Gwat Bhattacharjie - Immigration             

Gwat Bhattacharjie - Immigration     

       Around this time  each year I come back from Washington D.C. after having attended the Annual National Advisory Board meeting of FAIR (Federation for American Immigration Reform) and the Social Contract Workshop.  It’s a national  gathering (and reunion) of citizen activists, writers, academicians,, environmentalists, etc. to hear leaders of the immigration reform organizations  present their reports and hear great speakers talk about immigration issues and their impact on our nation.    

    This year there is a tremendous sense of  urgency because of the choices facing us voters in the Presidential Election.  The deliberate actions of the Obama administration to circumvent enforcement of immigration laws, the continuing porosity of the Southern border, his executive amnesty regarding DACA and DAPA and his continuous misrepresentation and lies about deportation numbers etc., have contributed to great anxiety about what’s happening to this nation.

Remember the surge of thousands of Unaccompanied Alien Minors (UACs) from Central America that flooded our borders in 2015 and this year?  They were settled in every part of the nation and very few were deported.  This year  the Obama administration plans to send  planes to pick up the immigrants from three Central American countries to save them the dangerous journey over - unbelievable!

Recently also we found out that more than 800 illegals from countries of concern were mistakenly granted U.S. citizenship because the Department of Homeland Security didn’t have their fingerprints on file!  Furthermore 315,000 illegals with final deportation orders or who are fugitive criminals have their fingerprints missing from federal databases.

National security and public safety went out the window when 180,000 criminals were released back to the community to do more crime, including murder.  Talking about murder, one activist, Maria Espinoza, has created a National Remembrance Project in honor of the thousands of murdered victims of illegal alien criminals.  It is estimated that about 25 Americans are killed daily – 13 by drunken driving, and 12 by stabbings or gunfire, a total of  9125 victims annually (In California remember Kate Steinle and Marilyn Phaeris).

Here are just two statistics that negatively impact our economy..  Financially the cost of illegal immigration in 2013 was $296 billion or $3000 per taxpayer. On the economic side during the Obama administration blacks are holding 2 million jobs with no increase, but 4 million foreign workers have been added to the job market.  We are adding to the wage decline by importing especially low skilled workers that we have to support.


SO WHAT ARE THE OPTIONS FOR US?

HILARY CLINTON:

Says the U.S.-Mexican border is the most “secure border we have ever had” and people have a right to emigrate here.  She supports comprehensive immigration reform with a path to citizenship.  She is focused on detaining and deporting illegal aliens who pose a violent threat to public safety.  She has pledged to welcome Syrian refugees and asylum seekers and give them a fair chance to tell their stories. She proposes to accept 65,000 Syrian refugees. She defends President Obama’s DACA and DAPA executive actions.  Clinton calls for supervised release for families who do not pose a public safety threat, and will ask for more detention centers.

She proposes a National Office of Immigrant Affairs to work on integration and naturalization services, makes it easier for immigrants to become U.S. citizens and SHE SUPPORTS SANCTUARY CITIES.

DONALD TRUMP:

Donald Trump is adamant on building a wall and making Mexico pay for it. He initially proposed mass deportations but has softened his position. He calls for “extreme vetting” of refugees seeking asylum and “total and complete shutdown” of Muslim immigration to the U.S. He plans to end “catch and release” practices, and detain and deport immigrants caught illegally crossing the border. He proposes tripling the number of ICE officers to 15,000, and to have them cooperate with local enforcement on gang raids, specifically targeting illegals with gang connections.

Trump wants to end “birthright citizenship” which is a big magnet for illegal aliens because it gives automatic citizenship to their children born in the U.S.  He proposes defunding “sanctuary cities”, that shelter illegal aliens and where local police departments refuse to contact immigration officials when they apprehend illegal aliens.  He believes illegal aliens compete directly against vulnerable American workers and promises to ensure that open jobs are offered to American workers first.  Actually the use of E-Verify mandated nationwide would solve this. He wants to regulate H-1B visas to require companies to hire domestic workers before recruiting foreign workers.

