On New Deportation Policy, Will GOP Cement its Anti-Hispanic Brand?
by Hugh Holub on Aug. 21, 2011, under immigration law reform, politicsFrom AmericasVoice.org:
On New Deportation Policy, Will GOP Cement its Anti-Hispanic Brand?
Republican Criticism of New Policy Wrong on the Policy & Suicidal on the Politics
Washington, DC – Yesterday’s announcement of the Obama Administration’s important step towards bringing deportation practices in line with its enforcement priorities already is generating predictable responses from many Republicans and their mass-deportation allies. Typical of the reaction was the statement from Governor Jan Brewer (R-AZ), who noted, “This plan amounts to backdoor amnesty for hundreds of thousands — if not millions — of illegal aliens.” Right on cue, Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX) said, “The Obama administration has again made clear its plan to grant backdoor amnesty to illegal immigrants.” Such reactions are not only flat out wrong on policy, they are terrible politics for a Republican Party that already has huge problems with Latino voters – just as the 2012 cycle kicks into high gear.
According to Frank Sharry, Executive Director of America’s Voice, “One of the surest ways for the Republican Party to help re-elect President Obama is to oppose this common sense policy change. The message these hard liners send is clear: Latinos are not welcome in this country no matter how hard they work, how much they achieve and how much they contribute. A young person who is a valedictorian and wants to go to college but can’t because they arrived in diapers and have no legal status? The Republican response: Any relief would be “amnesty,” only deportation is in order. A loved one of a hero who fought for his country in Iraq and Afghanistan? The Republican response: no relief, only deportation. A mother who has lived in America for 15 years with her U.S. citizen husband and four U.S. citizen children? No relief, only deportation. For these ideologues, anything short of the mass deportation of 11 million people is an amnesty. They are wrong. Yesterday’s announcement is a limited measure that says ‘let’s target the worst of the worst rather than best and the brightest.’”
Mindful of the way yesterday’s news is likely to infect the Republican presidential field and GOP members of Congress, below are assessments about the actual policy implications of yesterday’s news, as well as a reminder about the political state of play regarding immigration and Latino voters.
- What This Policy Announcement Actually Does – and Why GOP Opponents are Wrong: Yesterday’s announcement is based on common sense – it recognizes that it is both a smart use of limited resources and sound law enforcement practice to go after drug smugglers, violent felons and serious criminals rather than wasting resources on young people who are attending college or members of military families. This new policy spells out particular classes of people that should be less likely to be entered into deportation proceedings as a result of yesterday’s news, including veterans and military personnel, minors and elderly, those present in the U.S. since childhood, long-term lawful permanent residents, and victims of domestic violence and trafficking. Hard line opponents claiming that this is “backdoor amnesty” are not only engaging in an outrageous distortion of this limited and temporary relief in which low-priority individuals will be considered on a case-by-case basis, they reveal their own agenda: they believe that it is practical and desirable to try to drive out of the country 11 million people, a population the size of the state of Ohio.
- Why This Matters to Latino Voters: Latino voters see immigration as a top priority because it is an issue that affects their families, their future and their sense of being fully accepted in America. In a 2010 election eve poll conducted by Latino Decisions in eight states, 83% of Latino voters said that immigration was an important issue in their voting decisions, and fully 60% said it was the most important issue or one of the most important issues. Polling released in June 2011 by Latino Decisions and impreMedia shows that a majority of Latino voter poll respondents, 51%, thinks immigration reform is the single most important issue facing the Latino community, ahead of economy/jobs (35%) or education/schools (18%). Why is this such a mobilizing and defining issue for Latinos? Because the issue is personal. June polling by impreMedia/Latino Decisions found that a majority of Latino voters (53%) said they know someone who is undocumented, while one-fourth (25%) said they know a person or have a family member who is facing deportation or who has been deported. The findings about Latino voters’ personal connection to the immigration debate echo 2010 polling of Latino voters in twelve states by Bendixen & Amandi, who found that 78% of Latino voters considered the immigration issue important to them and their families, including 51% who called it “very important.” Additionally, 62% of respondents in the Bendixen & Amandi poll reported knowing an undocumented person vs. only 33% who did not.
