In a race to see who could give away more to people who have not earned their way, we should not be surprised at this reaction. The three primary candidates for the DNC nomination have shown themselves to be more than willing to hand out our money. It has reached a point of madness in the debates. They sound like divorced parents seeking to buy the affection of their children. So the fact that they are upset that Obama is finally going to follow the law is hardly a shock.
The Washington Post reported:
The Department of Homeland Security has begun preparing for a series of raids that would target for deportation hundreds of families who have flocked to the United States since the start of last year, according to people familiar with the operation.
The nationwide campaign, to be carried out by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents as soon as early January, would be the first large-scale effort to deport families who have fled violence in Central America, those familiar with the plan said. More than 100,000 families with both adults and children have made the journey across the southwest border since last year, though this migration has largely been overshadowed by a related surge of unaccompanied minors.
Now, for many, this is outrageous. That the government is actually going to follow the law—what in the world are they thinking? This is especially egregious to the two candidates who are confessed socialists.
Fox News reports:
“I am very disturbed by reports that the government may commence raids to deport families who have fled here to escape violence in Central America,” Sanders said. “We need to take steps to protect children and families seeking refuge here, not cast them out.”
O’Malley said the plan would be “at odds” with America’s character, adding: “We must put an end to these mindless deportations.”
At this point, it is hard not to feel a little sorry for the President. He has found himself in a tight spot. He has many citizens and Republicans harping at him because of his failure to deport those here illegally. And he has those in his own party harping on him for enforcing the law. And, what’s worse, his former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has joined in to criticize.
Fox continues:
“Hillary Clinton has real concerns about these reports, especially as families are coming together during this holiday season,” campaign spokeswoman Xochitl Hinojosa said. “She believes it is critical that everyone has a full and fair hearing, and that our country provides refuge to those that need it. And we should be guided by a spirit of humanity and generosity as we approach these issues.”
These reactions are typical for people running for office, and we should not be too quick to feel sorry for Obama. The President is not running for office and could care less what these people say about him. There is a likelihood that this is more a show than anything else.
The Washington Post reports:
Groups that have called for stricter immigration limits said the raids are long overdue and remained skeptical about whether the scale would be large enough to deter future illegal immigration from Central America.
“I’ll believe it when I see it,” said Mark Krikorian, executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies. “What share is this going to be?. . . It’s a drop in the bucket compared to the number they’ve admitted into the country. If you have photogenic raids on a few dozen illegal families and that’s the end of it, it’s just for show. It’s just a [public relations] thing, enforcement theater.”
If Krikorian is correct, then these raids would accomplish several things for the Dems in the coming election year. It would provide a little relief from the pressure many have placed on them over the drop in deportation. It would also provide a platform from which the Dems could attack the right over their threats to deport, all the while winning votes from the immigrant advocates.
There is a lot to be gained, and all at the cost of a few dozen families. What a bargain.
