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alp227

(31,962 posts)
Sat Aug 2, 2014, 01:29 AM Aug 2014

Obama readies executive action on immigration

Source: Washington Post

President Obama is preparing to announce new measures that would potentially allow millions of illegal immigrants to remain in the United States without fear of deportation, a politically explosive decision that could jolt Washington just weeks before the midterm elections, according to people who have been in touch with the White House.

Administration officials have told allies in private meetings that both the current surge of Central American children crossing the border and Congress’s failure this year to pass a broader immigration overhaul have propelled the president toward taking action on his own by summer’s end.

Obama aides have discussed a range of options that could provide legal protections and work permits to a significant portion of the nation’s more than 11 million undocumented residents, said Democratic lawmakers and immigrant advocates who have met recently with White House officials. Ideas under consideration could include temporary relief for law-abiding undocumented immigrants who are closely related to U.S. citizens or those who have lived in the country a certain number of years — a population that advocates say could reach as high as 5 million.

Some Senate Democrats running for reelection in traditionally conservative states, such as Arkansas and Louisiana, have expressed misgivings about Obama going too far on his immigration order, fearing it will not play well among voters in their states.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/obama-readies-executive-action-to-legalize-millions-of-undocumented-immigrants/2014/08/01/222ae2e8-18f8-11e4-85b6-c1451e622637_story.html

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Obama readies executive action on immigration (Original Post) alp227 Aug 2014 OP
Just pass the TPP already MannyGoldstein Aug 2014 #1
They'll still want to come. candelista Aug 2014 #19
I hope it is a bold plan 4now Aug 2014 #2
Spineless bastard! Major Hogwash Aug 2014 #3
Message auto-removed Name removed Aug 2014 #4
Not that I am against relief for undocumented immigrant families but TT_Progress Aug 2014 #5
He needs to take bold action Abouttime Aug 2014 #6
you realize MikeW Aug 2014 #10
Anything for votes? Anything for "our side"? candelista Aug 2014 #20
"allow millions of illegal immigrants to remain in the United States" seveneyes Aug 2014 #7
Might this be framed better? Babel_17 Aug 2014 #8
I have mixed feelings about that many work permits. Politically it could backfire on us. There are a jwirr Aug 2014 #9
"Politically it could backfire on us"? candelista Aug 2014 #11
I understood that but if we lose this election because we like the rethugs start allienating voters jwirr Aug 2014 #12
get real folks amazona10 Aug 2014 #13
. Agschmid Aug 2014 #15
So let's raise the minimum... YES! In_The_Wind Aug 2014 #16
That's like not banning slavery because it will harm the cotton industry arcane1 Aug 2014 #17
Because they weren't minimum wage jobs until the labor market was flooded joeglow3 Aug 2014 #23
Short term it is a boost for the Republicans going into the midterm madville Aug 2014 #14
But the underlying issue is: "what's good for the American people?" candelista Aug 2014 #21
I am interested to see what he will do davidpdx Aug 2014 #18
Thanks Obama! Cha Aug 2014 #22
 

MannyGoldstein

(34,589 posts)
1. Just pass the TPP already
Sat Aug 2, 2014, 01:41 AM
Aug 2014

If every other "free" trade agreement is an indicator, the TpP will move millions of US jobs to other countries, increasing US unemployment and dropping wages, so foreign nationals won't want o come here anymore.

Problem solved!

Response to alp227 (Original post)

TT_Progress

(67 posts)
5. Not that I am against relief for undocumented immigrant families but
Sat Aug 2, 2014, 03:52 AM
Aug 2014

the executive needs to fix the other inequities and issues with immediate relatives of US citizens before overwhelming the system. Right now there are terrible inequities that do not get fixed because some groups, like citizens with spouses and children of other nationalities, do not have lobbying powers.

The immigration system is a terrible and tragic patchwork due to inequities in lobbying power. This has been seriously agitated by the addition of Homeland Security which is a terribly rigid institution and is not flexible when families are involved.

There are several hundred thousand mixed nationality citizen families who have to wait several years for their spouses and children. Even when the marriage may be 30 years they will be separated if they enter or return to the US.

**The system now allows foreign laborers to bring their spouses to the country and the process is ** a month!

** Foreign labor gets super fast service - 6-8 weeks for the primary and a paid expedite option is available.

** Because of an executive change last year, undocumented immigrant spouses can now apply to be processed without having to separate and can remain in the country (which is a good thing). But because of the inequitus nature of the system they are placed in the same queue as other immediate families, actually causing the normal processed families to be apart **longer**. Those queues need to be seperate and families that are apart need to be processes first.

** It is impossible to bring in a spouse of a citizen or permanent resident (legally) without the long wait, but the US allows people who bypass the system and bring a fiancee over on a visitors visa to adjust their status and remain together without interruption.

All immediate family members should be processed equitably. They should all have an abbreviated visa that allows them into the country (as happens with work visas now) where processing is finalized. EQUITABLY!


But none of these problems are in the special interest lobbying for "immigration reform" It will just add to the mess created through legislation by lobby power, instead of truly reforming the system. In fact, the immigration lobby is asking that non-immediate family members (adult brothers/sisters/aunts uncles etc) be allowed into the same priority as immediate family. If the other issues are not fixed first that will entirely mess over many families who are trying to be united.
 

