Obama's Deportation Record

The State of Utah is an interesting place.  Mostly Mormon.  Heavily conservative.  They're kinda quaint in the things they are proud of, like Mitt Romney and the Jazz.  Utahns bust their buttons over odd things sometimes and tend to think everything was invented by a Mormon.  Rumors abound about who IS a Mormon in films and politics.  Like I say, it’s kinda quaint.

But there are some serious rankings that Utah SHOULD be proud of.  Like these:

• “Utah has the nation’s highest percentage of stroke patients who receive clot-busting drugs in the 'golden hour,' within 60 minutes of arriving at a hospital emergency room, shows an analysis by the American Stroke Association.”
• “...Census estimates released Wednesday show 35.7 percent of U.S. babies in 2011 were born to unwed women, continuing an upward trend that started in the 1940s. Utah had the lowest-in-the-nation rate of just 14.7 percent.”
• “The most generous state, according to the latest study, was Utah, where residents gave 10.6 percent of their discretionary income to charity, followed by Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee and South Carolina.  The least generous was New Hampshire, at 2.5 percent, followed by Maine, Vermont, Massachusetts and Rhode Island.”

 Now for the bad news.  Utah is climbing in the area of immigration enforcement.  Actually, I don’t care about the ranking here, but rather the OTHER story buried within the story; proof that Obama is cooking the books on deportations.  Note the highlighted parts of the story below.

Utah now among top 10 states for immigration prosecutions

Courts » Utah is ranks 10th, far behind leaders Texas and Arizona.

By Brooke Adams

The Salt Lake Tribune

First Published May 10 2013 10:38 am • Last Updated May 10 2013 05:13 pm

Utah is among the top 10 states for immigration prosecutions for the first time ever, though its case count is a sliver of that in leading states Texas and Arizona.

Utah ranks 10th in immigration prosecutions with 135 cases filed in U.S. District Court for Utah during the first six months of fiscal year 2013, according to the report from the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC) at Syracuse University. Utah ranked 13th a year ago.

The Southern District of Texas in Houston topped the list with 17,022 prosecutions, while the Western District of Texas in San Antonio ranked second with 13,379 prosecutions. Arizona, with 11,476, is listed third.

Those three courts have been at the top of the list for the past five years, according to the report, which is based on Justice Department data.

TRAC found that the lead charge in more than half the cases was "entry of an alien at improper time or place." The second most common violation was "reentry of a deported alien."

Nationwide, there have been 50,468 new immigration prosecutions filed so far. If filings continue at that pace, the total prosecutions for the year will top 100,000, a nearly 10 percent increase over the previous year.

Homeland Security’s Customs and Border Protection division accounted for 73 percent of the case referrals.

Source Link: http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/56292171-78/prosecutions-utah-immigration-texas.html.csp

What that tells us is that Obama isn’t draining the swamp.  He’s not deporting the 11 million who are already here.  He’s calling himself The Great Deporter when he’s really counting the border captures.

The president of the ICE union, Chris Crane, reveals that Obama is making border captures, then converting them over to ICE arrests and deporting them right away.

Source Link: http://www.breitbart.com/Breitbart-TV?id={2062476F-34FE-4F67-88A0-B113A269A7F7}&title=ICE-Union-Pres-Obama-Administration-Cooking-Books-On-Deportation-Numbers

So, the truth is that Obama’s deportation numbers are pathetically low when compared to past administrations.  Half of his numbers are an apples-to-oranges comparison and do nothing to relieve the problem in the interior.

In a candid moment to Hispanic journalists Obama admitted his scheme (for a political purpose, of course):

"The statistics are actually a little deceptive," Obama said last month during a discussion with Hispanic journalists. There has been "a much greater emphasis on criminals than non-criminals." And "with stronger border enforcement, we've been apprehending folks at the borders and sending them back. That is counted as a deportation even though they may have only been held for a day or 48 hours."

Source Link: http://www.cnn.com/2011/10/19/politics/deportation-record

So, the next time someone tells you Obama has deported more illegal aliens than any previous president, keep in mind how he’s doing it.  His data is meaningless.

Doublespeak and Amnesty

If there is an award for Doublespeak, this one is surely in the running.
Americans for a Conservative Direction
That's a mouthful.
You would think it was a solid conservative organization.

