Monday, July 28, 2008

Obama's appearance at Unity '08 raises new questions on his actual immigration policy

Give U.S. Sen. Barack Obama a lot of credit for making it to Unity '08 and putting himself at risk before an audience that gave him a standing ovation and a lot of lusty cheers.

He still looked tired from his European trip that thrilled a lot of folks over there but sure didn't help his poll numbers over here. He still is in a dead heat within the margin of error with Sen. John McCain. Go figure. To add injury to insult, he had to visit the hospital afterward for a bad hip.

One thing that caught my attention during his appearance -- beyond columnist Leonard Pitts Jr.'s arrogant frown of indignity -- was the comment by Obama on his immigration policy. He said all the right things about being in favor of comprehensive reform but then added that undocumented workers -- after going through the legalization -- would then have to get in line.

Get in line with who?

For how long --- 12 years?

Would they have to pay the fine plus the costs just to get in line?

What happens to their American citizen children here?

What are the rights of these children in all of this?

Sadly, the one question that needed to be asked was not. Would a President Obama in the first hours of his first day of his first term as president make a phone call or sign an order to stop 287g deportation programs in 57 U.S. communities and two states(N. Carolina and Tennessee) across the country and halt ICE raids of workplaces?

Comprehensive immigration reform will take many months and perhaps another year to pass and enact. Relief from 287g and ICE raids are needed now to stop the inhumanity against heads of households and pregnant mothers such as Juana Villegas (DeLaPaz) in Nashville.

The only certainty in this presidential race is that it will be a referendum on Obama's fitness to be president. It is his race to lose. And if he creates more questions with his answers, he will lose it.

1 comment:

randyjet said...

The US admits over 1 million legal immigrants per year, THAT is the line that they have to enter. It is too bad you don't know that. I don't think it is too much to ask that those who broke our laws in sneaking into the US ILLEGALLY should go to the back of the line rather than being given preference over those who follow the rules. I would suggest that any time we see people such as Tim in line that we simply cut in front of him because it is OUR RIGHT To do so, and THAT is NOT illegal either. It is just poor manners.

It is also outrageous that he demands that the US not enforce our laws on immigration. Just WHEN and where will he start doing so? Does Tim seriously think that if immigration reform is passed that the ones who are denied entry will simply give up and go home? We already tried this once, and all we got was MORE illegal immigration. Does he seriously think that people will get in line in Mexico or other places in South America to get their legal entry permits? Why should they even bother when they will be able to cross illegally, get jobs with fraudulent documents, have NO enforcement on the job, and have no verification. Why put up with all the paperwork? Just buy their way in. Eventually Tim and his idiot friends will demand that they be legalized once again.

The rights of the children ARE respected if they are US born. The US does NOT require THEM to leave. It is the choice of the PARENTS as to what happens to the kids. The same holds true for the kids of prisoners. Should we not imprison anybody for crimes if they have cnildren? That is what he seems to advocate. I can tell you that I will continue fighting within the Democratic Party for rational policies on illegal immigration, and that includes enforcement. I will be pointing out Rep Barbara Jordan's position on this subject and calling upon all Democrats to support her last great work on this subject. She called for DEPORTATION by the way and strict enfocement. I suggest that ALL Democrats go on the web and see her statement to the Congress as head of Clinton's commission on immigration.