Other countries have an orderly immigration policy, and America should also have an “America First” immigration policy based on our national interest.  With Trump’s agenda we stand a chance to clean up the immigration mess that we’re in, and have a chance to start stabilizing our population, protecting our national security and our environment.  LET’S EXERCISE OUR RIGHT TO VOTE AND DO THE RIGHT THING!!    

Gwat Bhattacharjie - Immigration

 Finally the long awaited Supreme Court decision on the lawsuit from 26 states against President Obama’s executive amnesty of four million illegal aliens (United States vs Texas) came in a 4 – 4 split that upheld Judge Haney’s injunction against implementing it.  It will buy us time to see who the next appointee to the Supreme Court will be, putting the onus on a necessary Republican Presidential win in November. 

The Two Party Immigration Platforms:

Democratic Party:  At their Convention in Philadelphia the Democrats showed their utter disdain for lawful enforcement of existing immigration policy by the inclusion of illegal aliens to give major appeals outlining Democratic policies supporting family unity, against deportation and separation of families.  What was not pointed out here is that Birthright citizenship accorded to children born in the U.S.to illegal alien parents is the cause of separating illegal parents from their children because of their illegal status.  So we witnessed the the irony of a mother voicing her fear of deportation and “living in the shadows” in the presence of millions of viewers on  national TV!  So much for living “in the shadows”!

The Democratic Party platform on immigration includes:

1.  Comprehensive immigration reform consisting of giving amnesty to millions of illegal immigrants and providing a path to citizenship.  

2.  Giving taxpayer benefits to the new citizens.

3.  An end to enforcement raids and most deportations. Under Obama 180,000 criminals were released back to the community to do more crime, including murder.

4.  An expanded refugee admissions program.  Already 10,000 Syrian refugees are approved for admission and maybe as many as 63,000 may come.  Incidentally, the number of Central American refugees continues surging, including  the number of unaccompanied minors.

5.  Open borders – there is no talk of enforcing the borders, or giving priority to American workers in the job market and protecting them from unfair cheap competition.

6.  There is no talk of national security as more OTM’s (Other Than Mexicans) flood our southern border.

Hillary Clinton has promised to continue, even expand Obama’s immigration policy. There is no mention of our increasing national debt, overcrowding, stress on the environment and local resources and the proven fact that amnesties beget more immigrants flooding the country.

 

Republican Party:

 
Donald Trump, time and again, repeated that he is the “law and order” candidate and included Sheriff Joe Arpaio from Arizona (toughest sheriff in America) and the father of Jamiel Shaw who was killed by an illegal gang member, as speakers at the Convention.

The Republican Immigration Platform:

Real Immigration Reform must put the needs of the working people and the welfare of the nation FIRST.

Donald Trump’s three core principles of real immigration reform are:

1. A nation without borders is not a nation, so he talked incessantly about building a wall.

2.  A nation without laws is not a nation.  Laws passed in accordance with the Constitutional system of government must be enforced.

3.  A nation that does not serve its own citizens is not a nation.  Any immigration plan must improve jobs, wages and security for all Americans.

In essence, the plan talks about tripling the number of ICE officers; use Verify nationwide; mandatory return of all criminal aliens to their home countries; defund sanctuary cities; detention and deportation of illegal aliens crossing the border (no more catch and release); enhanced penalties for overstaying visas; cooperate with local gang task forces; end birthright citizenship; put American workers first and end welfare abuse; launch job programs for inner city youth. 

 

Comprehensive immigration reform is not about providing amnesty.  Trump threatened repeatedly to deport illegal aliens.  The immigration platform contains many tenets of immigration enforcement espoused by many conservatives that are already in the nation’s laws, but had increasingly been left unenforced.  It’s not xenophobic to want to protect our nation from being overwhelmed by massive influxes of immigrants that we cannot properly assimilate.

 

The nation’s future is at a crucial crossroads now.  We can have a third term of Obama’s policies and the composition of the Supreme Court drastically changed for decades, or we can try to slow or amend  the progressive  trends that the Federal government increasingly has adopted that govern  so much of our lives.