But you'd be wrong.  It is funded by Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook fame.  He is throwing money around in an effort to get cheap IT labor for his web schemes.  And he really doesn't mind the illegal aliens at the lower end of the scale either.  (I guess he has a pool and a great deal of landscape to tend.)

They've co-opted Marco Rubio, who has already sold his soul to the Gang of Eight.  Marco is the talent in front of the camera pretending that their amnesty plan is something it isn't.  Even Fact-Check caught some of the lies he tells.

Here: http://factcheck.org/2013/05/zuckerberg-backed-group-spins-immigration/

There's nothing "Conservative" about the backers or the message.  They just want you to think that conservatives favor amnesty.  Of course, we don't.

The Effectiveness of Sanctuary Cities

As the Senate debates the latest amnesty plan, along comes a study that suggests there is a stifling effect from immigration enforcement.  It seems that illegal aliens (and immigrants in general) are less likely to cooperate with local police because they fear investigation and deportation as a result.

The study is a collaboration between PolicyLink and U of I Chicago.  The survey was done by Lake Research Partners.  (You can do your own research about these organizations.  I found them to be far left of center in their projects, leaders and staff.)

You can read the report here:

http://www.policylink.org/atf/cf/%7B97c6d565-bb43-406d-a6d5-eca3bbf35af0%7D/INSECURE_COMMUNITIES_REPORT_FINAL.PDF

Three things struck me about this study:

1)     Sanctuary city policies are NOT having the intended effect.  If they are in place to instill cooperation between police and the foreign-born…THEY AIN’T WORKIN’.  All four of the cities studied are sanctuary cities.  And the surrounding counties in three of the four are also sanctuaries.  Chicago and LA have long-standing sanctuary policies, dating back to 1985 and 1979 respectively.  And yet 40+% of the target population responded that they were not likely to cooperate with police.  Even Sheriff Joe’s Maricopa County (the toughest Sheriff in the nation) scored nearly as well in the areas of reporting crime and cooperation.

2)     Given the lack of willingness to cooperate with police regarding crimes in the community explain to me why we want to grant amnesty to these illegal aliens.

3)     The TIMING of the release of this study seems fishy.  The data was collected in November and December…and it comes out just as the Senate is marking up the Gang of Eight plan.  (I’m not shocked; the client list of Lake Research Partners reads like a Democratic primary ballot.)

I suppose the intended result of this study coming out now is to generate sympathy for the plight of illegal aliens and as a byproduct imply that Obama has been strong on enforcement.  A rational look at the study in context should dismiss it as agenda-driven hype.

Immigration Enforcement

As the Senate debates the latest immigration “reform” bill some critics have rightly criticized Washington for not enforcing existing immigration laws.  They question, “What makes you think you’ll enforce the new laws any better than the current ones?”

Obviously, they can write laws that are very tough but if they aren’t enforced we are no better off than before.

So, let’s take an example from the 1986 amnesty plan.  In 1986 the government made a Social Security card mandatory for children over 5-years-old.  In 1990 that was changed to 1-year-old.  You cannot claim a dependent on your taxes without one.  So it has become customary to get one along with a birth certificate before the baby leaves the hospital.

So, everyone has a Social Security card.  Presumably there is a giant database with the information.  When we get a job our employer sends money to the government to build our account.  Every few years we get a report from the Social Security Administration showing our earnings history and other information based on our number.

Between the IRS and the SSA we have a pretty good idea about the payroll activity of every card out there.  And when someone retires we have additional information.  And we report to the SSA when we die so they don’t keep sending out retirement checks.

So far, so good.

I’m not sure if Washington gets sloppy or lazy, but we know that these problems regularly occur:

• People make up fake Social Security cards with made-up numbers.
• People use the Social Security numbers of other adults.
• People use the Social Security numbers of their anchor baby children.
• People use the Social Security numbers of other children.
• People use the Social Security numbers of dead people.

And when they do it is perfectly feasible to believe that the clerk in the personnel office would accept a card without knowing it doesn’t belong to the person in front of them.

But rather quickly the government knows or should know that there has been a mistake.  Surely made-up numbers, children and dead people would be easy enough to spot.  And enforcement would be fairly straightforward.  The employee has a problem with their card.  Go to the government and sort it out.  After 30 days you either have the issue resolved or you don’t have a job.

