rssObama’s Reasons for Downplaying Tough Immigration Enforcement
Friday, July 16, 2010 at 10:58 am
- 38 Comments
The crux of the Justice Department’s lawsuit against Arizona’s immigration law is that state law enforcement shouldn’t do the job of the feds in cracking down on illegal immigration. But some Immigration and Customs Enforcement programs already blur the line between state and local authorities. Over at Salon, Daniel Denvir looks into ICE’s Secure Communities program, which critics say forces local law enforcement to take up immigration enforcement — whether they want to or not.
It’s worth reading the whole piece, but I’ll break down some of the key points. The program implements information sharing between federal and local authorities, asking local police to enter fingerprints of suspects into a program so they can be checked by immigration agents. The information can then be used for deportations — even if the suspects are cleared of the crimes that led to their arrest. ICE plans to implement the program nationwide by 2013, but it’s already in operation in 437 jurisdictions and 24 states. It’s not clear whether cities are able to opt out — Denvir gets conflicting answers — despite complaints from city officials and law enforcement that it could harm their ability to fight other crime.
The problem with the program, according to critics, is that it targets all illegal immigrants equally. The DHS has been touting a new push to prioritize illegal immigrants who are also dangerous criminals and employers who hire undocumented workers. But the Secure Communities program skews that balance: In its first year, more than 88 percent of those deported under the program were arrested for the least serious classes of offenses.
Critics claim that Secure Communities allows deportations to stay in the dark, enabling the Obama administration to stay away from politically damaging stories of families being separated. But there are also political problems with playing down heavy enforcement, as Edward Schumacher-Matos of The Washington Post argued yesterday. Images of enforcement victories may not be palatable for Democratic leadership, but the dearth of them makes people worry the administration doesn’t care about enforcement:
A big part of leadership is showmanship, and President Obama legitimately has something to show. But I have asked administration officials why they don’t and, after much squirming, it comes down to the human face of those who are being punished. Those being jailed and deported are mostly honest, well-meaning people, many of them poor, who sneaked across the border or overstayed their visas because they wanted to work. Some have children, adding to the drama.
Such images don’t sit well with administration officials personally or politically, many of them having previously worked on immigration issues. The images raise the hackles of the religious groups, immigrant activists, and Latino and other ethnic groups that are part of Obama’s base.
And so the administration politically muddles. It somehow hopes to persuade the American public to support a total overhaul of the immigration system by proving that the government can be trusted to enforce the law, but without campaigning on its enforcement effectiveness so as not to offend the president’s base constituencies. It blames Republicans for the failure to pass comprehensive immigration reform. For good measure, it blames Republicans for the plight of the poor immigrants, even though it is Democrats who are carrying out the enforcement.
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Comment posted July 16, 2010 @ 4:40 pm
What about the faces of American citizens and legal residents who have been out of work for 2 years? losing their homes; cant pay their bills; etc? 27 million of us while 8 million illegals do jobs we could be doing and not have to collect unemployment? and in the case of independent contract work which doesnt get any; at least we pay our taxes on this money we earn!
To us its very simple; these people came here illegally or legally but overstayed their visa and are now illegally; the taxpayers of this country have to pay alot for their services while ours are reduced because the monies to fund it has to be shared with more people who pay little if anything for them; they brought this on themselves; the feds wont do thier jobs and in all of this; the poor, the disabled; etc are the ones who suffer the most and no one cares one iota about us.
Deport them all; and this is easy enough if you would have real id; so we would all have an id if we were here legally; and no more incentives of any kind for illegals especailly birth right citizenship for their babies.
Comment posted July 16, 2010 @ 4:48 pm
Ice's new policy is this:
One agent can audit the books of companies hiring illegals; the agent tells them to fire all these people; adds in a small fine and the companies dont get any notarity that they hired illegals and the illegals get to go on their merry way without being deported.
So far 2900 companies; 3 million in fines; according to the NY Times article.
Meanwhile; nothing changes for the legal residents of the USA, companies get a slap on the wrist and Obama can say he is doing something when he is really playing musical illegals.
Comment posted July 16, 2010 @ 4:55 pm
@Jmfay, you're an idiot. Sure, blame on illegals for taking over your jobs but not oversea corporations or those who came here legally taking over your high pay jobs, making a lum sum of money and leaving you with nothing when they're done. btw, when was the last time you hanging out at home depot or gas station looking for jobs like the rest illegals do? try that first then biotch about illegals taking your job, okay. oh and for birth right citizenship for their babies, you should talk to those who served for the country and found their parents got deported when they returned HOME USA. you're such an ignorant idiot. as far I concerned, you're less American than those babies.
Comment posted July 16, 2010 @ 5:22 pm
Parents of Anchor Babies have no one to blame but themselves. Go home, take the baby with you. If he wants, he can come back when he's 18.
Comment posted July 16, 2010 @ 5:57 pm
Azguy:
No we arent. We have over 20 years in contract delivery in CO where we worked in CO and the area.
This is how it works with companies like Yellow Book which has an office in Cedar Rapids and in many other places in the USA.
Its all contract work except for WY which doesnt allow it. (not sure if any other states also do this). So YB contracts with one guy who in turns brings in a crew; only he is paid and we presume he pays his people in cash and deducts it from his overall pay so he doesnt have to pay taxes on it. YB tells this crew; you can do the best routes (the easiest); we will pay you a premimium wage as you do so much and once this market is over; how would you like to do others?
