Immigration Opinions, 12/21/18

Immigration Opinions, 12/21/18 Support the Center for Immigration Studies by donating on line here: http://cis.org/donate This email includes a wide range of views, provided for educational purposes. Inclusion does not constitute an endorsement by the Center for Immigration Studies.    1. "CIS Immigration Blog Posts," Dan Cadman, Andrew R. Arthur, Todd Bensman, Nayla Rush, and David Seminara 2. "Trump's Battle For a Border Wall," Michael Cutler 3. "Republicans Should Fight into January for the Wall," Deroy Murdock 4. "Mexico Is Building Its Wall — and the U.S. Is Paying for It," Kevin D. Williamson 5. "It Was Always About the Wall," Victor Davis Hanson 6. "Trump Blew His Chances of Building the Wall," Jim Geraghty 7. "Trump Should Shut Down the Southern Border AND the Government Until We Fix Our Immigration System," Ned Ryun 8. "The 'Wall' Is Now 'Steel Slats' And Trump Has Screwed His Supporters," Eddie Scarry 9. "Trump Set Himself Up For Failure on the Shutdown, Unless He's Serious About Immigration," Eddie Scarry 10. "Understanding the Caravan — the Map Says It All," Kris Kobach 11. "Lawless Judge Strikes Down Trump's Asylum Policy," Matthew Vadum 12. "California ICE Capades," Lloyd Billingsley 13. "Country Outside of Latin America Continues to Contribute to Illegal Immigration Into the US," Matthew Tragesser 14. "Congress Continues to Jumble Immigration Priorities," Heather Ham-Warren 15. "The Truth Emerges: US Border Patrol Not Responsible For Young Girl's Death, Her Father Confirms," Guy Benson 16. "Little Migrant Girl Dies, Media Pounce," Brent Bozell 17. "Growing Blame America First Crowd Rushes to the Border," Rob Thomson 18. "Terror Attack in France Is a Fresh Reminder of Why We Need the Wall," Tony Shaffer 19. "Three Times Previous Presidents Closed the Southern Border," Fred Lucas 20. "If Trump Ended Birthright Citizenship by Executive Order, He'd Be Enforcing Existing Law," Ed Feulner 21. "Let ICE Do Its Job — Enforcing The Law," The Boston Herald 22. "In Sanctuary Boston, Some Immigrants More Equal Than Others," Michael Graham 23. "Red Francis: Western World Has 'Moral Responsibility' to Let in More Migrants," Jim Hoft 24. "The Art of the Deal: Mexico Agrees to House Asylum Applicants," Ed Morrissey 25. "Our View: Immigration and Leveling the Playing Field," Lompoc Record 26. "Time for 'Cocaine Mitch' to Deliver; House Passes Wall Funding Bill, Goes to the Senate," Brenda Walker 27. "No Brainer: An Immigration/Budget Deal," Mort Kondracke 28. "How Legalizing Marijuana Is Securing the Border: The Border Wall, Drug Smuggling, and Lessons for Immigration Policy," David Bier 29. "A New U.S. Immigration Law Would Hurt Iranians the Most," Maziar Motamedi 30. "New Government Data Reveals Immigration Arrests and Deportations Increased in 2018," Tory Johnson 31. "Sick From Eating That Salad? Blame Trump's Immigration Policies," Melissa Cruz 32. "Two Grotesque Immigration Stories Demonstrate Our Nation's Moral Decay," Jack Holmes 1. CIS Immigration Blog Posts By Dan Cadman Canada Gets Royal Assent to Share Border Entry and Exit Data with the U.S. December 21, 2018 . . . This impending law will help both nations, because an entry into one of the two countries from the other obviously constitutes an exit as well. Given that departure data collection is incomplete in both nations, this will help fill a critical gap, particularly for foreigners coming and going across the shared border. It is obviously important for each country to be aware that an alien seeking an immigration benefit (asylum, for instance) within its boundaries has decided to cross the border into foreign turf, because such a move has legal consequences that might otherwise be concealed from the relevant authorities. The data will include both citizens and resident aliens ("landed immigrants" as they are called in Canada). . . . https://cis.org/Cadman/Canada-Gets-Royal-Assent-Share-Border-Entry-and-Exit-Data-US State Department Announces New Public-Private Foreign Assistance Partnership for Southern Mexico and Central America Will it be effective and taint-free? December 19, 2018 . . . The announcement is potentially good news, and will certainly help bolster AMLO's public profile at home, and hopefully ensure that there is no substantive domestic resistance to his announced plan to beef up military and border security resources at Mexico's own southern border. Although after the recent unruly acts of Central Americans participating in caravans there and elsewhere in Mexico, including Tijuana, gateway to the United States, Mexico's people seem decidedly much cooler about the trespasses of southern neighbors into their sovereign territory while en route to the United States. But the age-old question, as it always has been with foreign development aid, is this: Will it be effective? Or, because money is always fungible, will it simply be sponged up and used ineffectively — or worse, corruptly — by the host governments and a variety of nongovernmental agencies, some of which are well-intended but inept, and some of which are nothing more than parasites created to siphon off the handouts, often into politicians' pockets? . . . https://cis.org/Cadman/State-Department-Announces-New-PublicPrivate-Foreign-Assistance-Partnership-Southern-Mexico No Billion-Dollar Immigration Slush Fund? It Already Exists December 19, 2018 . . . Yes, heaven forfend that an administration should have unfettered access to such an immigration slush fund to do virtually anything it wishes, unchecked by the Congress! Oh, wait a minute. We already have one. It's called the Examinations Fee Account, which derives from the dollars collected for each and every immigration application filed with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the Department of Homeland Security's standalone successor to what used to be the Examinations Division of the now-defunct Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS). I can recall when the fee account was so bare that, even though it was designed to offset taxpayer costs to fund both the human resources and work of the Examinations Division, INS continued to have to seek yearly congressional appropriations to hobble along with its work. But now that fund is so fat that it not only funds the entire USCIS enterprise, there is an additional $1 billion-plus surplus sitting in it. What has it been used for? Why, such things as the constitutionally dubious and extra-statutory DACA and DAPA programs. Although DAPA never got off the ground because it was