Illegal Immigration Stakes Out Lower Rung on Campaign Trail
One of President Obama’s most controversial directives went into effect today as thousands of young illegal immigrants were able to apply for deferred enforcement status.
Yet even though this policy bypassed Congress’ refusal to pass a DREAM Act, the landmark queues outside immigration offices around the country barely made a dent on the campaign trail.
If Mitt Romney had selected Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) as his vice presidential pick it would be the political topic of the day, with Rubio highlighting his alternative, as-yet-unveiled plan for DREAMers while taking heat from immigration-enforcement advocates on the right.
Instead, it was the left’s day to herald the policy as a civil-rights achievement while it went largely unnoticed by others.
“I hope Republicans, especially those who expressed willingness to help these young people, will support the administration’s efforts to provide them with a reprieve while Congress works out a path forward,” said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.). “The president can only do so much administratively.”
The closest Republicans got to talking about immigration was in the context of the main topic of this campaign: jobs.
“Legal immigration is the lifeblood of this country but it is not, it is not going to solve the current 8.3 percent unemployment problem Mitt Romney has been talking about,” Romney surrogate and former New Hampshire Gov. John Sununu said Tuesday. “It is not going to address the lack of incentives for investment in this country.”
The Hispanic Caucus welcomed Wednesday’s start of the immigration application process for those brought to the country illegally as children, offering FAQs in English and Spanish on the new deferred action program.
“For far too long these young people were unfairly penalized by the inaction and obstructionism of Republicans in Congress,” said caucus chairman Charles Gonzalez (D-Texas). “But now, thanks to the steps taken by President Obama and his administration, young people who have been raised in this country, educated in our schools, and who pledge allegiance to our flag will now be shielded from the threat of deportation and qualify for basic protections to allow them to more fully contribute to this country.”
“Those kids are going to line up by the thousands today. By the hundreds of thousands they will receive their work permits,” Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.), chairman of the caucus’ immigration task force, said on CNN this morning. “Here’s what we’ve learned in America. If you live in secrecy and if you live in the shadows, then you are truly at risk of being deported and harmed by the government.”
“The young people have gone out there, shown who they are, spoken to you and the press and shown America, two-thirds of Americans agree with the president’s decision,” he added.
“Let us help these young DREAMers pursue their calling as they begin this process that will forever change their lives and our country,” Rep. Silvestre Reyes (D-Texas) said. “I welcome this day and support this effort fully.”
With a little hashtag promotional help from the Hispanic Caucus, “deferred” was a trending topic on Twitter and immigration advocacy groups provided hub pages with links to the necessary forms and information. The caucus fielded questions during a Twitter town hall and Democratic lawmakers issued tweets of elation and support or joined constituents at events.
Are there protections that the families of these young people wont be deported using their own paperwork? Will they trust an Administration that has deported more people than the last 5 Presidents combined? Time will tell
I’m much more concerned for the thousands of victims illegal criminals have killed and raped
I’ve read this average is 12 murders per day and 13 dwi deaths attributed to illegals
Now accounts for almost 1/3rd the prison population
The highest number are in those “sanctuary cities”
Your point is vaild but so minor compared to this real problem
Not to mention the cost of welfre attributed this group is almost 1/2 of the entire budget
If hispanics voted for Rs vs Dems they would have been deported years ago by Pelosi etc
Open the borders. Obama will win in a heartbeat!
http://uselections2012blog.blogspot.ca/
the Panderer in Chief|
i offer amnesty to get the Hispanic Vote
I offer a change of mind on Same Sex Marriage for the Gay vote
I offer the Farm Bill to bribe the Farmers Vote
I handed GM and Cash for Clunkers to the Unions for their suppor
I mandated Free Condems for the ignorant Youth Vote
I landed on Treyvon Martins side before any evidence to pander to the Poverty Pimps and New Black Panthers
I handed the Healthcare over to the shiftless who’ve never payed in for the Lazy Mans vote
I’m opposed to voter ID to protect the rights of the dead and unregistereds voters
I’ve gutted drilling on both coasts and coal for the enviromentalist vote
If you’ve got a big enough checkbook name what I can approve or Obstruct regardless of the law !!
“im barack oblama and i approve this message”
– by the thousands today in Californecrosis. It will spread.
A slam to all immigrants here legally and those that can’t enter our once great nation but our trying to legally. And the 8.3% more like 15% unemployed looking to feed themselves and their families should be really angry. Unless of course you are suffering but still intend to vote for the 0. In that case we know why you are unemployed. The articles all over the web explain how it is impossible for the superior intelligence Biden lovers to tell whether most of them were here since age 16. It was a bad idea for Durbin and Lugar and is just as bad now that we have become a dictatorship.
This is a great way to develop a list of people that need deporting…can be acted on when Conservatives resume power.
There are a lot of people waiting to become citizens legally. Congress voted down the Dream Act. We are a nation of laws. Why do this now? This is a childish, lawless, political act by a sitting US President to garner votes for his re election. If this is the way we are going to deal with national problems, then we might just as well disband Congress, tear up the Constitution, open the borders, and party until the credit line runs out. The lack of media coverage and the silence on the campaign trail was gutless. Will no one speak up for what it means to be an American.
How do deserving illegal aliens unable to come to the US get their benefits? For many, it is simply inconvenient to go north with false documents and lie to gringo bureaucrats. Can’t we do this by mail? How about if my cousin picks ups a handful of permits for the whole family?
Remember the concept of “undocumented!” Where did all these illegals all of a sudden get papers to support their claims?
If the age limit is 30 years, what would an Obama thief with a petition from a 31 year old?
The name and mailing address of every applicant (1.2 million?) will go to the DNC and each petitioner will get multiple “motor/voter” sign up cards.
I hope Republicans, especially those who expressed willingness to help these young people…
What I hope the Republicans do, but know they won’t, is openly oppose the bill and call out the globo-socialists on violating the law from the Oval Office. The days of largesse ended long ago. The Marshall Plan made sense, most foreign aid does not, but in any case, what does it matter:
We’re broke. How about the gubmints of these fine young people let them attain their dreams?
Remember the concept of “undocumented!”
Yeah, I do. They should all be issued a document from the State Department saying, “My name is Jorge M. Gonzalez, and I am in this country illegally.”
In other words, in the process of a crime. But apparently the employment situation in this country is so good that it makes sense for us to borrow more money to pay to help them in the commission of their crimes. According to the law, that is. Not according to Obama and his cohorts.
Every time (and they’re frequent) we do one of these “Yes, the law is the law but it’d be good to ignore it this time instead of abiding by our sworn oaths” things is done, we become a poorer country, both morally and financially.
The Hispanic Caucus welcomed Wednesday’s start of the immigration application process for those brought to the country illegally as children, offering FAQs in English and Spanish on the new deferred action program.
If they have been here since they were children, they should have no need for bilingual assistance correct?
Correctomundo! Don’t reply telling me this is not espanol. I claim it is Spanglish.
I see no upside in turning the US into Northern Mexico but I guess our government does.
This anarchy will cause a rift between Americans and illegals that will make the
dissension between blacks and whites look like a picnic.