President Barack Obama's announcement today that his administration will no longer deport the majority of young illegal immigrants who entered the United States as children has already been dragged into the political arena and it's being smacked around by Republicans. But let's be real. This move goes beyond politics. Protecting young immigrants is a win for American families: all of them.
What came out of the White House today isn't about politics. It's about protecting children from the burden of being punished for actions their parents committed. We live in a country where kids are supposed to be protected, doted on, cared for, but until today, kids were being told that something that happened to them when they were helpless infants was their fault.
But not anymore.
From here on out, children brought to America by their parents under shady circumstance will be treated as just that: children. Children can't enter into contracts in the United States. They can't be charged with adult crimes. And as long as they meet certain criteria, they can't be deported for simply doing what their parents asked.
As Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa told The Stir during a conference call with several members of the press today, "They don't know any other country ... they want to work and contribute to our social security. They want to serve in our military ... want to give back to this country that gave them so much."
How can you argue with that?
I can't.
Oh come on. Put kids in any other situation, and expect them to bear the burden of their parents' mistakes, and people would be screaming from the rooftops.
Picture it. A mom takes her infant daughter along on a murder. Do we punish the child as an "accessory to murder?" Of course not. That would be ridiculous.
OK, but the kid didn't "do" the crime? Here's one: say mom leaves the keys in the ignition of the car. Toddler climbs in, puts the car in reverse, and slams into another vehicle, killing the driver. Do you charge the kid? Again, no.
So why are there Americans who would actually support taking a young person and shipping them off to another country because they are an "illegal" immigrant? They might be here illegally, but they've had as little control over that as that infant carted to the murder scene and as little knowledge of the law as that toddler who maneuvered the car into an accident.
If we protect these kids, it sends a message to the world that all children in America are precious, no matter who their parents are.
What do you think of the Obama administration's bold move today?
Image via Elvert Barnes/Flickr
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Comments 49
This is not about what country you are from, what race, ethinicity, or language you speak. There are laws for a reason. There is a path to citizenship, should you decide to not take that route, it is your fault. No anyone else's.
If my husband and I decided that France was where the oppotunities were and where we and our children could have a bright furture; and instead of trying to save up money, learn at least some of the language, see about what job we could get quickly; we just arrived there expected all documents to have an english option, so we could read them, show up at the office for healthcare and education and expect our children to have both, including someone there that speaks english-people would call us crazy!
I feel bad for the children too, but there is a reason those that are here and are not citizens are called illegal immigrants. It is illegal.
I don't agree with this decision at all. It would only encourage more people to come over illegally and bring their kids knowing that at least they won't be deported. Also, I'm sure that law enforcement would be more hesitant to deport illegal adults if there are children are involved. What happens when both of a child's parents are deported and there is no one else to take care of them? It's better that they go with the family. Most immigrant children are bilingual anyway and they still have their culture so it's not like they would have a hard time adjusting in their home country.
Jeanne Sager, "what came out of the White House today" is completely illegal and unconstitutional. It is a power grab by a desperate Obama. I think one lawsuit has already been filed to block his action.
Thank you Ted Cruz for saying it so well: "The Constitution places on the President the solemn responsibility to ‘take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed.’ President Obama has repeatedly defied the Constitution and flouted the rule of law. His latest decision to refuse to enforce our immigration laws is cravenly political, lawless, and wrong.
“We have a crisis in illegal immigration, and the federal government must get serious about securing our borders; this latest Obama policy is nothing more than an attempt to enact back-door amnesty, and I categorically oppose amnesty.”
Wake up, people. Not to mention that he just flooded our floundering economy with at least 800,000 more workers with unemployment at historic highs.
You can't make this stuff up! Like a cornered animal, Obama is getting more dangerous by the day. Was he uncomfortable with Dream Act reformers like Rubio, or just hoping to import votes? We'll never know.
He is out-of-control, waltzing onto the Rose Garden an hour late, keeping people waiting, then proceeds to tell US what he is going to do by Executive fiat, bypassing Congress again. He forgets that he works for us, not the other way around.
I really can't comment much because this just upsets me so much. My father came from Italy in the 30's the LEGAL way and busted his ass to become an American Citizen and I feel this is a slap in his face and the face of every other person to take the time to do it the legal and correct way.
The president, today, basically said that the United States Congress is nonexistent. What's his next Executive Order going to proclaim? Anything he wants?
Obama shouted at the immigration press conference, "It's the right thing to do!" When he finished announcing his Executive Order, he hauled himself back into the White House as fast as he could go without tripping, taking no questions from reporters.
Cowardly. Tyrannical. Arrogant. Again, he forgets is subordinate to us -- he works for us.
He attended ANOTHER fund-raiser last night at the home of actress Sarah Jessica Parker and attended by Vogue's Anna Wintour & actress Meryl Streep, among others willing to pay $40,000 to breathe the same air he breathes. And what was his big comment of the night?
"Our celebrity president dropped his “man of the people” mask last during a $40,000 a plate fundraiser at the home of commoners Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick. The star-studded 1 percent crowd got to hear how much more important they are than those 99 percent plebs.
"You're the tie-breaker," he said. "You're the ultimate arbiter of which direction this country goes."
Really? Rich celebrities are the "ultimate arbiters" of our nation's fate? This is Obama's mind-set.
Vote him out.
I agree with bits and pieces of what's been said before me. I find this, like the "agreeing that anyone should be able to get married," that it's a case of "a day late and a dollar short." He did this to get the Hispanic vote and that's the ONLY reason he did it or he'd have done it 3 1/2 years ago.
My grandparents also came from other countries and worked and worked to make something of themselves and to see all these people getting a free ride really irritates the crap out of me too. Nobody gave anyone our ancestors a free lunch!
That aside, this is a political move to gain votes. The decision to halt deportations of illegal immigrants was ordered in 2011, where a majority of active cases of people without criminal records were "put aside" in favor of deporting "criminals". So, this isn't a new decision it's just been reworded.