blocked by court decisions, DACA has never been fully self-funding from the various fees that are collected for enrolling in the program. . . . https://cis.org/Cadman/No-BillionDollar-Immigration-Slush-Fund-It-Already-Exists By Andrew R. Arthur Judge Sullivan Takes Control of Asylum Law A result Congress never intended December 21, 2018 . . . Under the expansive jurisdictional standard announced by Judge Sullivan, any precedential decision by the BIA or AG relating to asylum could be subject to review by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia under section 242(e)(3) of the INA in any case brought by any alien who had been denied a finding of credible fear in accordance with that decision, because that decision would, by operation of law, have an effect on credible-fear determinations. That was the opposite of the intent of Congress in providing for expedited procedures for the removal of aliens seeking to enter or who had entered illegally without proper documents. DOJ must appeal, and the circuit court must restore the authority of the court to its proper limited role in expedited removal proceedings on review. . . . https://cis.org/Arthur/Judge-Sullivan-Takes-Control-Asylum-Law A Child's Death in the Boot Heel And the recriminations that have followed December 18, 2018 . . . On Thursday, [incoming Hispanic Caucus Chairman Rep. Joaquin] Castro issued a statement saying that he would be asking for a "full investigation by the Inspector General and Congress into the conditions and circumstances that led to (Jakelin's) death." "We can do better as a nation," he said. "This is a humanitarian crisis and we have a moral obligation to ensure these vulnerable families can safely seek asylum, which is legal under immigration and international law at our borders." I would concur with Castro's call for a "full investigation by the Inspector General and Congress into the conditions and circumstances that led to (Jakelin's) death." That investigation, however, should begin in the village of Raxruhá, Alta Verapaz, Guatemala, and continue all the way up to Providence Hospital. It should include the name of the smuggler or smugglers who were paid to bring the Caals to the United States, and they should be extradited (assuming they are not already here) and prosecuted on any ground that could enter into the imagination of a U.S. Attorney. Not to blame a grieving parent, either, but that investigation should also involve what Caal's father did during that entire trip, what he knew, and whom he told. I also agree with Castro that: "We can do better as a nation." I likely disagree, however, with the proposed response. I have detailed, CBP has detailed, and even U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the New York Times have detailed the dangers of alien smuggling and illegal migration. Encouraging people to enter the United States illegally is the depth of congressional malpractice. . . . https://cis.org/Arthur/Childs-Death-Boot-Heel Judges Want Courtrooms Off-Limits to ICE 'Gentlemen. You can't fight in here! This is the War Room!' December 17, 2018 . . . Accepting that proposition as true, it is unclear how immigration enforcement would differ from law enforcement generally. Rather, those 68 judges have apparently made a determination that immigration enforcement is not an important law-enforcement activity. If that is their position, they should run for Congress and change the laws. Moreover, it is not entirely clear what "physical altercations involving court employees" constitutes, but I sincerely hope that it does not involve attempts by court employees to prevent immigration-enforcement actions. Finally, and most shockingly, is the following: We understand that ICE favors courthouse arrests because it considers courts to be safe environments where officers are confident they can operate without danger. But it is exactly that sense of safety that we as judges tried to foster for anyone seeking access to justice, and that we believe ICE's courthouse activities put at risk. Put differently, those judges appear to discount (or disregard) the very real dangers both to ICE officers and the public at large of immigration enforcement outside of "safe environments". I detailed those dangers in May 2017 post. Additionally, they fail to identify the reason why ICE must turn to courthouse arrests at all: the prevalence of sanctuary policies that prevent local police from assisting ICE in the apprehension of criminal aliens, a fact that I also noted in that post. . . . https://cis.org/Arthur/Judges-Want-Courtrooms-OffLimits-ICE By Todd Bensman A Talk with an Iranian Migrant in Costa Rica en Route to the U.S. Border December 20, 2018 . . . Q. How did you get here? Did you have to hire a smuggler, or somebody to ... a facilitator? A. No. I took a flight from Iraq to Ecuador because we don't need visa to travel to Ecuador and from there we travel illegally, country by country, until now. Q. You didn't pay someone to help you get into the Darien jungle and everything? A. No. We made it by ourself. Of course another people that has agent, yeah, you know, smuggler called agent. They had agent. They were two days in jungle and we stayed like eight or nine days in jungle because we haven't a guide and we just follow the lead. In the jungle of course are thief, armed thieves who robbed us of everything we had. Phone. Watch. Ring. Everything you see. They took everything, and we made it to here. Q. So now what? . . . https://cis.org/Bensman/Talk-Iranian-Migrant-Costa-Rica-en-Route-US-Border An Interview with a Bangladeshi in Costa Rica en Route to the U.S. Southwest Border December 20, 2018 . . . American authorities do — and should — feel obligated to fully interview Farouk and check into his background should he show up at the border. He'll be appropriately tagged as a "special interest alien", warranting a deeper intelligence dive because, as I have written, Bangladesh these days is "highly trammeled by ISIS and al-Qaeda sympathizers, brooding members of a radical Islamist party now out of power, homegrown jihadists of various strands, mosques where extremism is preached, and returning foreign terrorist fighters with combat experience in Syria." On the surface, the English-speaking Farouk did not appear to be any of these things and, here at the Costa Rican immigration processing center, he had just submitted to providing his fingerprints, retinal eye scans, and three-angle facial recognition photos via American-provided equipment. By design and prior collaborative