- Why This Has Big 2012 Implications: Anti-immigrant hard liners are the face of the Republican Party these days to Latino voters and the GOP has a earned its reputation as anti-Latino – a very dangerous development leading into 2012. Most experts say the Republicans have to win 40% of the Hispanic vote if they are to take the White House in 2012, but right now, the GOP tops out at 18% with Hispanic voters. June 2011 polling of Latino voters found that by a 65% – 19% margin, Latino voters trust President Obama and Democrats more “to make the right decisions when it comes to immigration policy” compared with Republicans. Again, immigration is the biggest driver behind these numbers. Polling of Latino voters in twelve states by Bendixen & Amandi found that 72% of Latino voters would not even consider voting for a congressional candidate who was in favor of forcing most undocumented immigrants to leave the country vs. only 19% of Latino voters who would consider it.
Said Sharry, “If the Republican presidential field takes the bait and follows Rep. Lamar Smith and Governor Jan Brewer into strident opposition of this new common sense policy, they will be following these hard liners over the political cliff. Just imagine the general election Spanish language ads in which President Obama says, ‘my Administration targets felons and drug dealers and not DREAM Act kids and military families,’ while the Republican nominee and his/her party want to deport everyone.”
America’s Voice — Harnessing the power of American voices and American values to win common sense immigration reform.
More….
Obama halts deportations…300,000 to get amnesty
Illegal immigrants do not have a “right to work” in the United States
ICE Agent union objects to back door amnesty scheme of agency boss
US House to debate bill that would increase deportations
Fight about reforms to Secure Communities program heats up
August 21st, 2011 on 8:27 am
Accommodating the invaders and building the under class for democrats to exploit.
August 21st, 2011 on 4:24 pm
It was all us “legal” white guys who were really the first invaders; just think about the hay that could be made by Native Americans if an anti-immigrant policy had been around in the days when europeans first invaded this country.
August 21st, 2011 on 8:49 pm
There was a native american immigration policy. It was called “massacre and scalp”. Unfortunately for them they had a hard time with enforcement. Maybe we chould get it right the second time.
August 22nd, 2011 on 8:00 am
Wernt YOUR FOREFATHERS INVADERS ?? YOU RACIST.
August 22nd, 2011 on 8:01 am
UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS ARE NOT CRIMINALS. Its a Civil Matter.
The whole thing is perplexing to people who don’t understand that being an illegal immigrant in and of itself is not a crime. The most pervasive comments made in news stories about Secure Communities go a little like this: “Illegal immigrants are what they’re called — they’re considered criminals by mere definition. Illegals who broke a bunch of laws to enter and live here should be subjected to immediate arrest and deportation — that’s fair for everyone.”
That’s not accurate, but a lot of people have that same misunderstanding — even law enforcement professionals.
During a teleconference last month on the troubles that Secure Communities is bringing to local law enforcement agencies, a few sheriffs on the call commiserated about their misunderstanding of immigration violations.
“I was always told it was a felony federal violation of law and was always under the impression that turning over any illegal immigrants (to ICE) was mandated by federal law — and so did my employees,” said Sheriff Ed Prieto of Yolo County, Calif. “But after we met with the Mexican consulate in Sacramento we learned it’s not. Then I started looking into how many of our people are being deported before trial and I became very uncomfortable contacting ICE for nonviolent offenders.”
Kane County, Ill., Sheriff Patrick Perez said that “90 percent of law enforcement officers believe (just being an illegal immigrant) is a crime, but I learned after talking to an immigration judge that it is just a civil offense.”
Sara Dill, a member of the American Bar Association’s Commission on Immigration and a member of the ABA’s Criminal Justice Council, explained it to me this way: “States are seeking to criminalize what is only a civil violation in federal law.” Dill said that failing to get a permit for home construction is one example of a civil, not criminal, violation. “Putting illegal immigrants in a criminal context confuses merely being present in the United States without authorization with crimes such as falsely claiming citizenship or identity theft, which are crimes under federal law.”
Everyone knows that of the universe of illegal immigrants, some have committed nonviolent and violent crimes — and everyone believes these should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
But believers of following “the letter of the law” cannot continue equating all illegal immigrants living in this country with criminals, who have plenty of civil rights of their own. That’s not the American way.
August 22nd, 2011 on 8:16 am
“UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS ARE NOT CRIMINALS.”
You know that, I know that; even some of the nativists know that. They are simply following the advice of the master scapegoater that came before them:
“Make the lie big, make it simple, keep saying it, and eventually they will believe it” Adolf
August 22nd, 2011 on 8:43 am
Godwin’s law and does it ever apply in your case.
