Obama Quietly Changes U.S. Immigration Policy

[babylonsister]

Obama Quietly Changes U.S. Immigration Policy

by Edward Alden


SAN FRANCISCO - The Obama administration quietly announced last week that it would overturn one of the harsh immigration enforcement measures enacted by the Bush administration following the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

Beginning next month, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said, those who arrive in the United States fleeing torture or persecution abroad will no longer automatically be welcomed with handcuffs and months in a jail cell. Instead, many of those seeking protection will again be permitted to live freely in the country while their applications for permanent asylum are considered by an immigration judge.

The measure is the latest in a string of little-noticed initiatives by the Obama DHS to reconsider some of the most controversial enforcement policies of the past decade. The administration in August launched an overhaul of the immigration detention system, which had grown out of control as the number of detainees doubled in just five years to more than 440,000 annually. Some of those were simply lost in the system, while others fell ill and died due to poor medical care, and the administration has pledged to stop such abuses. That same month, it moved families out of the notorious T. Don Hutto immigrant detention facility in Texas, which had become a national disgrace after revelations that pregnant women and small children were being held there in prison-like conditions.

The administration has also largely halted workplace raids that resulted in jailing, deportation and even criminal charges for many unauthorized workers, and is focused instead on in-depth audits of companies suspected of hiring those workers. And DHS has curbed the authority of state and local police forces to demand immigration documents from anyone stopped for minor offenses like traffic violations, saying that such checks should be done only for those jailed on criminal charges, particularly for serious criminal offenses. To drive home the point, DHS in October stripped the notorious Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Arizona of federal authority to make immigration-related arrests.

more...

http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2009/12/30-3

[Beetwasher]

1. Just Like Bush!! Corporate Stooge!!!

Blah blah blah.

I sleep like a baby these days knowing this man is in charge.

[Cha]

14. That is the official knee jerk reaction..

somebody yesterday got on a positive Labor and Obama thread yesterday and told us what they imagined the OP said..reality didn't cut any ice..it was all about what "was imagined".

[Starbucks Anarchist]

26. Did you see the homeless thread the other day?

Obama funded some homeless shelters/programs and people still complained about that. :banghead:

[FrenchieCat]

34. Don't get me started on the Child Hunger Program that

he boosted with his pledge to end child hunger.

I started a thread detailing the programs progress,
that got locked as it became a flamewar,
cause somebody decided Obama needs to pull jobs out of his ass,
not charity.

[crikkett]

27. "I sleep like a baby these days knowing this man is in charge."

:thumbsup:
me too

[Jamastiene]

2. This is good. Maybe this will start to restore some of our reputation around the world

as a good place with good people. :thumbsup:

[MidwestRick]

3. Wow

"And DHS has curbed the authority of state and local police forces to demand immigration documents from anyone stopped for minor offenses like traffic violations, saying that such checks should be done only for those jailed on criminal charges, particularly for serious criminal offenses."

Great. Come to the US illegally, and as long as you aren't arrested for some other crime, you are free to live here illegally. Brilliant.

[babylonsister]

5. I see; you'd rather immigrants be treated as criminals for minor

offenses. That's brilliant. I don't suppose there were any immigrants in your family either, or you wouldn't be so judgmental.

Are you an American Indian, per chance?

[MidwestRick]

6. Yep.

If they are here illegally, they have no right to be here. It's pretty simple.

And no, none of my family broke any laws entering the country. Go figure.

[hileeopnyn8d]

8. What you are saying

is that if I'm hispanic (or some other profiled group), and I have a tail light out on my car (that I didn't even know about)and I'm pulled over, I should have to provide immigration documents because some cop thinks that because of my ethnic heritage I 'might' be here illegally.

[MidwestRick]

11. Nope, not saying that at all.

There should be more required for the poice to ask for documents to prove immigration status. Then again, this is the perfect example as to why states should not issue driving certification to illegals. If you can't provide a valid driver's license that alone would be reason enough to look deeper your immigration status.

My point being. If someone is here illegally, the government should not make it easier for them to stay here. Enter the country through the proper legal cannels, and I'll welcome each and everyone of our new guests with open arms.