arrangement, this material will all end up with U.S. law enforcement intelligence. Plus, he submitted to an interview with me, an American gringo stranger. All of this augurs pretty well for an argument that Farouk likely is no terrorist but an economic migrant, even though Bangladesh is booming economically. Most Bangladeshis are not terrorists nor do they sympathize with terrorists. . . . https://cis.org/Bensman/Interview-Bangladeshi-Costa-Rica-en-Route-US-Southwest-Border By Nayla Rush A Historic Victory for the UN: Global Compacts on Migration and Refugees Adopted This Week December 20, 2018 The Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration was officially adopted Wednesday by the United Nations General Assembly in New York, two days after the adoption of the Global Compact on Refugees. The successful adoption of both compacts concludes a two-year process that began with the 2016 New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants and is a historic victory for UN efforts to regulate migrant and refugee flows on a global level. . . . https://cis.org/Rush/Historic-Victory-UN-Global-Compacts-Migration-and-Refugees-Adopted-Week By David Seminara A Few Thoughts on Comandante Alfonso Guerrero Ulloa and his Band of Merry Extortionists December 17, 2018 . . . $50,000? Not so much. But how about a free bus ride home? These folks aren't going to be collecting $50k anytime soon. But I'd kick in to help charter some nice air-conditioned buses with a ready supply of Jarritos sodas and all the movies they care to watch on the long ride back to San Pedro Sula if that's what it takes to disperse the crowds at the border. Their 72-hour deadline has passed. Now what? Here's my proposal. Someone over at DHS ought to call Comandante or one of his consiglieres and say, "Look, we know we missed the deadline, but we've reconsidered and we'd like to get you folks your money. After all, as you say, U.S. foreign policy has been a little sketchy at times, and you guys seem like a swell group of fellows." Promise to deliver said cash in unmarked briefcases to the extortionists in the lobby of the Tegucigalpa Marriott Hotel. (And by the way, citizens of any country that has a Marriott should not be eligible for asylum. Note to the Trump administration — constitutional amendment perhaps?) Instead of cash, fill said briefcases with a copy of the 1952 Immigration and Nationality Act, so the good folks in Comandante's brigade can familiarize themselves with U.S. immigration law. . . . https://cis.org/Seminara/Few-Thoughts-Comandante-Alfonso-Guerrero-Ulloa-and-his-Band-Merry-Extortionists Return to Top ******** ******** 2. Trump's Battle For a Border Wall National security, public safety, and Americans' jobs are "on the line." By Michael Cutler FrontPageMag.com, December 21, 2018 . . . Now the debate about the construction of a border wall is coming to a head. A line has been drawn, and not in the sand, but along the highly porous and dangerous U.S./Mexican border that permits huge numbers of illegal aliens to enter the United States without inspection and permits huge quantities of narcotics and other contraband to be smuggled into the United States as well. President Trump is arguably the first U.S. President in many decades who truly understands that border security equals national security. He also understands that flooding America with exploitable foreign workers from Third World countries is not compassionate for those foreign workers and certainly not for the American workers that they displace. President Trump is determined to build that wall but incredibly, the Democrats are adamantly opposed to the construction of a border wall. . . . https://www.frontpagemag.com/fpm/272278/trumps-battle-border-wall-michael-cutler Return to Top ******** ******** 3. Republicans Should Fight into January for the Wall By Deroy Murdock National Review Online, December 21, 2018 . . . Bafflingly, President Trump has not used all his tools to promote the border wall. He has yet to address the nation from the Oval Office on this or any other topic. He should cancel his Mar-a-Lago vacation and, at the earliest opportunity, tell his fellow Americans in prime time the importance of securing this country's colander-like border. He should restate that limiting immigration to those with passports and visas is fundamental to national sovereignty. Beyond the 396,579 illegal aliens apprehended at the border in fiscal year 2018 — atop those who successfully broke into America — the southern frontier is a hotbed of human smuggling, a conveyor belt for illegal narcotics (including opioids), and a veritable moving sidewalk for members of MS-13 and other vicious, bloodthirsty gangs. Even more amazing, Trump rarely discusses the potentially lethal threat of special-interest aliens from such terror states as Iran, Sudan, and Syria. U.S. officials nabbed, respectively, 111, 86, and 44 illegal aliens from those dangerous countries in 2016. The Center for Immigration Studies' Todd Bensman last week interviewed four Iranians wandering north through Costa Rica — to America. A wall would reduce this national-security risk. President Trump should explain this clear and present danger. This unassailable argument for the wall cannot be dismissed as "anti-Hispanic racism." Inexplicably, the president barely mentions this.. . . . . . https://www.nationalreview.com/2018/12/republican-border-wall-fight-last-chance-for-security/ ******** ******** 4. Mexico Is Building Its Wall — and the U.S. Is Paying for It By Kevin D. Williamson National Review Online, December 20, 2018 . . . Of course we are not funding a literal wall on Mexico's southern border. Mexico already has one of those — not a coast-to-coast border wall but miles of fencing in and around populated areas and popular crossing points, rather like what exists on the U.S. border with Mexico and what will exist there irrespective of the outcome of the current debate about funding "the wall." But the wall is not Mexico's preferred instrument of immigration control — nor the one the U.S. government prefers for it. Under Programa Frontera Sur, a 2014 initiative supported by the United States, Mexico relies more on stepped-up police and military interdiction and internal checkpoints, a strategy that has led to a large increase in deportations. . . . https://www.nationalreview.com/2018/12/mexico-border-security-us-foreign-aid-good-idea/ Return to Top ******** ******** 5. It Was Always About the Wall By Victor Davis Hanson National Review Online, December 20, 2018 . . . So, what happened? Again, numbers. Hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants have flocked into the United States over the last decade. In addition, the Obama administration discouraged the melting-pot assimilationist model of integrating only legal immigrants. Salad-bowl multiculturalism, growing tribalism and large numbers of unassimilated immigrants added up to politically advantageous demography for Democrats in the long run. In contrast, a wall would likely reduce illegal immigration dramatically and with it future Democratic constituents. Legal, meritocratic, measured and diverse immigration in its place would likely end up being politically neutral. And without fresh waves of undocumented immigrants from south of the border, identity politics would wane. A wall also would radically change the optics of illegal immigration. Currently, in unsecured border areas, armed border patrol guards sometimes stand behind barbed wire. Without a wall, they are forced to rely on dogs and tear gas when rushed by would-be border crossers. They are easy targets for stone-throwers on the Mexican side of the border. A high wall would end that. Border guards would be mostly invisible from the Mexican side of the wall. Barbed wire, dogs and tear gas astride the border — the ingredients for media sensationalism — would be unnecessary. Instead, footage of would-be border crossers trying to climb 30-foot walls would emphasize the degree to which some are callously breaking the law. . . . https://www.nationalreview.com/2018/12/us-mexico-border-high-wall-would-save-immigrant-lives/ Return to Top ******** ******** 6. Trump Blew His Chances of Building the Wall By Jim Geraghty National Review Online Morning Jolt, December 20, 2018 . . . Everything he said in that meeting was a bluff. Pelosi and Schumer called his bluff. And now Trump has to slink away from the table with a loss and lamely insist that the border wall that was the centerpiece of his campaign wasn't really needed all along. Whatever happened to "He's a fighter"? I thought everybody who disagreed with him was a squish and a cuck and a wimp and simply wasn't as strong and tough as the president. This was the guy who declared in his convention speech, "Nobody knows the system better than me, which is why I alone can fix it." We're two years into his presidency, and he had a GOP Senate and GOP House ... and he didn't get significant wall funding. (About 40 miles worth of old, damaged, or porous fencing have been replaced or are being replaced by bollard fencing in six spots.) He's going to have a much harder time with a House of Representatives controlled by Democrats. This negotiation was his last chance — and he folded. . . . https://www.nationalreview.com/the-morning-jolt/trump-blew-his-chances-of-building-the-wall/ Return to Top ******** ******** 7. Trump Should Shut Down the Southern Border AND The Government Until We Fix Our Immigration System By Ned Ryun Fox News, December 17, 2018 . . . As troubling as the current situation is with our broken immigration and welfare systems, it can get much, much worse. As mass automation and AI and machine learning become a reality, this country should confront the fact that it is likely to face a period of great change and social upheaval. We hear discussions of trucking, which is in many states the number one employer, being automated. What we haven't heard much about is what happens when AI and machine learning replace radiologists, anesthesiologists, or people working in the banking industry. This is all very possible in the not too distant future. Then what will those native-born Americans do when they have no jobs? Now throw on top of that mix millions of low skilled or unskilled illegal immigrants who won't have jobs either. So when Donald Trump says that he would be proud to shut down the government to get the funding for the wall and address our immigration crisis, this is absolutely the right thing to do. He should shut down the southern border and shut down the government until we actually solve fix our immigration system. . . . https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/ned-ryun-trump-should-shut-down-the-southern-border-and-the-government-until-we-fix-our-immigration-system Return to Top ******** ******** 8. The 'Wall' Is Now 'Steel Slats' and Trump Has Screwed His Supporters By Eddie Scarry Washington Examiner, December 19, 2018 . . . The "wall" is now "steel slats." The White House last month proudly sent out photos of said steel slats, calling it a wall. I guess those awe-inspiring wall prototypes we saw photographed in San Diego back in March were simply placed in some dump, right next to Trump's regard for his supporters. Those walls were nearly indestructible. We know now that they were scrapped in favor of steel slats that look like something you might let your children play safely behind. But the southern border isn't in a Minnesota suburb. It's up against Mexico, where drugs and immigrants are aggressively pushed into the country, overwhelming what little security we currently have. . . . https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/columnists/the-wall-is-now-steel-slats-and-trump-has-screwed-his-supporters Return to Top ******** ******** 9. Trump Set Himself Up For Failure on the Shutdown, Unless He's Serious About Immigration By Eddie Scarry Washington Examiner, December 16, 2018 . . . Schumer gave no indication that Senate Democrats, whose votes Trump needs, are interested. And the president has caved on immigration before, as when he pathetically gave in to the media lie over the summer that there was a "family separation" crisis at the border. But if there is a shutdown, and if Trump commits to it each day, reminding the public that he was elected to deal with border security and our broken immigration system, he can win. The president's positions on immigration are overwhelmingly popular, particularly among independents (whose votes he needs to win re-election in 2020), but he appears to have forgotten. . . . https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/columnists/trump-set-himself-up-for-failure-on-the-shutdown-unless-hes-serious-about-immigration Return to Top ******** ******** 10. Understanding the Caravan — the Map Says It All By Kris Kobach Breitbart.com, December 5, 2018 . . . Notice the difference? The path to McAllen is approximately 1,300 miles long; whereas the path to San Diego is approximately 2,700 miles long. So the caravan travelled more than twice as far as it needed