August 21st, 2011 on 9:24 am
When did we lose our common sense? Our Government, has allowed the invasion of 30 million criminals in direct violation of Article IV, Section IV of our Constitution. they force American tax payers to pay Billions to provide Welfare, Prison cells, Educate the invaders children, free medical care,massive document fraud, & are destroying our schools, hospitals, communities, culture while Robbing, Raping, Killing & Assaulting American Citizens WE ARE BEING INVADED! WAKE UP PEOPLE!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NVT7lyNRZQ&feature=player_embedded
.youtube.com/watch?v=tsH8xvjTAlo
.youtube.com/watch?v=Btj6IeOFkis&feature=player_embedded
http://immigrationcounters.com/
.ojjpac.org/memorial.asp
.immigrationshumancost.org/
.newswithviews.com/Wooldridge/frosty580.htm
.youtube.com/watch?v=muw22wTePqQ
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/07/02/immigration-costs-fair-amnesty-educations-costs-reform/
http://www.rense.com/general81/dtli.htm
http://www.wnd.com/?pageId=41045
http://www.cairco.org/econ/econ.html
http://www.diggersrealm.com/mt/archives/003335.html
Every Non-representative including obama and holder are not upholding the oath of office! they swore to defend the Constitution! If these clowns were to do their job, this would all be a Moot point!
Anchors and their criminal parents go, period, you knew you were breaking the law when you crossed the border.
Next shut down any business hiring illegal labor. Oh and owners go to jail.
Got a better idea? Lets hear it!
August 21st, 2011 on 10:37 am
Here we go again using “americas voice” as the voice for all Illegals …. Use the race card whenever possible because you speak from a very weak position. Your publication does more harm than you can Imagine by continually taking the side Of Illegal aliens over your own United States citizens. Illegal Immigration Is not about the color of your skin,It Is about following the rule of law. What don’t you people understand about that ?
August 21st, 2011 on 10:40 am
Our Founding Fathers vested the
power to legislate in the U.S. Congress under Article I of the Constitution.
Article II grants the President and the Executive Branch limited powers, and
mandates in Article II, Section 3 that the President “shall take Care that the
Laws be faithfully executed.” Fundamental to the Founders’ framework was the
idea that only the directly elected Legislative Branch would be allowed to write
the law, and that the President and the Executive bureaucracy would merely
enforce that law. The idea that a President would be permitted to decide not to
enforce laws simply because of an ideological disagreement would surely make
many of our Founders turn in their graves. You may or may not agree with
the DREAM Act and other amnesty-based polices, but all Americans – including
future Americans – should agree that we must stand by the rule of law. It is the
rule of law that enables the freedom and prosperity that draws immigrants to
this country in the first place. We simply must not let any President trample
the Founders’ clear intent in this regard. There is so much more than
just immigration policy at stake here. Our Republic itself hangs in the
balance.
Read more: http://www.fresnobee.com/2011/08/19/2505571/feds-deportation-program-hitting.html#ixzz1VgbveteU
August 21st, 2011 on 10:49 am
We are fast approaching the stage of the ultimate inversion: the stage where the government is free to do anything it pleases, while the citizens may act only by permission; which is the stage of the darkest periods of human history, the stage of rule by brute force. Ayn Rand
August 21st, 2011 on 11:00 am
“Who am I” “They said I had a golden tongue and could talk anyone into anything. I had a virtually non-existent resume, little work history, and no experience in leading a single organization. Yet I was a powerful speaker and citizens were drawn to me, as though I were a magnet and they were small roofing tacks. I drew incredibly large crowds during my public appearances. This bolstered my ego. At first, my political campaign focused on my country’s foreign policy… I was very critical of my country in the last war, and seized every opportunity to bash my country. But what launched my rise to national prominence were my views on the country’s economy. I pretended to have a really good plan on how we could do better, and every poor person would be fed and housed for free. I knew which group was responsible for getting us into this mess. It was the free market, banks and corporations. I decided to start making citizens hate them and, if they became envious of others who did well, the plan was clinched tight. I called mine “A People’s Campaign”. That sounded good to all people. I was the surprise candidate because I emerged from outside the traditional path of politics and was able to gain widespread popular support. I knew that, if I merely offered the people ‘hope’, together we could change our country and the world. So, I started to make my speeches sound like they were on behalf of the downtrodden, poor, ignorant to include “persecuted minorities”. My true views were not widely known and I kept them unknown, until after I became my nation’s leader. I had to carefully guard reality, as anybody could have easily found out what I really believed, if they had simply read my writings and examined those people associated with. I’m glad they didn’t. Then I became the most powerful man in the world. And then the world learned the truth. Who am I ?” ADOLPH HITLER