 

Unfortunately our standard bearer is a businessman inexperienced in government with an inflated ego and  a penchant for communicating his opinions without a clear understanding of geo-political reality and  a profound unwillingness to take advice, unable to tone down his rhetoric or apologize after repeated insults.   Unless he is a fast and willing learner and be humble enough to admit his inadequacies, and concentrate on espousing core Republican philosophy on issues, he will lose this election and the Republican party may be set back for years to come.           

Gwat Bhattacharjie - Immigration             

       A few days ago the Supreme Court decided to take up the case of President Obama’s executive amnesty of four million illegal aliens under his DAPA (Deferred Action for Parents of Americans) and DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) that was challenged by 26 states. If you remember a lower court in Texas under Judge Haney issued an injunction that was upheld by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.  Arguments have begun and a decision may be reached by June or July.

      Needless to say, this will be a momentous decision that will affect the immigration issue for a long time to come.  Republican Presidential candidates Donald Trump and Ted Cruz are standing strong against illegal immigration and enforcing the border, while Democrat Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has vowed to carry out Obama’s policies and even threatened to go further, and Bernie Sanders is no better.

     Upon Justice Scalia’s death, the Court is being divided evenly between four liberals and four conservatives.  With an even split the injunction will be upheld and the case returned to Judge Haney to be litigated on its merits. I think that would be the best under the circumstances. Justice Kennedy already noted that ”It’s as if the President is setting the policy and the Congress is executing it. That’s just upside down.”  If one of the conservatives would side with the liberal judges, it would have drastic consequences to the nation’s immigration setting policy and for this nation to go forward to more balanced and  sane immigration.  It would endorse the Administration’s limitless executive power and leave Congress and the American people defenseless against an unprincipled president.  We shall watch with bated breath.

Immigration  and U.S. Population Growth:

       We’re rightfully concerned with immigration because it’s the most important factor affecting any nation in a multitude of ways. Currently the Syrian refugee influx is causing tremendous problems threatening the European Union.  And this Administration has intentions of accepting thousands of refugees even if the FBI had said they could not be properly vetted.

        The Pew Research stated that U.S. population grew by 131 million (68 percent) during the past 50 years mostly through immigration.  With continued immigration we shall grow from 324 million to 441 million in the next 50 years (36 percent), whereas with no immigration after 2015, the population would only increase to 338 million in 2065 (4 percent).      

Illegal Immigration Costs:     

        The cost of illegal immigration is estimated to be over $100 billion.  Supposing DAPA and DACA pass, these illegal immigrants will be issued work authorizations and social security.  They will be eligible for Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC) and can even amend their tax returns from the past three years to claim credits.  Heritage Foundation calculated that they would receive $7.8 billion per year plus $23.5 billion in retroactive claims. Additionally they would be eligible to the full extent of taxpayer benefits such as Obamacare,  unemployment benefits, Social Security and Medicare.  The lifetime costs of Social Security and Medicare to DAPA recipients would be $1.3 trillion and Obamacare benefits would be $15.5 billion per year.

In California:

       To reprise, although illegal immigrants pay an estimated $3.5 billion in taxes in California, the total costs in state and local expenses that they incur is a whopping $25.3 billion.

Now California wants to be the first state to allow their  illegal immigrants to participate in Obamacare.

Senate Bill (SB 10) from Senator Ricardo Lara (D.33) requires California to do just that – it will seek a waiver from the Federal Government to allow illegal immigrants to participate.  If this passes, taxpayers will be forced to subsidize the costs of providing healthcare to 3 million  people.

Action alert:

Please call the following Republican State Senators and ask them to vote against SB 10:

 

State Senator Patricia Bates,  Laguna Hills, (916) 651-4036

State Senator Bob Huff, Brea, (916) 651-4029

State Senator Mike Morrell, Rancho Cucamonga, (916) 651-4023

State Senator Janet Nguyen, Garden Grove, (916) 651-4034

State Senator Sharon Runner, Lancaster, (916) 651-4021

Gwat Bhattacharjie - Presidential Debates

  As the Presidential debates continue, immigration continues to assume prominent status among vital issues discussed.   The sad, untimely death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia has thrown the Supreme Court’s conservative majority into an impossible impasse of 4 – 4 which could postpone or endanger the hearings and ruling in summer on President Obama’s  executive amnesties for Deferred Action for Parents of Americans (DAPA) and an expanded Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), affecting millions of illegal immigrants.  President Obama has promised to nominate a candidate to succeed Justice Scalia, and Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell and the Republicans would fight to postpone the nomination for the next President.  If the Court does not take  up the hearings, then the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals  holding up the injunction of Judge Haney will stand.

