Immigration Enforcement Weakened by DHS

DHS Memos Leaked: Obama's Back-Door Amnesty in Progress!

By Dan Stein

As Americans, we know the basics about how government is supposed to work. The Legislative Branch writes the laws and the Executive Branch enforces those laws. Yet our current Executive Branch led by President Obama is failing to uphold its responsibility to the American people – it is blatantly, and might I add audaciously, choosing not to enforce the laws that Congress has written.

The Department of Homeland Security, the very people charged with protecting our borders, has quietly issued official intradepartmental memos ceasing the deportation of illegal aliens! Operating from the shadows, they are creating a hushed back-door amnesty without the approval of the American people.

These DHS policy changes, dubbed the "Morton Memos," are stopping meaningful enforcement of immigration laws on the books by closing current deportation hearings (that billions of our tax dollars have paid for) and only selectively deporting hardened criminals who are here illegally.

This leaves millions of illegal aliens here to reap educational, health care, housing, and other benefits. Adding insult to injury, the Obama Administration will likely hand out work-authorization permits to people here illegally -- the same ones that DHS refuses to deport!

The Morton Memos boldly proclaim the following factors as exceptions to American immigration laws:
• The length of an individual's presence in the United States.
• Potential eligibility for the DREAM Act or other proposed amnesty programs.
• Lack of a felon criminal record.
• Ties to the community.
• Relationship to a legal permanent resident or a U.S. citizen.
• Age, with particular consideration given to minors and the elderly.

Congressionally mandated laws tell illegal immigrants, "If you disrespect our borders and come here illegally, there will be consequences." But President Obama's actions say, "If you come here illegally we'll leave you alone." Besides giving a wink to the people already here illegally, the president is giving a green light to all those who want to cross in the future.

As president of FAIR, the Federation for American Immigration Reform, I'm hoping you'll to join us in the FAIR Fight against this costly and destructive back-door amnesty. FAIR has a 33 year history and a solid, successful record of fighting for immigration reforms that serve the economic, environmental, and societal interests of our nation.

If you find this Administration's costly circumvention of Congress alarming, I implore you to join FAIR now!

Your support comes at a critical time for true immigration reform. FAIR has already made progress through a Freedom of Information Act request on behalf of the public -- demanding answers by DHS leaders Janet Napolitano and John Morton. Your valuable support will help us continue this investigation into a shadowy government effort to ignore the rule of law. This is not how America operates and we need to send a clear message to DHS and the Obama Administration that they cannot rewrite our laws to fit their political agendas – but we can't do it without you!

Source: Dan Stein, President Federation for American Immigration Reform