August 21st, 2011 on 11:18 am
Are Illegal aliens undermining the sovereign rights of citizens and legal residents?Once again the President has ignored the US Constitution, by going over the heads of the Congress in immigration law. It looks like President Obama has cooked his own goose, by bypassing Congress and using his administrative order, to overcome deportation proceedings. It might assist him with ethnic groups and the 20 million plus illegal aliens. However, the TEA PARTY will be avidly watching for irregularities, in the 2012 elections for illegal aliens and others violating the US voting laws. Constituencies must be made to realize that registration and voting by non-citizens are violations against the basic principles of our Democratic system and that such cases must be prosecuted.All states should require anyone who registers to vote to make available proof of U.S. citizenship. This requirement should be identical to the federal requirement of proof for employment using E-Verify. This new policy is an act of indifference, allowing millions of illegal aliens to stay here, when 13 or 14 US citizens and legal residence cannot find a job Most Americans are aware that approximately 8 million illegal aliens have been hired for some kind of employment. All Emperor Obama has accomplished with this decision, is to keep the illegal alien occupation to continue. Look up on your computer the websites of NumbersUSA, (FAIR) Federation for Immigration Reform for facts and records on illegal immigration.Most polls have demanded that the border fence be built, as designed by Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA) as the 2006 secure fence act; still it remains uncompleted, no matter what Homeland Security secretary Napolitano has elaborated on, in her press conferences. There are still gaping holes, you could drive a Hummer through and give passage to thousands more illegal nationals daily of –ECONOMIC–illegal aliens. There is always a yes vote for top personages who have highly skilled occupations—but not those who are taking menial and low income jobs from our own population.Michelle Bachmann, chairman of the TEA PARTY, as reported by the Associated Press made illegal immigration an issue in Greenville, South Carolina as part of her three state tours. Michele Bachmann is reported to have said “lax enforcement of immigration laws was a threat to the nation’s security. She agreed with a town hall audience at a Greenville stop that U.S. troops should be redeployed from South Korea to South Texas.” The report also states that Bachmann said “The problem has been in our unwillingness to enforce the laws that are on the books.” and “How do you solve it? You build a barrier, a fence, a wall — whatever you want to call it. You build it…As president of the United States, every mile, every yard, every foot; every inch will be covered on that southern border.”This is the type of speech that Americans wish to hear about fully constructing the Southern border barrier, deployed troops to support the US border patrol. Hundreds of billions could be saved, with perhaps trillions over the years to come and halt overpopulation. The US people haven’t heard this kind of talk from Rick Perry, Ron Paul, and Gary Johnson, Rick Santorum, Newt Gingrich, Jon Huntsman, Mitt Romney, Sarah Palin and definitely no assistance from our present President. Rick Perry who has joined the long grueling races has not shown any worthwhile distinction in upholding enforcement laws, to stop the illegal alien occupation. Only Michele Bachmann, Herman Cain have shown strong characters, by determining neither are going to be intimidated by the anti-American radical group La Raza, or the open border agenda of corporate players for cheap labor, or the Imperial court of the current government for future votes. Annually the cost to financially supporting the illegal immigration invasion is rapidly spiraling upwards from the current $113 Billion dollars a year. Oddly enough millions of Americans are not looking to the future, as more encouragement from our administrations, open border zealots and legal ethnic organizations, will have to shoulder the monolithic dollar expense in future yearsArizona was the first state to open the eyes of the public, as the US government has remained incompetent—intentional or not—to save their taxpayers from forced taxation to support economic illegal aliens.Michelle Bachmann does have a thick skin, letting the diatribe run off of her, like water of a ducks back. Don’t let her slender appearance deceive you, as she has a strong backbone and will fight against the greed, rot and corruption in Washington today and yesterday. You can listen to the usual rhetoric of this administration and even some in the Republican establishment or you can vote for a leader for the People; ALL THE PEOPLE? Voting for the usual career politicians will give America much of the same.The American people have been brought and sold behind closed doors for years.So what does that old quote say? “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”MY EARLIER BLOGS: http://brittanicus-enoughisenough.blogspot.com/
August 21st, 2011 on 11:24 am
“the GOP has earned its reputation as anti-Latino”
Please. The author of that sentence is a terrible writer, biased against Republicans or both.