You remember this injunction was passed as a result of the lawsuit from 26 states in protest of Obama’s executive action.

Anything can happen in the next few months.

  It becomes more imperative for us, the voters, to vote for our Presidential candidates very thoughtfully and carefully.  Republicans need a viable, electable candidate to win the Presidential election. So much hangs in the balance, as a Supreme Court Justice is appointed for life.

The following is FAIR’s Input on the Presidential candidates:

Among Democrats, Hillary Clinton promises to go further than Obama to grant amnesty “outside the law” if Congress does not provide full and equal citizenship to illegal aliens.  She will only deport those who pose a violent threat to public safety.

Bernie Sanders promises the same.  He calls for “modernizing” border security while ending State and local cooperation for interior enforcement.

 

Republicans:. 

Jeb Bush offers a plan for earned legalization for illegal immigrants, considers fencing as part of border security and supports a strong E-Verify system. Bush has since suspended his campaign after his So Carolina loss.

Ben Carson wants to give illegal aliens with a pristine record  guest worker permits with a path to citizenship down the road.

He claims his administration can secure the border within a year. Suspended his campaign.

Ted Cruz opposes amnesty and wants to stop illegal immigration. He plans to secure the border, strengthen and enforce existing immigration laws, and prioritize the “interests and well-being of Americans”.

John Kasich: Kasich supports giving illegal aliens a path to legalization and will expand guest worker programs .Kasich calls deporting illegal aliens a “silly argument”and expresses vague? support for securing the border.

Marco Rubio was one of the Gang of Eight that wanted to grant mass amnesty, etc but has since recanted his position and  wants to secure the border first, uphold enforcement provisions and then passes the bill’s provisions in a sequential way.

Donald Trump was most unequivocal and uncompromising.

He wants to deport all illegal aliens, then readmits the good people. He wants to build a wall on the Southern border (estimate $8 billion) and make Mexico pay for it?  Like everything else he promises to do, he is short on practical solutions and doesn’t specify how he intends to carry it out. 

Now he pleads flexibility – who knows what he actually will do?

Please keep following the debates to go beyond these outlines.

 NATIONAL:

  Things continue to worsen under the Obama administration.

1. The infamous “catch and release” is back! Border patrol agents are demoralized as the Obama administration ordered them to break the law and release illegal aliens that are apprehended if they claim to have been present in the U.S. since the beginning of 2014.   

2. Unaccompanied  minors and families keep coming to the border by the thousands.  Authorities do not have enough staff to follow up with those who are already here and some have fallen victims of child trafficking and abusive relatives.

3.  Deportations of criminals continue to plummet, from 150,000 in 2011 to 63,000 in 2015.   Unlike its claims, the administration has no real interest in deporting illegal aliens, not even the criminal ones.  There are currently 179,000 criminal aliens with final orders of removal that remain at large in the U.S.

4.  ObamaCare has wrongly awarded $750 million in tax credits to subsidize as many as half a million people here illegally,  or whose status was unclear.  Now they’re trying to get the money back.  Senator Ron Johnson derisively calls it “Pay and Chase”.

 

CALIFORNIA:

Susan Tully from FAIR recently supplied an estimate of the fiscal burden on Californians to support the illegal immigrants in the state. In 2013 an estimated 4.1 million illegal aliens and their U.S. born children lived in California, accounting for   10.7% of the population.

Taxpayers pay $14.4 billion on their education, $4.02 billion on health care, $4.44 billion on justice and law enforcement, $792 million on public assistance, and $1.6 billion in general government services.

Illegal immigrants paid an estimated $3.5 billion in taxes, but the Total Costs to Taxpayers in state and local expenses that they incurred is a whopping $25.3 billion.

That amounts to a burden of $2,370 per household headed by a U.S. citizen.