Abouttime

(675 posts)
6. He needs to take bold action
Sat Aug 2, 2014, 09:52 AM
Aug 2014

Undocumented Americans should be given work permits and be allowed to obtain drivers licenses. This would be huge for Democrats, a permanent majority would be created with one executive action. Once in place no future administration including repukes would dare overturn it. We're talking 10 million+ potential voters who would forever identify with our side.

MikeW

(602 posts)
10. you realize
Sat Aug 2, 2014, 10:20 AM
Aug 2014

that having a working permit and drivers license arnt enough to allow you to vote.

You actually have to be a citizen.

Otherwise its fraud.

 

candelista

(1,986 posts)
20. Anything for votes? Anything for "our side"?
Sun Aug 3, 2014, 11:42 AM
Aug 2014

Even if it hurts jobs and wages for lower paid Americans, including many black Americans?

 

seveneyes

(4,631 posts)
7. "allow millions of illegal immigrants to remain in the United States"
Sat Aug 2, 2014, 10:11 AM
Aug 2014

I can't think of a better way to get millions of unemployed American to the voting booth.

Babel_17

(5,400 posts)
8. Might this be framed better?
Sat Aug 2, 2014, 10:16 AM
Aug 2014

It might be framed better if the administration said it was taking a few of the essential parts from the bi-partisan Senate bill and using them as a temporary guideline until the House reaches a compromise with the Senate.

Individual, unauthorized, immigrants, who are part of a class likely to get normalized, shouldn't get singled out for deportation. If Republicans in the House intend to insist on deporting everyone then they should speak up loudly, and specifically, now.

jwirr

(39,215 posts)
9. I have mixed feelings about that many work permits. Politically it could backfire on us. There are a
Sat Aug 2, 2014, 10:19 AM
Aug 2014

lot people out of work that could get really upset at this. Now many of those undocumented residents already have jobs here and they might as well have permits and pay taxes etc. No one can say they will be taking a job from someone else.

For the rest hopefully President Obama can find another way of keeping them safe. He needs to walk very carefully and yet act boldly in light of the permission the House gave him by walking out. Not an easy task.

I would suggest that he offer some type of path to citizenship to those with relatives in the USA already. I remember that when I was little relative visas used to help people in our community bring family members here from Europe.

 

candelista

(1,986 posts)
11. "Politically it could backfire on us"?
Sat Aug 2, 2014, 11:22 AM
Aug 2014

That's what's problematic about this policy? No, what is problematic is the negative effect it will have on jobs and wages for low-income American workers, including many black Americans. The political implications are secondary.

Click here for opinion of US Civil Rights Commission Members on illegal immigration:

http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2013/04/three_civil_rights_commissione.html

jwirr

(39,215 posts)
12. I understood that but if we lose this election because we like the rethugs start allienating voters
Sat Aug 2, 2014, 11:39 AM
Aug 2014

all of us are screwed. I have watched us lose too many elections to think that the political implications are of little importance. I am tired of the rethugs running this world. And in case you did not realize it you and I are saying the same thing. The people you list are the people that I was worried about alienating.

amazona10

(8 posts)
13. get real folks
Sat Aug 2, 2014, 12:44 PM
Aug 2014

the following industries would collapse without these workers, and believe me they are working and have been working for decades: hotels, restaurants, fruit/vegetable harvesting, housing, meat/poultry processing and many more. Yes, the repubs will come out in droves but all the dems have to say is look at these industries...look at who is working there now at minimum wage. Sorry, but americans are not willing to do this kind of labor at minimum wage anymore . also, the dairy industry

Agschmid

(28,749 posts)
15. .
Sat Aug 2, 2014, 01:09 PM
Aug 2014
Sorry, but americans are not willing to do this kind of labor at minimum wage anymore .


So let's raise the minimum... No?
 

arcane1

(38,613 posts)
17. That's like not banning slavery because it will harm the cotton industry
Sat Aug 2, 2014, 02:10 PM
Aug 2014

If the system can't pay a living wage for those jobs, then the system is a failure and needs to be abolished in favor of one that works.

 

joeglow3

(6,228 posts)
23. Because they weren't minimum wage jobs until the labor market was flooded
Mon Aug 4, 2014, 03:45 PM
Aug 2014

My father was more than happy to work his union drywall job. He was less happy about the non-union slave wage job a decade after illegal immigrants flooded the job market.

madville

(7,397 posts)
14. Short term it is a boost for the Republicans going into the midterm
Sat Aug 2, 2014, 01:05 PM
Aug 2014

It will be a great rallying cry for them, "backdoor amnesty!!!!", recent polls show this is the #1 issue at he moment with their base.

Long term it's a win for Democrats as the Hispanic population increases.

 

candelista

(1,986 posts)
21. But the underlying issue is: "what's good for the American people?"
Sun Aug 3, 2014, 11:47 AM
Aug 2014

Including the low-paid workers (many of them black Americans) who will be displaced by this policy.

davidpdx

(22,000 posts)
18. I am interested to see what he will do
Sat Aug 2, 2014, 09:18 PM
Aug 2014

and will wait to form an opinion on it once it is fully announced.

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