Immigration

The GOP is ‘the party of maximum deportations’

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The Arizona Republic today once again editorializes that Congress needs to pass an immigration reform bill this year. Fan the glimmers of immigration hope — Our View: Reform could emerge from Congress in late summer. Let’s press to ensure it does:

Image: Latinos protest in favor of comprehensive immigration reform while on West side of Capitol Hill in WashingtonAs the Senate-passed reform bill creeps toward its first birthday in June, the House continues to insist the omnibus approach won’t work. OK. So break it up.

Utah’s Rep. Mike Lee, a staunch tea party Republican, said recently that “most” House Republicans favor some sort of reform — as long as it is done piecemeal and “step-by-step.”

A piecemeal approach can work. Step-by-step is problematic if it means cherry picking the popular stuff.

Legalizing the current undocumented population remains the most contentious issue. It can’t be left out. A solution could coalesce around legalization that falls short of creating a special path to citizenship.

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Most of all, Congress needs to pass reform. House Republicans should build on the glimmers of hope and produce a bill that moves the nation — and their party — forward.

Did you catch that? The Arizona Republic wants legalization without a pathway to citizenship. What really matters to them is moving the Republican Party forward.

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Migtants

Migration Policy Institute Report Clears the Way for Evolution of Deportation Policy

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MigtantsFrom the National Day Laborer Organizing Network…

Today, the Migration Policy Institute issued a new report, The Deportation Dilemma, that helps shed light on unprecedented deportations and criminal prosecution of immigrants.   In recent weeks, as the President hit the inauspicious milestone of 2 million deportations, there has been considerable confusion about the characteristic of deportations.  Former acting ICE director John Sandweg’s comments that “run of the mill immigrants” aren’t getting deported has been belied by hunger strikers on the White House lawn and called into question given explosive allegations that he doctored an Inspector General report to cover up misrepresentations about deportation policy made to Congress.

The MPI report attempts to shed light on this debate through detailed data analysis, and its findings open the opportunity for executive action to strengthen discretion and reduce the harm of outdated existing laws.

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For DREAMers, Fred DuVal for Governor

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DREAmactThe Arizona Republic today takes a look at the gubernatorial candidates’ position on Governor Jan Brewer’s 2012 executive order banning an Arizona driver’s license to the children of undocumented immigrants aka the DREAMers, in response to President Barack Obama’s deferred-action program, which allows undocumented immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children to get work permits and remain in the country for up to two years without fear of deportation.

Thousands of U.S. citizens and legal immigrants have also been inconvenienced by the unforeseen consequences of Gov. Brewer’s 2012 executive order  aimed at keeping young undocumented immigrants from getting drivers licenses. ‘Dreamer’ license ban affects citizens.

A three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals heard oral arguments in Arizona Dream Act Coalition, et al. v. Janice Brewer, et al., the case challenging Brewer’s executive order in December. Brewer can’t defend her denial of driver’s licenses to Dreamers. A decision is pending.

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Immigration reform bill in Congress before August?

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Screenshot-6I posted last week that “The weakest Speaker of the House in modern American history, and the consensus ‘Worst. Speaker. Ever.,’ John Boehner, is the only reason that comprehensive immigration reform has not come up for a vote in the House that he controls.” Boehner admits House Tea-Publicans are the problem on immigration reform.

Immigration reform still isn’t on the agenda for the House GOP this spring, according to a memo sent Friday by Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) to Republican members. Immigration Not On House GOP Agenda For Spring.

The Beltway media villagers who deem themselves the oracles of conventional wisdom also say that Immigration reform isn’t happening anytime soon in the House. No matter what John Boehner says.

The thing about “conventional wisdom” is that it is almost always wrong. Behind the scenes is strategic maneuverings. The GOP leadership is trying to get past the 2014 Congressional Primary Calendar (.pdf) to avoid giving any red meat to its nativist and racist crazy base, and hopefully elect GOP establishment candidates in the primary who won’t cost the party seats in November. Most primaries are concluded by the end of June, with the last slate of states holding primaries in August and early September.

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Boehner admits House Tea-Publicans are the problem on immigration reform

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Screenshot-6The weakest Speaker of the House in modern American history, and the consensus “Worst. Speaker. Ever.,” John Boehner, is the only reason that comprehensive immigration reform has not come up for a vote in the House that he controls.

Boehner fears a revolt from his nativist and racist Tea Party caucus of the GOP to depose him as Speaker and — replace him with who, exactly? Irrational fear has paralyzed this weak man and left him to blame the radicals in his own party for his complete failure of leadership.

According to a report in the Wall Street Journal last week, Boehner told industry groups and campaign donors in March at a Las Vegas fundraiser (the Sheldon Adelson primary) that, when it comes to immigration reform, the House Speaker is: “hellbent on getting this done this year.”

Boehner spokesman Brendan Buck later walked it back emailing reporters saying that “Everyone can tell their editors to chill.”

“Nothing has changed,” Buck said. “As he’s said many times, the speaker believes step-by-step reform is important, but it won’t happen until the president builds trust and demonstrates a commitment to the rule of law.”

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