to. Why in the world would they do that? They didn't have their own vehicles, and they weren't carrying enough food or resources to justify the longer journey. . . . The second reason for travelling twice the distance is that California is a sanctuary state with dozens of sanctuary cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco. Those jurisdictions will actively seek to protect the migrants who enter illegally from deportation. On top of that, the state may interfere more directly with federal immigration enforcement. State Attorney General Xavier Becerra said recently that he might sue the federal government to stop the use of tear gas to defend the border or to stop the federal government from shutting down ports of entry. His argument is full of holes, but with the right judge that might not matter. . . . https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2018/12/05/kris-kobach-understanding-the-caravan-the-map-says-it-all/ Return to Top ******** ******** 11. Lawless Judge Strikes Down Trump's Asylum Policy A Democrat-appointed judge ignores what the actual law says. By Matthew Vadum FrontPageMag.com, December 21, 2018 . . . Sullivan enjoined the administration "from continuing to apply those policies and from removing plaintiffs who are currently in the United States without first providing credible fear determinations consistent with the immigration laws," and directed federal officials "to return to the United States the plaintiffs who were unlawfully deported and to provide them with new credible fear determinations consistent with the immigration laws." Sullivan doesn't seem to understand the fundamentals of asylum law. . . . Federal law gives the government authority "to grant asylum if an alien is unable or unwilling to return to her country of origin because she has suffered past persecution or has a well-founded fear of future persecution on account of 'race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion.'" Being a victim of crime by itself isn't a valid ground for asylum, no matter how badly abused the claimant may have been in his or her home country. The government in that country must be behind the persecution or be unwilling or unable to protect the person if that individual is a victim of non-state-directed persecution related to the specified grounds of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion. . . . https://www.frontpagemag.com/fpm/272311/lawless-judge-strikes-down-trumps-asylum-policy-matthew-vadum Return to Top ******** ******** 12. California ICE Capades Crackdown on sheriffs, comfort for criminal illegals. By Lloyd Billingsley FrontPageMag.com, December 20, 2018 . . . In California's ICE Capades, sheriffs like Scott Jones get criticism and illegals get special treatment. As Newsweek reports, "the California city of Sacramento dedicated $300,000 last year to helping undocumented immigrants with everything from legal services to fight deportations to assistance in applying for citizenship and visas." The money "went toward helping 28 undocumented immigrants facing deportation receive legal aid in their bid to stay in the U.S., as well as helping residents in encounters with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents." In addition, the city funds a response network "which includes a 24-hour hotline that people can call to report ICE activity within the Sacramento area." . . . https://www.frontpagemag.com/fpm/272282/california-ice-capades-lloyd-billingsley Return to Top ******** ******** 13. Country Outside of Latin America Continues to Contribute to Illegal Immigration Into the US By Matthew Tragesser ImmigrationReform.com, December 21, 2018 . . . The permeable Southwest border simply invites Chinese nationals and other foreign individuals from near and far to enter the country illegally. As we have learned on 9/11, it only takes a small number of people to cause horrific and irreversible damage to a nation. The 9/11 terrorists did not sneak across the border, but they exploited a vulnerability with catastrophic consequences. As a whole, Chinese national apprehensions along the Southwest border are still relatively low in comparison to Mexico and the Northern Triangle countries (Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador). Yet, interestingly enough, Chinese figures for FY 2017 are still more than the figures combined for Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, and Colombia. Typically known for its large immigration numbers into the U.S. through legal mechanisms, such as through family chain migration or the H1-B Visa program, it is noteworthy to see that Chinese nationals are still tempted to cross the Southwestern border illegally, when millions are already granted legal status into the country annually. From these numbers, it appears that high levels of legal immigration do not deter illegal immigration, but rather fuel it. Ironically enough, it seems that almost every country with high levels of legal immigration to the U.S. is also responsible for high levels of illegal immigration. . . . https://immigrationreform.com/2018/12/21/country-outside-of-latin-america-continues-to-contribute-to-illegal-immigration-into-the-us/ Return to Top ******** ******** 14. Congress Continues to Jumble Immigration Priorities By Heather Ham-Warren ImmigrationReform.com, December 18, 2018 . . . Because the program does not have a multi-year cap, as many as 50,000 American positions could be filled by foreign nationals by 2025. This could become especially harmful to young, American college graduates, who as a result, can lose job opportunities, wages, and bargaining power to their foreign counterparts that may be more willing to accept lower wages simply to remain in the country. If American companies are not utilizing the full number of available visas under the E-3 program, Congress should be looking to lower the cap— not expand the eligibility categories. . . . https://immigrationreform.com/2018/12/18/congress-continues-to-jumble-immigration-priorities/ Return to Top ******** ******** 15. The Truth Emerges: US Border Patrol Not Responsible For Young Girl's Death, Her Father Confirms By Guy Benson Townhall.com, December 17, 2018 . . . Twitter's 'AG Conservative' (who is worth a follow) noted that in story after story, headline after headline, wrongdoing by US officials was at least implied. In truth, the young girl had been severely deprived of sustenance for days prior to being taken into custody in a remote area, at which point American border patrol officers and support staff