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The US needs immigration reform, not another opportunity to blame the GOP The US needs immigration reform, not another opportunity to blame the GOP
(30 days later)
The The Obama administration has a problem on its hands: the moral implications and aesthetic disaster of cameras documenting defenseless young child refugees being returned by force to their often-dangerous motherlands. This could be an opportunity for the administration to push for immigration reform (or show some kind of leadership on the issue), but it seems as though the White House's strategy is to deflect uncomfortable questions about mass deportations, avoid the moral and political consequences of estranging the Latino community and hope the GOP does something even worse.
Obama administration has a problem on its hands: the moral implications In the latter, at least, they've had some help. From extremist protesters who gathered in Arizona last week carrying "Return to Sender" signs to protest what they thought was a busload of child immigrants (it turned out to be kids on their way to the YMCA) to the Republican sheriff, Paul Babeu, who leaked the bus route (he later explained that he felt forced to reveal the location of the bus because the federal government failed to inform him who was on it), immigration opponents have done a quality job of making mainstream Democrats look reasonable by comparison on the issue of immigration policy.
and aesthetic disaster of cameras documenting defenseless young child Conservative groups in Vassar, Michigan recently protested the possible housing of Central American children in by marching through town, some armed with AR-15 rifles and handguns, carrying signs that read: "Go home, we're full," and "No gang members. No terrorists."
refugees being returned by force to their often-dangerous An effort in Virginia to house refugee children immigrants at the shuttered campus of Saint Paul's College in Lawrenceville caused such a backlash that officials scrapped the plan despite having signed a five-month lease. Brunswick County Sheriff Brian Roberts, for instance, said he objected to the plan due to concerns about public safety: "That's my job," he said, "and so 500 kids unaccounted for — illegal alien children in my little sleepy town — I just don't think it's the right fit for this community."
motherlands. This could be an opportunity for the administration to Under the guise of security concerns, a small community in Texas – League City – passed a resolution opposing shelters from opening even though the federal government had no plans to do so. The resolution claimed that "illegal aliens suffering from diseases endemic in their countries of origin are being released into our communities". (That is, it turns out, a myth – and a racist one at that.)
push for immigration reform (or show some kind of leadership on the issue), but it seems as though But in Texas, the rhetoric doesn't end with racist dog-whistles. Republican gubernatorial nominee, Greg Abbott, called South Texas – and its heavily Hispanic population – "a Third World country", while a Republican Senate candidate, Chris Mapp, referred to Hispanics as "wetbacks" and called for deadly force against some undocumented immigrants.
the White House's strategy is to deflect uncomfortable questions about It's certainly clear that Americans are worried about immigration policy: a recent Gallup poll revealed that one in six Americans call immigration the top problem in the country, on par with the economy and government dissatisfaction. But it's also clear that the protests and conservative political posturing are helping the Obama administration avoid proposing any real or controversial solutions – which has clear political benefits for Democrats.
mass deportations, avoid the moral and political consequences of Obama's approval rating has plummeted among Latino voters since his re-election, but as the Washington Post noted, "Latinos are frustrated, but they still like the GOP a lot less". A recent Washington Post-ABC News poll shows that just 40% of Hispanics approve of Obama's handling of the crisis on the Southern border, and 54% disapprove.
estranging the Latino community and hope the GOP does something even
worse.
In
the latter, at least, they've had some help. From extremist
protesters who gathered in Arizona last week carrying "Return to Sender"
signs to protest what they thought was a busload of child immigrants
(it turned out to be kids on their way to the YMCA) to the Republican sheriff, Paul Babeu, who leaked the bus route (he later explained that he felt forced to reveal the location of the bus because the federal government failed to inform him who was on it), immigration
opponents have done a quality job of making mainstream Democrats look
reasonable by comparison on the issue of immigration policy.
Conservative
groups in Vassar, Michigan recently protested the possible housing of
Central American children in by marching through town, some armed with AR-15 rifles and handguns, carrying signs that read: "Go home, we're full," and "No gang members. No terrorists."
An effort
in Virginia to house refugee children immigrants at the shuttered
campus of Saint Paul's College in Lawrenceville caused such a backlash
that officials scrapped the plan despite having signed a five-month
lease. Brunswick County Sheriff Brian Roberts,
for instance, said he objected to the plan due to concerns about public
safety: "That's my job," he said, "and so 500 kids unaccounted for —
illegal alien children in my little sleepy town — I just don't think
it's the right fit for this community."
