest, the White House spokesman, that even though this murder occurred in The Democrat sanctuary city of San Francisco who released this known criminal, that it is the Republicans’ fault because they didn’t pass the immigration bill.

The bias in the media is truly hard to spot.

Via: American Thinker

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U.S. Immigration Officers Give Frightening Warning

Chris Crane, president of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Council, which represents immigration enforcement officers, recently called on Congress to resist immigration reforms that harm his officers’ ability to do their jobs:

ICE officers are being ordered by [Administration] political appointees to ignore the law. Violent criminal aliens are released every day from jails back into American communities. ICE Officers face disciplinary action for engaging in routine law enforcement actions. We are barred from enforcing large sections of the Immigration and Nationality Act, even when public safety is at risk. Officer morale is devastated.

If this were the U.S. Capitol Police, the Secret Service, or the military, Congress would be outraged, the President would react firmly and swiftly, and pundits and groups from across the country would be demanding this problem be fixed. Sadly, though, nothing is being done to fix this broken and dangerous state of affairs.

In fact, the situation is even scarier. As the ICE letter points out, President Obama continues to order ICE officers to ignore ever-growing sections of immigration law and undertake actions that create a risk to public safety. The Senate has passed a gargantuan immigration bill that includes mass amnesty, tons of handouts to special interests, and enough waivers and exemptions to make Obamacare officials jealous.

Notably, the Senate bill does little to actually support the hard-working men and women of ICE and other immigration enforcement agencies. Even worse, amnesty would make the work of ICE even more difficult by encouraging more illegal immigration and adding new classes of provisional immigrants who have special rules that apply to them.

Via: The Foundry

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Rubio: Piecemeal Approach to Immigration the Way to Go

Via: You Tube

Stop enforcing border laws, say progressives

The federal government should stop deporting illegal immigrants, and should instead create a pan-American zone where Latinos can freely migrate into the United States, says Arturo Carmona, the director of Presente.org, a grassroots Latino organization.

Polls show that Americans are in favor of letting the 11 million illegal immigrants stay, so there’s no point in deporting them, he told The Daily Caller.

Besides, the deportations are an insult to all Latinos, he suggested. “It makes no rational sense to treat a population with such indignity,” said Carmona, a longtime community activist who was picked in January 2012 to head the organization, which claims 250,000 members.

Carmona’s group doesn’t distinguish between the 11 million illegal immigrants and the 30 million legal immigrants in the country.

“Millions of immigrants [are] suffering under the boot of terrible and failed immigration policies of the past five years … [which has led to] the destruction of families of immigrants” because of deportations, said an Oct. 18 statement from Carmona’s group.

Carmona’s group is extreme, but it has the same worldview as the more prominent progressives based in Washington D.C., said Mark Krikorian, the director of the Center for Immigration Studies, which wants to reduce the current annual inflow of 1 million people.

“I wish [Presente.org was covered] more in the media because they’re pretty hard core… they’re more of a loose cannon and are willing to say what the [D.C.-based] progressives want, without couching it in comfortable fluff,” he told TheDC.

“I don’t think the [progressives] disagree with [Carmona] in any way,” he said.

Via: Daily Caller
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California – Where Illegal Immigrants are Legal

It seems like a lifetime ago when the U.S. Senate passed a bill to revise our immigration laws.  The bill — which was touted by some as the cure to our immigration problems — went to the House of Representatives and died.  The House stated they wanted to deal with the issue in pieces and not have another monster bill like Obamacare or Dodd-Frank, each of which have massive unintended consequences.  Without federal action, California is stepping into the breach to resolve the issue for all Americans.

This column previously wrote that to make any progress on immigration, two truths would have to be accepted:  First, there would have to be legitimate enforcement of our borders with a real fence along the southern border.  Second, that we would have to deal with the estimated eleven million illegal immigrants within our borders, and kicking them out was not a solution.  Well, the leaders of California have taken hold of the second part while ignoring the first.

It starts with the fact that the California Legislature passed a bill that would allow an estimated 1.4 illegal immigrants to obtain California drivers licenses.  Though California was not the first state to pass this law, it certainly is the most significant.  The law provides for a change in procedures that would eliminate the need to have a social security number.  The law states that an applicant for a driver’s license will no longer have to provide proof that they are legally in the United States to obtain a license.

The first ramification of this is that the law specifically requires that the license be separately identified.  But the law then states: “it is a violation of law to discriminate against an individual because he or she holds or presents a license issued under these provisions.”  That means if you are an employer in the state of California you must treat an illegal immigrant with a driver’s license just like an American citizen.

The counterpoint to this is the federal government just started a new crackdown on employers in states like California with large immigrant populations.  Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is warning employers they can be hit with strong civil penalties for knowingly hiring illegal immigrants.  But, if the employer in California discriminates against illegal immigrants, they are subject to civil damages.  Talk about can’t win for losing.

Via: California Political Review

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