attempted to save her life. After being manually revived twice, she was transported by air to a hospital, where she died. Those verifiable facts did not stop a former press secretary for Bernie Sanders from spreading patently false information, which went viral -- and was shared by newly-minted leftist icon Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: . . . https://townhall.com/tipsheet/guybenson/2018/12/17/the-truth-emerges-us-border-patrol-not-responsible-for-young-girls-death-her-father-says-n2537562?utm_campaign=inarticle Return to Top ******** ******** 16. Little Migrant Girl Dies, Media Pounce By Brent Bozell Townhall.com, December 19, 2018 . . . The truth simply doesn't matter. Fakery is the shameless order of business in this industry today. Anything goes in the continuing assault against President Trump and his policies, most especially where the left's top-shelf issues, immigration and abortion, are concerned. The government counted at least 281 people who have died in 2018 while attempting to cross the border, often under harsh desert conditions. The vast majority doesn't make the news, because there is a better anecdote when the victim is 7 and she was in federal custody. And it is that which must be discussed. . . . https://townhall.com/columnists/brentbozellandtimgraham/2018/12/19/little-migrant-girl-dies-media-pounce-n2537737 Return to Top ******** ******** 17. Growing Blame America First Crowd Rushes to the Border By Rob Thomson TheRevolutionaryAct.com, December 18, 2018 . . . The purposeful juxtaposition of the girl's arrest by the Border Patrol — which was obviously her best hope for survival — was meant to blame the Americans for her death. No other way to read it. (Yes, this all conflates with raging Trump hatred in the media.) Even the girl's father said the American agents did everything they could and he had no complaints about the care — which was probably a thousand times better than it would have been in rural Honduras. Apparently an ambulance chasing lawyer had not gotten to the father to explain he needed to blame America so the lawyer could get a fat check from taxpayers. That will come. . . . https://therevolutionaryact.com/blame-america-first-border/ Return to Top ******** ******** 18. Terror Attack in France Is a Fresh Reminder of Why We Need the Wall By Tony Shaffer The Minnesota Sun, December 14, 2018 . . . France was once again reminded on Wednesday of the great need to assimilate foreigners. Once Islamists establish a foothold in a country — once a jihadist community and its apparatus of radicalization are planted — it is exceedingly difficult to control them. Like thousands of others, Chekatt was on France's terror watch list, but that didn't stop him from killing. There are simply too many names on the list for French authorities to keep track of them all. To avoid France's predicament, we must have a firm understanding of exactly who is entering the United States. At the moment, we don't even have reliable data on the number of illegal immigrants residing in our country. We simply don't know how many terrorists might be among the hundreds of thousands of illegal aliens who slip through the border every year despite the valiant efforts of our overstretched Border Patrol agents. What we do know, however, is that terrorist organizations are targeting the southern border as a promising means of entry. As things stand now, the Department of Homeland Security is already stopping an average of ten known or suspected terrorists from entering the United States every day. . . . http://theminnesotasun.com/2018/12/14/lt-col-tony-shaffer-commentary-terror-attack-in-france-is-a-fresh-reminder-of-why-we-need-the-wall/ Return to Top ******** ******** 19. Three Times Previous Presidents Closed the Southern Border By Fred Lucas The Daily Signal, November 26, 2018 . . . Section 215(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act gives the president broad leeway to indefinitely close border traffic, said Art Arthur, a former federal immigration judge and general counsel to the Immigration and Naturalization Service. "Inevitably, permanent always means temporary," Arthur told The Daily Signal, referring to Trump's terminology. "The president has the authority to set limits at U.S. designated ports of entry." However, Arthur, a resident fellow of law and policy at the Center for Immigration Studies, said he doesn't doubt lawsuits could ensue. "Anything can be litigated," Arthur said. "It could either be a citizen who wants to go to Mexico or a transportation company suing over travel. But the president has broad authority under 215a. A district judge could always grant an injunction, as they're not shy to do. But this would survive judicial review." . . . https://www.dailysignal.com/2018/11/26/3-times-previous-presidents-closed-the-southern-border/ Return to Top ******** ******** 20. If Trump Ended Birthright Citizenship by Executive Order, He'd Be Enforcing Existing Law By Ed Fuelner The Daily Signal, November 26, 2018 . . . Sen. Jacob Howard of Michigan, a member of the Joint Committee on Reconstruction and a strong supporter of the Citizenship Clause, noted that Congress intended to exclude "persons born in the United States who are foreigners, aliens, [or] who belong to the families of ambassadors or foreign ministers accredited to the Government of the United States." Supreme Court cases decided in the years soon after the amendment's passage confirm this view. Moreover, says constitutional scholar Edward Erler: "It is hard to conclude that the framers of the 14th Amendment intended to confer citizenship on the children of aliens illegally present when they explicitly denied that boon to Native Americans legally present but subject to a foreign jurisdiction." Notes Hillsdale College's Matthew Spalding: "Few developed nations practice the rule of jus soli, or 'right of the soil.' More common is jus sanguinis, 'right of blood,' by which a child's citizenship is determined by parental citizenship, not place of birth." In short, it was wise of Congress to limit the scope of the amendment. And those who misinterpret it are wrong. Trump should be commended for trying to bring current understanding back in line with the original intent of the framers. . . . https://www.dailysignal.com/2018/11/09/if-trump-ended-birthright-citizenship-by-executive-order-hed-be-enforcing-existing-law/ Return to Top ******** ******** 21. Let ICE Do Its Job — Enforcing the Law The Boston Herald, December 14, 2018 . . . Judges from 23 states signed a