Stephen Dinan,The Washington Times
Bowing to pressure from immigrant rights activists,the Obama administration said Thursday that it will halt deportation proceedings on a case-by-case basis against illegal immigrants who meet certain criteria,such as attending school,having family in the military or having primary responsible for other family members’ care.
The move marks a major step for President Obama,who for months has said he does not have to halt deportations and said he must follow the laws as Congress has written them.
But in letters to Congress on Thursday,Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said she does have discretion to focus on “priorities” and that her department and the Justice Department will review all ongoing cases to see who meets the new criteria.
“This case-by-case approach will enhance public safety,” she said. “Immigration judges will be able to more swiftly adjudicate high-priority cases,such as those involving convicted felons.”
The move won immediate praise from Hispanic activists and Democrats who had strenuously argued with the administration that it did have authority to take these actions,and said as long as Congress is deadlocked on the issue,it was up to Mr. Obama to act.
“Today’s announcement shows that this president is willing to put muscle behind his words and to use his power to intervene when the lives of good people are being ruined by bad laws,” said Rep. Luis V. Gutierrez,Illinois Democrat,who has taken a leadership role on the issue since the death of Sen. Edward M. Kennedy in 2009.
The new rules apply to those who have been apprehended and are in deportation proceedings,but have not been officially ordered out of the country by a judge.
Ms. Napolitano said a working group will try to come up with “guidance on how to provide for appropriate discretionary consideration” for “compelling cases” in instances where someone already has been ordered deported.
Administration officials made the announcement just before Mr. Obama left for a long vacation out of Washington,and as members of Congress are back in their home districts.
The top House Republican on the Judiciary Committee said the move is part of a White House plan “to grant backdoor amnesty to illegal immigrants.”
“The Obama administration should enforce immigration laws,not look for ways to ignore them,” said Rep. Lamar Smith,Texas Republican. “The Obama administration should not pick and choose which laws to enforce. Administration officials should remember the oath of office they took to uphold the Constitution and the laws of the land.”
The Usurper has shredded and wiped his butt with our constitution. It's now time for all of us to go to Washington and demand his removal. He has caused nothing but chaos since he stole into power. His name is legion. We are a joke to him. He makes a mockery of all that is good in this country. It's time for all good men to come to the aid of their country. God Bless America.
You can call Obama a facist. That is mild. He is a treasonist violator of the Constitution and US Law. He is a liar and perjuror. He has betrayed his oath and his ever promise with the possible exception of that to Islam and his goal of socializing America at any cost. Wake up America ,this can not,will not stand. It is time to choose. Do you stand with a third world thugocratic socialisic state of america or do you stand with the Constitutional Republic of America???
By the time next year,when new elections are being conducted Obama will have inflicted so much irreversible damage upon our country,that we will be as devastated as if we had a civil war. Nobody will be able to "clean house"after him-
Not the Republicans nor the Democrats nor the tea party.
How dare he abuse the office of President to get his ideas pushed through when his whining doesn't get him his way. How immature and naive and yet so reckless.
And –there is not a chance in hell that Homeland Security is able to scan and review ?thousand of deportation cases. There will be so many mistakes because of incompetence and laziness,and so many criminals will left here to do more crimes,we better be prepared. America the Beautiful completely destroyed.
Extreme criminals out yes of course but also ALL CRIMINALS i.e. those who are in this country illegally!!!
Send all the illegals to there homes ,get them out of our United States,send obama with them.
F-CKING TRAITOR,GET ALL THE TRAITORS OUT OF OFFICE "YESTERDAY"
NOT "TOMORROW"WHILE WE ARE STILL "AMERICA"…
God Bless You and Yours
Be-Careful…Be-Safe
This Can;t Wait Any longer
Send them all back to where they came from….If they are illegal send em packing! Put land mines and armed guards on the border fences>>>>>
Stop All this "Backdoor Amnesty"foolishness …
What Obama needs to do for the more than the 12.5 million legal and illegal immigrants is:"OPEN THE FRONT DOOR",and simply grant Amnesty to all.
It's not about Mexicans and crossing the Texas Boarder…Migrants are here in the U.S. From every quarter of the Globe,seeking "The Dream".
America launched television>>>Advertising the Good life:Nice two story home ,two car garage,white picket fence and the "Freedom"to make as much money as William Gates,or Oprah Winfrey or any "A"listers in Holly wood…not to mention the super Athletes.
And the Animal feces,about migrants stealing jobs…is the lamest excuse in all the world…There is a high expectation on the types of jobs folks want. There are impressive Jobs,demeaning jobs and jobs requiring more labor than money.
We the people have placed a value on the various jobs…A male or female could sit in an office in Air conditioned comfort ,gazing at a computer screen and earn 6 figures. ( Without breaking a sweat) while another person unqualified or uneducated sweats in the sun and make less than $7.50 hr…You choose which job you want.
Entering this country legally was the best and right way to go,on Ellis Island from 1892 until 1954.
Now it has turned into a political circus,with heartless Haitians,Cubans and other non-U.S. citizens at the "Front Door"blocking and turning away their own people,And some for money allowing the higher payers to get in. (oops)
Thank God That OBAMA has unlocked the Backdoor…
Keep in mind We are all humans and fighting for the same thing…Even the Criminals needs due processing.