Under
the guise of security concerns, a small community in Texas – League
City – passed a resolution opposing shelters from opening even though the federal government had no plans to do so.
The resolution claimed that "illegal aliens suffering from diseases
endemic in their countries of origin are being released into our
communities". (That is, it turns out, a myth – and a racist one at that.)
But
in Texas, the rhetoric doesn't end with racist dog-whistles. Republican
gubernatorial nominee, Greg Abbott, called South Texas – and its
heavily Hispanic population – "a Third World country", while a Republican Senate candidate, Chris Mapp, referred to Hispanics as "wetbacks" and called for deadly force against some undocumented immigrants.
It's certainly clear that Americans are worried about immigration policy: a recent Gallup poll revealed
that one in six Americans call immigration the top problem in the country, on
par with the economy and government dissatisfaction. But it's also clear
that the protests and conservative political posturing are helping the
Obama administration avoid proposing any real or controversial solutions
– which has clear political benefits for Democrats.
Obama's approval rating has plummeted among Latino voters since his re-election, but as the Washington Post noted, "Latinos are frustrated, but they still like the GOP a lot less".
A recent Washington Post-ABC News poll shows that just 40% of Hispanics
approve of Obama's handling of the crisis on the Southern border, and
54% disapprove.
But when it comes to the GOP, just 23% of Hispanics approve of the party's immigration efforts, and 68% disapprove.But when it comes to the GOP, just 23% of Hispanics approve of the party's immigration efforts, and 68% disapprove.
Meanwhile, the Department of Homeland Security last week returned about 40 Hondurans, including children, to their homeland – Meanwhile, the Department of Homeland Security last week returned about 40 Hondurans, including children, to their homeland – and they have promised that this is only the beginning of the newest waves of deportations. "We expect additional migrants will be returned to Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador in the coming days and weeks," an official told NBC News.
and they have promised that this is only the beginning of the newest That's certainly consistent with the Obama administration's policy of deportations. The total number of deportations during Obama's tenure recently passed 2 million – earning him the title "Deporter-In-Chief" from pro-immigration activists. Despite the fact that President Obama is on track to deported more people by the end of 2014 than George W Bush did during his entire time in office, some professional pundits seem to believe Obama can still probably bank on securing the Latino community's vote during the next election – perhaps due to the continuing xenophobic and racist rhetoric from conservative politicians.
waves of deportations. "We expect additional migrants will be returned (Democrats, of course, are not immune to racist rhetoric – especially when pandering to conservative voters – but it's understandable why some Latino voters might prefer candidates who don't suggest their constituents shoot them on sight.)
to Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador in the coming days and weeks," an But what is actually clear from Obama's tanking numbers among Latinos is that the administration takes their support for granted– and that Democrats are banking on the being the lesser evil on immigration policy when those voters head to the polls in November.
official told NBC News. Earlier this month when Obama visited Texas, he declined an invitation to visit the border, saying, "This isn't theater. This is a problem. I'm not interested in photo ops; I'm interested in solving a problem."
That's The US cannot – and should not – solve its immigration problem one busload (or planeload) of vulnerable children at a time. But so far, that's the only solution the administration has offered. It's not enough.
certainly consistent with the Obama administration's policy of
deportations. The total number of deportations during Obama's tenure recently passed 2 million – earning him the title "Deporter-In-Chief"
from pro-immigration activists. Despite the fact that President Obama
is on track to deported more people by the end of 2014 than George W
Bush did during his entire time in office, some professional
pundits seem to believe Obama can still probably bank on securing the Latino community's vote during the next election – perhaps due to the continuing xenophobic and racist rhetoric from conservative politicians.
(Democrats,
of course, are not immune to racist rhetoric – especially when
pandering to conservative voters – but it's understandable why some
Latino voters might prefer candidates who don't suggest their constituents shoot them on sight.)
But
what is actually clear from Obama's tanking numbers among Latinos is
that the administration takes their support for granted– and that
Democrats are banking on the being the lesser evil on immigration policy
when those voters head to the polls in November.
Earlier
this month when Obama visited Texas, he declined an invitation to visit
the border, saying, "This isn't theater. This is a problem. I'm not
interested in photo ops; I'm interested in solving a problem."
The
US cannot – and should not – solve its immigration problem one busload
(or planeload) of vulnerable children at a time. But so far, that's the
only solution the administration has offered. It's not enough.