letter stating that immigrants should be free to visit halls of justice without fearing that ICE will converge upon them. Thankfully, U.S. Attorney Andrew E. Lelling stood behind ICE officials who say they will not stop making courthouse arrests, regardless of the letter. "The ICE agents who are enforcing immigration laws? They're doing just that. They're enforcing a federal law. And so, if you don't like that federal law, change the law," Lelling said Wednesday. The law is the law and ICE should be allowed to do its job. Empty rhetoric about illegal immigrants' fears keeping them "in the shadows" is progressive propaganda from the same people who want blanket amnesty and no border security. . . . https://www.bostonherald.com/2018/12/14/let-ice-do-its-job-enforcing-the-law/ Return to Top ******** ******** 22. In Sanctuary Boston, Some Immigrants More Equal Than Others By Michael Graham The Boston Herald, December 19, 2018 . . . England, "almost all wanted on drug or other criminal charges," ICE reports. "Sanctuary policies endanger immigrant communities by leading to the release of criminal aliens who would otherwise be deported," Mark Krikorian of the Center for Immigration Studies told me yesterday. "They're even bad for regular illegal aliens, since they force ICE to make arrests in immigrant communities, on the street or at homes, rather than in the controlled environment of a local jail." "The only people who benefit from sanctuary policies are illegal-alien wife-beaters, drunk drivers, drug dealers and others who have already been arrested for those other crimes but whom local police are forced to release back to their neighborhoods," Krikorian said. Marty, like the rest of the supporters of the insane "sanctuary city" policies, doesn't care. With his "diversity" defense, he intentionally conflates enforcing immigration law on everyone (including, by the way, the tens of thousands of Irish illegals in Massachusetts) with racism and xenophobia. . . . https://www.bostonherald.com/2018/12/19/in-sanctuary-boston-some-immigrants-more-equal-than-others/ Return to Top ******** ******** 23. Red Francis: Western World Has "Moral Responsibility" to Let in More Migrants By Jim Hoft TheGatewayPundit.com, December 17, 2018 . . . Red Francis called on Western nations to open their doors to the flood of economic migrants from corrupt, poor regimes. This pope appears to put no thought into his touchy-feely far left positions. Voice of Europe reported: . . . https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2018/12/red-francis-western-world-has-moral-responsibility-to-let-in-more-migrants/ Return to Top ******** ******** 24. The Art of the Deal: Mexico Agrees to House Asylum Applicants By Ed Morrissey HotAir.com, December 20, 2018 . . . Mexico may not be paying for a wall, Trump can argue, but they're paying for the housing. The statement from Mexico seems to indicate that the deal is just temporary, but that might be because the two nations are partnering on disincentives to cross the southern border — of Mexico. When writing about this yesterday, Jazz noted that it lacked an agreement to "keep migrants on their side of the border permanently," which Mexico's read on this deal suggests still remains an issue. If they can dry up the demand, though, it may not matter. Of course, this could have some potential for backfire. If those trying to cross legally with asylum applications can no longer do so, it might incentivize them to cross illegally instead. That would make a border barrier more necessary, not less, at least in the short run until that demand dried up. However, in the shorter political run, it's a legit win for Donald Trump, one that might take the sting off of an inevitable retreat on the border wall funding fight before Christmas. . . . https://hotair.com/archives/2018/12/20/art-deal-mexico-agrees-house-asylum-applicants/ Return to Top ******** ******** 25. Immigration and Leveling the Playing Field The Lompoc (CA) Record, December 16, 2018 . . . We won't argue against the Trump administration's hard-line approach to immigration that is clearly popular with a significant percentage of American citizens and voters. Enforcement is a legitimate and necessary component of this nation's rule of law. But shouldn't laws be enforced equally? Who is to blame when a business owner hires an undocumented worker, either knowingly or unwittingly? The worker is wrong for being in the country in the first place. The employer is wrong because he or she is breaking the law. . . . https://lompocrecord.com/opinion/editorial/our-view-immigration-and-leveling-the-playing-field/article_4c4ff193-f9be-5246-8433-c1aef3a4e12d.html Return to Top ******** ******** 26. Time for "Cocaine Mitch" to Deliver; House Passes Wall Funding Bill, Goes to the Senate By Brenda Walker VDare.com, December 20, 2018 . . . Of course, Senate Democrats, accurately, can respond that President Trump said Mexico would pay for the wall. The obvious retort is to introduce a remittance tax. Yet bafflingly, infuriatingly, the two words remain unmentioned. Instead, we have the touching yet somehow pathetic spectacle of American citizens, led by a veteran, offering to pay themselves for the border defenses that should be the primary responsibility of the federal government. Though the midterms were a catastrophe for the Republican Party, the GOP actually gained seats in the Senate, thanks in part to the president campaigning hard for victorious candidates. It is time for the Senate Leader to deliver. If he can't get a measly five billion, far less than what American taxpayers are shelling out for contemptous foreigners, one has to ask what is the point of even having a Senate majority. . . . https://vdare.com/posts/time-for-cocaine-mitch-to-deliver-house-passes-wall-funding-bill-goes-to-the-senate Return to Top ******** ******** 27. No Brainer: An Immigration/Budget Deal By Mort Kondracke RealClearPolitics.com, December 20, 2018 . . . There are any number of compromise deals that could have been reached this week -- and should be agreed to before the next budget battle to avoid a shutdown and address immigration. One that seems reasonable to me has been advanced by long-standing immigration reformer Rick Swartz, largely comprised of elements that have been endorsed in the past by significant numbers in Congress and even (at moments) by Trump. Swartz proposes that Democrats agree to give Trump the $5 billion he wants for his border wall, but offer it as a three-year package. . . . In return for the wall