Yesterday, seven Republican Senators issued a letter to Barack Obama questioning a proposed executive order that could potentially not only grant mass amnesty to the nation's illegal alien population, but also allow new immigrants into the country.
Dear President Obama:
We understand that there's a push for your Administration to develop a plan to unilaterally extend either deferred action or parole to millions of illegal aliens in the United States. We understand that the Administration may include aliens who have willfully overstayed their visas or filed for benefits knowing that they will not be eligible for a status for years to come. We understand that deferred action and parole are discretionary actions reserved for individual cases that present unusual, emergent or humanitarian circumstances. Deferred action and parole were not intended to be used to confer a status or offer protection to large groups of illegal aliens, even if the agency claims that they look at each case on a "case-by-case" basis.
While we agree our immigration laws need to be fixed, we are deeply concerned about the potential expansion of deferred action or parole for a large illegal alien population. While deferred action and parole are Executive Branch authorities, they should not be used to circumvent Congress' constitutional authority to legislate immigration policy, particularly as it relates to the illegal population in the United States.
The Administration would be wise to abandon any plans for deferred action or parole for the illegal population. Such a move would further erode the American public's confidence in the federal government and its commitment to securing the borders and enforcing the laws already on the books.
We would appreciate receiving a commitment that the Administration has no plans to use either authority to change the current position of a large group of illegal aliens already in the United States, and ask that you respond to us about this matter as soon as possible.
Up until now there has been a set process for deferred action and applicants had to meet certain requirements to be granted that status. If granted, the applicant(s) would be allowed to remain in the country for an additional two year time-period.
The other status the senators discussed in the letter is parole, which has nothing to do with illegal immigrants. Parole status is actually granted to those who are applying for admission into the country, and is usually done so for humanitarian reasons.
The reason the senators are concerned is two-fold. Not only could Obama grant blanket deferred action to the illegal aliens already in the country, he could also parole any applicants who want to enter the country. Surely, illegals will advise their relatives and friends in their home country to apply for admission into the U.S., and of course liberals will argue that being with one's family is enough of a humanitarian reason to allow these people to enter the country.
Let us remember, according to Obama, our nation is not defined by our borders, but by our bonds, and it has become apparent, that what is in essence an open border policy is forthcoming, and he could make it so with the stroke of his pen.
J.C. Arenas is a frequent contributor to American Thinker and welcomes your comments at jcarenas.com
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