Is it “Latino” to break the law? (Immigration law, in this case?)
I am pro-amnesty. I look at how Europe is withering away due to a low birth rate. I then see scores of motivated, dynamic Latinos in my community—many of whom braved extreme hardship to come to this country. I say, let most of them stay. Let them add to the flood of fresh energy that our country needs to succeed in the years ahead. They will make America stronger.
But, many of them did break our laws. Knowingly. There must be consequences for breaking the law.
If, in AmericasVoices.org’s mind, pointing that out makes you “anti-Latino,” then I’m confident that many Democrats and Independents will have to be counted as “anti-Latino” too.
August 21st, 2011 on 12:46 pm
On the new immigration policy, will the Democratic Party cement its Hispanic-butt-kisser brand?
August 21st, 2011 on 1:59 pm
hmmm…
August 22nd, 2011 on 6:22 am
Republicans needs to shut up. They are nothing more than a hate group representatives like Nazi. Throughout the history there were plenty of moments when laws outlived themselves. There were as much resistance from haters and racists like Republicans during slave liberation and during equal rights movements like it is now. Guess what, haters and racists lost back then and they will lose today. INA of 1986 outlived itself. It failed miserably resulting in 11 million undocumented people most of whom are mothers and fathers of American citizens, spouses of American citizens, daughters and sons of American citizens. This is fight for integrity of American families, this is fight for American citizens to have their mothers and fathers, husbands and wives, daughters and sons.
Republicans needs to stop supporting separation of their fellow citizens families.
August 22nd, 2011 on 8:19 am
“Republicans needs to stop supporting separation of their fellow citizens families.”
It’s them Republican “Family Values” in action. Anybody with half a brain knows what they really mean when the say “Family Values”. It means the same thing it did when the KKK talked about the “defense of christian women and children”. It only refers to “the right families”.
August 22nd, 2011 on 9:55 am
Dont you get tired of calling people Nazi’s, KKK, xenophobes. etc. Heck you still love people like Castro.Lenin/Trotsky/Mao etc.
August 22nd, 2011 on 6:56 am
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/2011/08/22/20110822republican-payroll-tax.html
Looks like the GOP is coming out of their anti-tax closet and admitting who they really are, how cute!:-)
August 22nd, 2011 on 8:01 am
Immigration reform would generate $4.5 to $5.4 billion in additional net tax revenue over three years,” the letter says. “The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office scored the bi-partisan 2007 comprehensive immigration reform bill that was proposed in the Senate as increasing federal revenues by $15 billion over the 2008-2012 period and by $48 billion over the 2008-2017 period.”
Studies from groups across the political spectrum have proven the economic and fiscal benefits of comprehensive immigration reform. By requiring illegal immigrants to register with the government, pay fees and back taxes, and correct their status, we can drastically expand our tax base. A report by the Center for American Progress found that passing comprehensive immigration reform would generate $4.5 to $5.4 billion in additional net tax revenue over three years. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office scored the bi-partisan 2007 comprehensive immigration reform bill that was proposed in the Senate as increasing federal revenues by $15 billion over the 2008-2012 period and by $48 billion over the 2008-2017 period.
In addition to expanding our tax base, economists have proven that comprehensive immigration reform would also increase wages for native workers, thereby boosting tax revenues generated by all workers. The CATO Institute found that forcing undocumented immigrants to get right with the law by registering with the government would boost the incomes of U.S. households by $180 billion in 2019, which would also lead to increased government revenues, without increasing tax rates.
Just like our budget deficit, immigration reform is an issue that we cannot afford to ignore. Bipartisan proposals that are tough, fair, and practical have garnered support from across the ideological spectrum in Congress, as well as from President Bush and the current administration. Comprehensive immigration reform would clearly help us reduce our deficit and debt, and would do so without raising tax rates.
August 22nd, 2011 on 8:08 pm
Remember, this is not 2010, the Arizona Party is over…