[ieoeja]

13. Then why did you complain?

The new rule is that cops can only ask for documents to prove immigration status if the invididual is being arrested for a crime rather than for routine traffic stops. You just agreed that more should be required for the police to ask that than a routine traffic stop. So you just came full circle to fully agree with what Obama is doing.

[lunatica]

16. Running in ever diminishing circles at every increasing speed

makes one disappear up one's own ass hole. Full circle indeed!

:fistbump:

[lunatica]

10. THere are millions of generational Hispanic citizens of the US

You're OK with children being held in detention centers that are like prisons because in your mind they must be criminals?

[MidwestRick]

12. If they were brought here illegally

yes, keep them with the people that brought them, or return them to the country of their origin.

[lunatica]

15. And that would solve what?

Don't you mind having your tax dollars go to detaining those children? Or do you gladly pay for this?

[SemiCharmedQuark]

9. Yeah, I actually don't like the idea of being told to produce my papers because of my name or the

way I look. I was really pissed off when I was interrogated before getting married simply because of my name and background.

[shellgame26]

17. Stop being Karl Rove's bitch

another wedge issue sucker! This is the one thing they know will divide the working class. dredge up your underlying racist reactions and make you feel justified for having those feelings.

[MidwestRick]

19. Racist? ROFL

Nice strawman. Disagree with illegals in the US, one must be a racist. Gotcha.

[shellgame26]

21. you don't realize it

BUT YES!

[MidwestRick]

22. Oh no...

...I'll have to tell my Arab wife this, she should really know.

[ieoeja]

28. She probably already knows how much you hate Mexicans.

But, yeah, you really should tell her if she hasn't figured it out for herself yet.

[MidwestRick]

36. So I hate Mexicans?

Really? I'm so glad you are able to take my comments and twist them into racism. That must be a handy talent in the real world. :sarcasm:

[shellgame26]

29. Ha Ha Ha Ha

Is that supposed to absolve you of your racism? Every single election cycle they trot out that same old anti-illegal card and people like you fall for it every single time! They can only exploit you if you have latent racist feelings. Doesn't matter who you're married to. Just ask Lou Dobbs.

[sandnsea]

18. You want a "papers" check??

How about for Irish illegals? Everyone with red hair needs to show their papers??

[Eyerish]

4. That's an encouraging step in the right direction....

[flpoljunkie]

7. America living up to the ideals we all say we cherish.

It's about time, after eight long years of Bush and the continuing and unprecedented ramblings of Dick Cheney. The media ought to call him out, but instead, they repeat ad nauseum every inane accusation out of his twisted mind.

[lsewpershad]

25. Couldn't have said better.

[TheKentuckian]

20. K&R

Though this has nothing to do with corporate friendly/serving policy. Big business is fine with people more or less moving freely that can afford to opr they need to provide cheap labor.

[johnaries]

23. "Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me.
I lift my lamp beside the golden door."

I am glad those words actually mean something again.

[winyanstaz]

24. this is good..and I hope he fines the crap out of companies found guilty...

We have the laws in place already to deal humanly with illegals...I am glad Obama is going to enforce them.
I think that Joe dude needs to be arrested for forcing that lady to give birth in chains when there was NO reason to do so....it's not like she would have been able to run away. The bastard is a sadist.

[Avalux]

30. Good. And right on cue, expect Pukes to scream he's letting terrorist in the country. n/t

[Clio the Leo]

31. I want to know when someone is gonna stop letting white men near Federal buildings ...

... obviously I'm kidding but what hypocrites we can be. (And by "we" I mean "them." lol)

[old mark]

32. There was a local man, who was a wanted political fugitive from China,

who stated in a news article that he was here waiting for a green card. He was arrested by Immigration and returned to China where he was killed.

I'm happy we got this shit changed.

Fuck all republicans.

mark

[Vidar]

33. Good for Obama on this one. Recommended.

[Hekate]

35. KnR for restoration of the Bill of Rights for all who are within our borders.

Every time I read something like this I feel another little knot of sadness in my heart come undone and start to heal. Thanks for the post, babylon sister.

Hekate

[marshall]

37. Will they be able to get legal jobs?

Where will they live? They will have to be able to make money, unless they are independently wealthy, or unless some charity pitches in.