IN WY; an I 9 is supposed to be filled out for everyone working so how does the wife of a co worker who he just married; start working the day she arrives in the USA; when she is not given a green card straigtaway upon marriage? They also hired a crew who worked up there; again only one I 9 filled out. This cost us alot of work!!!
These are 2 examples and there are plenty more. This happened in 2007 and YB is not the only phone book delivery company doing this.
We not only pay ss taxes and medicare on the wages we earn but if we dont; the IRS comes after us. Does the IRS do the same for the illegals? Dont think so.
As for Visa job holders; thats also wrong but at least they are doing it legally. Its alot different from an independent cnotract person who has no EEOC protection and as well its exempt from the I 9 provisions of the prove you have the right to work to be working! if we complain; we lose the contract and dont get any more work from this same company but this illegal still has work!!!
And people make their own choices. If that means your child is in the military as they chose to do that so they would get citizenship papers as opposed to being deported; and their own parents here illegally get deported; thats life.
14th amendment is a 1868 law that was meant for slaves and not newborns!!! That law needs an overhaul!!!
Comment posted July 16, 2010 @ 8:24 pm
Since you are wondering about taxes and jobs here is the reality check:
I don't get why every body is fighting about low pay jobs done by illegals.We are talking here about a job that even somebody with out any education and who not able to speak a word in English can do it. A job that only if you are living with other 7 people sharing the cost inside a two room apartment allow you to survive?!!! Only extremist can still ignoring those high pay jobs that, because we are not able to create enough professionals, are taken by “imported professional”!!! I do not see nobody in this kind of forums discussing about China who is producing a hundred million professionals!!!!! More than Europe and USA combined!!!!!!!!! and people like you are fighting and complaining to who we are going allow to clean our bathrooms or pick up the crops!!!! Are you guys insane!!! In other words you want to fight for a work that actually you do not want to do, and a totally unskilled person can do? What kind of economy you want to create if you want to pay $35 to pick up crops? Do you even stop to think about the consequences in the cost of live if we follow that path??? Are you considering China in your equations? Are you blind with your racism? Or are you more dumb than Sara Palin?
ABOUT TAXES: illegals do pay taxes with a Tax Payer Id number, actually using this number they pay more than a regular US citizen. Also they can not claim unemployment (but they pay for it), regarding medicare and retirement (if they are able to obtain legalization) only they are going to recover their last 2 years of contributions. Data: only 24.000 Mexicans, in Mexico, are receiving retirement. Actually, next year we are going to start using all those unclaimed millions to pay the baby boomers retirement. Then no, they are not steeling tax money. Ask your self who is making money with illegals and you are going to find the people who is putting money to avoid any real immigration reform. Wake up! And start to use your brain.
By the way, all this mess was done by a unnecessary war created by the worst government in US history. I have not seen any of you so angry about far more important issues than immigrant. You can blame them, but you cant hide the fact that was the republican party who create this.
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Comment posted July 16, 2010 @ 11:56 pm
The fact is the moneyed elite wants open borders and does not want our immigration laws enforced. The cheap labor has lower American wage rates and raises their profits. To make it worse, as the wages paid as so low, the illegal aliens have to use our taxpayer subsidized benefit system. So in effect, the taxpayer is subsidizing the cheap labor for great profit for the rich. It stinks.
Comment posted July 17, 2010 @ 12:01 am
I blame the moneyed elite. They want cheap illegal labor (subsidized by the American taxpayer). They also want cheap imported visa labor to depress American wages.
All studies show that when the cheap illegal labor is removed, Americans step up and take the jobs, and wages and working conditions improve.
Amnesty violates our notions of fair play and equality.
Lawbreakers should not get a better deal than the law abiding immigrants trying to come here.
Comment posted July 17, 2010 @ 12:07 am
You should check out the University of Calfiornia at Davis Ag school report. There is enough American labor ready, willing and able to do the farm work, but wages would have to go up slightly.
The fact is, the only one really profiting from cheap illegal labor are the rich.
We as a society are losing. Also, the real wealth in society is created by technology and we are falling behind in agricultural robotics. In France they have a machine that can pick as many grapes in one hour as 38 people. Get the illegal labor out, and our farms will innovate.
All economist agree that anyone with less than a high school education is pulling more out of the economy than they put in. The illegal labor, according to a recent study, is costing each American family $1,200 per year. Many do not pay taxes. Or if they do under a false name, they then colled earned income credits ( ie a tax refund) bascially ripping off the American people.
Also, to work here illegal aliens commit either document fraud, tax evasion or id theft. All of these are felonies. Americans spend a long time in jail for these crimes. Illegal aliens are criminals pure and simple.
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[...] Security deported a record number of criminal illegal immigrants this year. The DHS under Obama prioritizes immigration enforcement for people deemed dangerous criminals — and it appears to be working. [...]
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[...] law immigration enforcement is already blurred through programs such as Secure Communities, which requires local law enforcement to share fingerprints with federal immigration [...]
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[...] policy seems in line with stated Department of Homeland Security policies to focus deportation efforts on dangerous illegal immigrants. But Center for Immigration Studies wrote today the policy is an [...]
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