If a pattern emerges or the same number pops up in one geographic area, perhaps ICE gets involved.

But as it now stands, the Social Security number is widely compromised.  Take for example the blatant and wide-spread fraud described here: http://alienrants.blogspot.com/2012/05/paying-for-global-children.html

You would think that if the government wasn’t going to require E-Verify at least they would enforce Social Security number fraud.  After all, ONE THIRD of all the foreign-born people living in America are here illegally.

So, pardon me if I don’t believe Marco Rubio and his Gang when they talk about tough enforcement measures in the new bill.  It takes money, effort and the political will to enforce the law.  And all three of those are in short supply in Washington.  When even the union representing immigration officers complains that Obama won’t let them do their job you know we have reached a new low.

Priest Acts out the Stations of the Border Crossing

This story struck me as odd.  The messages from it are mixed.  I'm just going to make my comments as you read along:

Chicago priest crosses U.S.-Mexico border to better understand parishioners

April 29, 2013|By Jennifer Delgado, Chicago Tribune reporter

The Rev. Gary Graf, of St. Gall Roman Catholic Church in Chicago, tells his parish during a Spanish-language service Sunday about his experience crossing the U.S.-Mexico border.

Just days after crossing the U.S.-Mexico border by climbing a wall, a Chicago priest says what he did was wrong and urged parishioners in his Southwest Side church to apologize if they had done the same.

"And by recognizing you did something wrong, you can't keep doing it," said the Rev. Gary Graf of St. Gall Roman Catholic Church in Chicago's Gage Park neighborhood. "I'm begging the people to take a different tactic."

So, this priest is calling for repentance here.  It is wrong to cross the border illegally.  He tells them not to do it again, whatever that means.  Wouldn't righting the wrong of trespassing be to get off the property?  Go back home?  Turn yourself in to ICE?  Apparently not.

After speaking to a packed Sunday morning Mass, Graf said he traveled to Mexico this month with the intention of returning to U.S. soil by scaling a 20-foot iron wall.

The 54-year-old pastor, a U.S. citizen, said he wanted to understand what many of his Hispanic parishioners went through. Now that he does, he feels it's important they make amends for their actions by having a conversation with U.S. citizens about it.

Here are his instructions for repentance: Have a conversation with a citizen about the subject.  Huh?

With only his backpack, Graf flew to Tucson, Ariz., almost two weeks ago and then rode a bus to Mexico. Graf paid for the trip but took about $3,000 from a church collection to pay coyotes, or people who smuggle others into the U.S. for a fee.

Is that the best use of church funds?

He spent three days in a home with 27 people waiting for smugglers to take him to the U.S. before abandoning his plan. Graf said he then hitched a ride and walked hours through the desert until he came to the border.

At nightfall Wednesday, Graf said he sat, prayed and looked at the fence for about an hour before climbing it. He thought he'd get arrested as soon as he landed on the other side, in Nogales, Ariz., but didn't see anyone around.

Our border is as secure as ever, says Big Sis.  But Nogales isn't exactly remote territory.

The next morning, Graf said he turned himself in to the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's office, which later called U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Neither agency arrested him, and he was let go, he said. A representative from the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's office could not be reached for comment Sunday.

A spokeswoman for the Archdiocese of Chicago on Sunday said Cardinal Francis George did not know of Graf's actions in Mexico until Saturday evening.

It's always a good idea to let the boss know what you are doing.  Apparently the Cardinal did not have anything to say about the matter.  You would think the press would ask for his opinion on illegal aliens or the actions of the priest.  I guess not.

The pastor said he believes he is the first Chicago priest to cross the U.S.-Mexico border by climbing a wall. 

Is he trying to get in the Guinness Book of World Records?  The first Chicago priest (not Detroit) to cross the border by climbing a wall (not through a tunnel or a hole in the fence or an unguarded section).  Perhaps he should add, "With a ham sandwich in his pocket."

He added that he wants his parishioners to speak thoughtfully about immigration instead of rallying and protesting on May Day.

Now, here's the rather strange point.  To make amends for entering illegally and getting a job by fraud, you should not march in the streets demanding amnesty.  According to Father Graf,  you should speak to someone thoughtfully about what you did.  (I think he means outside the confessional.)

