When Obama does it, does that make it legal?

[Draggingtree]

jsonline.com: When Obama does it, does that make it legal?

President Barack Obama, whose power abuses have played a role in the imperilment of tens of thousands of children and earned him slaps by the Supreme Court and the threat of a suit by House Republicans, has promised more of the same. If Congress doesn't give him what he wants on immigration reform, he said he is going to change things himself. What that could well mean is unilaterally instituting a broad amnesty program of his aides' devising.

 

It's the kind of performance you would more likely expect on a "Saturday Night Live" stage than in the Rose Garden. There he nevertheless was, telling us "America cannot wait forever for them to act." By "them" he meant House Republicans, by "act" he meant passage of sweeping legislation that meets his approval and by "forever" he meant passage is unlikely this year.

 

While no one can say for sure all that comes next, a New York Times story says the administration may give "work permits and protection from deportation to millions of immigrants now in the country." Except that it would be much further reaching, this move could render something akin to the two-year, renewable, constitutionally questionable amnesty already granted by Obama in 2012

[Draggingtree]

Deporting Oneself Well

By Debra Saunders - July 6, 2014

 

Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., and Republican Texas Gov. Rick Perry faced off Thursday at a House Homeland Security Committee field hearing in McAllen, Texas, on the crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border.

 

There's no question there's a crisis. In 2011, some 4,000 unaccompanied children were caught after crossing into the United States.

 

In 2012, the number rose to more than 13,000 children. Last year, that number hit 38,759; and already this year, the toll exceeds 52,000, with most minors coming from Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador.

 

Not all of the kids make it. Interim Hidalgo County Sheriff Eddie Guerra ticked off the sad numbers. In 2012, his department saw 19 immigrant deaths. In 2013, it found 25 bodies. "This year, we have already responded to 14 immigrant deaths," he told the panel. "The hardest to take are the deaths of children."

 

On July 1, angry protesters dissuaded federal officials from busing 140 detainees into Murrieta, California. No doubt supporters of "comprehensive immigration reform" want these angry individuals to be seen as the face of their opposition.

dsaunders@sfchronicle.com