money, under Swartz's proposal, Trump would agree to "permanent solutions" for 1.8 million Dreamers and 300,000 foreigners given Temporary Protected Status by the federal government owing to natural disasters or ongoing violence in their home countries. . . . https://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2018/12/20/no_brainer_an_immigrationbudget_deal_138978.html Return to Top ******** ******** 28. How Legalizing Marijuana Is Securing the Border: The Border Wall, Drug Smuggling, and Lessons for Immigration Policy By David Bier CATO Institute Policy Analysis No. 860, December 19, 2018 . . . Given these trends, a border wall or more Border Patrol agents to stop drugs between ports of entry makes little sense. State marijuana legalization starting in 2014 did more to reduce marijuana smuggling than the doubling of Border Patrol agents or the construction of hundreds of miles of border fencing did from 2003 to 2009. As more states — particularly on the East Coast — legalize marijuana in 2019, these trends will only accelerate. The administration should avoid endangering this success and not prosecute state-legal sellers of marijuana. This success also provides a model for addressing illegal immigration. Just as legalization has reduced the incentives to smuggle marijuana illegally, greater legal migration opportunities undercut the incentive to enter illegally. Congress should recognize marijuana legalization's success and replicate it for immigration. . . . https://www.cato.org/publications/policy-analysis/how-legalizing-marijuana-securing-border-border-wall-drug-smuggling Return to Top ******** ******** 29. A New U.S. Immigration Law Would Hurt Iranians the Most H.R. 392 will help skilled immigrants from India jump the green-card queue—at the expense of everyone else. By Maziar Motamedi Forbes.com, December 20, 2018 . . . Proponents mainly argue that removing the per-country numerical cap can solve a major backlog problem that is exacerbated by the country caps and adversely affects Indian employment-based immigrants the most because so many of them are seeking permanent residency. More than 306,000 Indians and 67,000 Chinese immigrants were waiting in the employment-based green-card queue, according to USCIS figures reported in May. If it becomes law, the bill will most probably mean that the majority of employment-based green cards issued in the next decade will go to people from India. On one level, this could result in added wage suppression and potential job loss for Americans working in the tech sector. This possibility is strengthened by the fact that the Indian backlog problem is self-sustaining: immigrants with H-1B status are usually unable to switch jobs for fear of losing their place in line, allowing opportunistic employers to take advantage of the situation and enjoy cheap labor for years, even as their immigrant workforce may have become deserving of several pay raises. . . . https://foreignpolicy.com/2018/12/20/a-new-u-s-immigration-law-would-hurt-iranians-the-most-india-hr392-silicon-valley-skilled-immigrants-h1b-green-card/ Return to Top ******** ******** 30. New Government Data Reveals Immigration Arrests and Deportations Increased in 2018 By Tory Johnson ImmigrationImpact.com, December 20, 2018 . . . Specifically, in FY 2018 ICE reported making 158,581 arrests for civil violations of immigration law, which is about an 11 percent increase from FY 2017. Deportations increased about 13 percent to 256,085 in FY 2018, with 95,360 removals tied to ICE interior enforcement and the rest stemming from Customs and Border Protection (CBP) apprehensions in the border zone. While these numbers are far below record levels—the nearly 400,000 removals in FY 2012—they still represent increases since President Trump took office. What's the reason for the increases? In part, immigration enforcement under the Trump administration expanded in scope, after the President eliminated enforcement priorities from the Obama administration that focused resources and enforcement efforts on groups of individuals deemed to be a priority for removal. . . . http://immigrationimpact.com/2018/12/20/new-government-data-reveals-immigration-arrests-and-deportations-increased-in-2018/ Return to Top ******** ******** 31. Sick From Eating That Salad? Blame Trump's Immigration Policies By Melissa Cruz ImmigrationImpact.com, December 18, 2018 . . . Immigrant workers (many of whom are undocumented) make up 80 percent of the entire food production industry. They are not just providing manual labor, either—they work in management, recordkeeping, and harvest logistics as well. President Trump's attempts to disparage, deter, and deport our critical food service workforce puts the safety of our food system in jeopardy. For example, farms and meat processing plants throughout the country have been hit with labor shortages following U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids. Some farmers have lost nearly all their employees after enforcement operations. This higher turnover rate means workers are less likely to be trained in food safety practices or have multiple years of experience. Basic safety practices—such as keeping crops, water, and equipment clean—have the potential to fall to the wayside. . . . http://immigrationimpact.com/2018/12/18/sick-eating-salad-trump-immigration-policies/ Return to Top ******** ******** 32. Two Grotesque Immigration Stories Demonstrate Our Nation's Moral Decay A vicious operation by ICE, and the death of a seven-year-old girl in Border Patrol custody, are searing reminders. By Jack Holmes Esquire.com, December 14, 2018 . . . They don't care about these kids, who are alone in a strange land where they don't speak the language, sleeping in tent-city barracks in the Texas desert. (The Obama administration built facilities to house unaccompanied children in response to a 2014 wave of migration, though they were not tent cities in the desert and they didn't separate kids from their parents.) They don't care. These children's need—any child's need—for a loving, stable home to grow in, and the empathetic intervention of strangers to help them find it, are just an opportunity to get more of those Certain People out. People with no criminal record who want to help kids? Not the kind of people we want in this country. Or is there something else about them that's a sticking point? . . . https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/a25584209/7-year-old-girl-immigrant-die-ice-deport-foster-families/ Return to Top ********   Visit Website