"I really feel that as pastor my goal is to engage both sides of the conversation, and this is my attempt to do that," said Graf, who plans on returning the parish money.

Outside of the Southwest Side church, many parishioners showed their support for Graf. Many said they did not know the pastor scaled the border wall until a few days ago.

"We're so happy he did that for us," said Jacqueline Portero, 31, as she stood next to her 10-year-old daughter. "He just wanted to experience what the people experienced. He wanted to show the people he's there for them."

His congregation loved it.  I suppose that's because having a conversation about breaking into the United States uninvited is a lot easier than returning home to Mexico.

Source:

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2013-04-29/news/ct-met-border-crossing-priest-20130429_1_border-wall-parishioners-gary-graf

The Religious Life of President Obama

Easter Sunday 2013 – The Obamas, in their Easter finery, walk to church.  All’s right with the world.  The image rings true to Christian families throughout the world.

But that’s where things get a little crazy.  The First Family walked over to St. John’s Episcopal church to hear Reverend Luis Leon tell the congregation, “It drives me crazy when the captains of the religious right are always calling us back…for blacks to be back in the back of the bus…for women to be back in the kitchen…for immigrants to be back on their side of the border.”

I guess Obama liked the sermon because he didn’t make any comment about it.

His behavior since then has been decidedly unchristian in my opinion.

He’s been to the national convention of Planned Parenthood with the message, “Thank you, Planned Parenthood.  God bless you.”  That’s a slap in the face to Christians everywhere.

Then he went out of his way to call and congratulate Jason Collins, a mediocre NBA player, for coming out of the closet.

He’s also sent his Secretary of Defense to get the word out that his policy is “Don’t ask, don’t tell,” when it comes to religious conversations in the military.

He rang in on the Plan B abortion pill for 15-year-olds with a two-faced answer that pleased no one.  Mostly he said he had some concerns about it but that it wasn’t his business.

And that has just been since Easter.

Obama has regularly gone after religion in America over charitable contributions and the voice of churches in public discourse.

His battles with church organizations over Obamacare defines him.   

And though he is willing to issue waivers to his union pals, he’s not so willing to do so with Christian-owned corporations like Hobby Lobby.

One must be careful in declaring the president anti-Christian.  Before the election he sounded very Christian.  After November 3^rd, he shifted to the progressive mode.  As a lame duck, I don’t expect the moderate Obama to return…except for selected appearances for midterm candidates.

Immigration Reform Meets Doublespeak

The Gang of Eight Comprehensive Immigration Reform bill is a prime example of what George Orwell called Doublespeak, the political practice of masking the real meaning of words in an effort to deceive the people.

Let’s take the word “sovereignty” for example.  Here’s the definition:

sov·er·eign·ty

1. Supremacy of authority or rule as exercised by a sovereign or sovereign state.

2. Royal rank, authority, or power.

3. Complete independence and self-government.

4. A territory existing as an independent state.

Note that the word suggests an independent nation with borders and self-rule over its own affairs, not manipulated by the wishes of outsiders.

Now, in the preface to the Gang of Eight bill they freely use the term “sovereignty,” suggesting that it enhances our independence over foreign desires.  Here’s what it says:

“The passage of this Act recognizes that the primary tenets of its success depend on securing the sovereignty of the United States of America and establishing a coherent and just system for integrating those who seek to join American society.

“All parts of this Act are premised on the right and need of the United States to achieve these goals, and to protect its borders and maintain its sovereignty.”  (page 7-9 of the bill)

But when you read the bill you will quickly realize that it does just the opposite of securing our sovereignty.  The bill proposes giving legal recognition to people who have sought to disregard our laws and violate our borders.  It rewards trespassers whose first encounter with the United States was to enter illegally.  To make matters worse, they break the law every day they go to work, knowing that they have no authorization to work here.

The bill seeks to ignore the fact that they are unlawfully present and disregard their lawbreaking as they worked here.

We already have borders and immigration laws that, if enforced, would demonstrate our sovereignty. 

What has caused our sovereignty to erode is the long line of apologists who defend the illegal aliens and seek amnesty.  Such behavior by politicians and preachers is shameful.  Now they seek to legalize the very people who have weakened our sovereignty.