Monday, June 18, 2018

DOJ & DHS (Sessions & Nielsen): No Message, Dishonest, Pitiful, and Totally Wrong

Meet Mr. and Mrs. B. S. Gloomy from DOJ and DHS 
(Jeff Sessions and Kirstjen Nielsen) 


Update with more details about the original post that follows below. 

– re: Trump keeps up DEM immigration blame game over his own policy. 

Trump will not relent in the PR message, nor he cannot accept any responsibility himself or for the DOJ and DHS BS stories that follow on this very critical humane issue even though the current policy was implemented by him and Sessions.

The Original Post starts here:

The Trump administration – only hires the best, right? How about “The Gang Who Can't Shoot Straight” and [once again] shoots and misses [once again] this time on immigration policy and bigley, yuge...!!!

Trump and others in the administration have falsely blamed the separations on a law the president claims was written by Democrats.

But the separations instead largely stem from a “zero-tolerance” policy announced with fanfare last month by Attorney General Jeff Sessions (see more below).

The White House also has interpreted a 1997 legal agreement and a 2008 bipartisan human trafficking bill as requiring the separation of families — a posture not taken by the George W. Bush or Obama administrations.

Democrats argue that Trump is trying to use a manufactured crisis to gain leverage in ongoing deliberations in Congress over immigration to secure funding for a U.S.-Mexico border – a form blackmail. 

Trump knows this family separation policy is very unpopular, but can’t accept the blame himself.

Trump in a series of tweets blamed Democrats for the current state of affairs and urged them to agree to broader legislation on immigration that includes border wall funding and other White House priorities tweeting: “It is the Democrats fault for being weak and ineffective with Boarder Security [sic] and Crime.” And: “Tell them to start thinking about the people devastated by Crime coming from illegal immigration. Change the laws!”

In another tweet Trump contend that children “Are being used by some of the worst criminals on earth as a means to enter our country,” and, in another tweet, Trump pointed to MS-13 gangs coming into the country illegally and to struggles with migration in Germany tweeting: “We don’t want what is happening with immigration in Europe to happen with us!”

A growing number of Republicans are joining Democrats to urge the administration to change its policy on family separations. 

Sen. Ben Sasse (R-NE) said: “The President should immediately end this family separation policy” adding Mr. Trump doesn’t need Congress to change course on the horrors of family separation, concluding: “The administration’s decision to separate families is a new, discretionary choice. Anyone saying that their hands are tied or that the only conceivable way to fix the problem of catch-and-release is to rip families apart is flat wrong.” 

On NPR Rep. Will Hurd (R-TX) took issue with the HSD statement on Twitter from Secretary Nielsen, who said: “We do not have a policy of separating families at the border. Period.” 

Hurd laughed at her, saying: “Kids are being separated. In the last two months, there’s been about 2,000. The previous year it was almost 700. And 100 of those kids were under the age of 4.”

SHORT HISTORY LESSON REVIEW:

From Vox.com: Everyone remembers that in 1986, President Ronald Reagan passed an amnesty law. But what most people don't know is that in 1996 — fresh off the heels of signing welfare reform, and two years after signing the crime bill — President Bill Clinton signed a bill that overhauled immigration enforcement in the US and laid the groundwork for what we have today.

From NY Times – The 1986 amnesty bill, official name: “The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986,” marked a historic change in American immigration policy. Under current law as the time, illegal aliens could be deported, and it was not generally illegal for employers to hire them. Under the 1986 bill, employers who hire illegal aliens would be subject to civil penalties ranging from $250 to $10,000 for each such alien hired. Recall this historic quote from Mr. Reagan?



The bill passed the bill the Senate with 34 Democrats and 29 Republicans voting yes, and 16 Republicans and 8 Democrats voting no. The House of Representatives had approved the same bill earlier by a vote of 238 to 173.

Sen. Phil Gramm (R-TX) led the opposition denouncing the bill's “amnesty clause” for those here illegally. Gramm said it was “'outrageous' that under one section, illegal aliens who had done only 90 days of agricultural work in this country could eventually become permanent residents.”

Currently: DHS Sec. Nielsen tweeted recently: “For those seeking asylum at ports of entry, we have continued the policy from previous administrations and will only separate if the child is in danger, there is no custodial relationship between 'family' members, or if the adult has broken a law. As I have said many times before, if you are seeking asylum for your family, there is no reason to break the law and illegally cross between ports of entry.” 

Nielsen blamed members of Congress, the press, and advocacy groups for spreading “misinformation” about the family separation process, saying that DHS is simply “enforcing the laws passed by Congress” and that her agency would “not apologize for doing our job.”

Nielsen added in terse language: Surely it is the beginning of the unraveling of democracy when the body that makes the laws rather than change them asks the body that enforces them not to enforce the law that cannot be the answer.”

She added: “Illegal actions have and must have consequences, no more free passes, no more get out of jail free cards. In communities every day, if you commit a crime police will take you to jail regardless of whether you have a family. We do not have the luxury of pretending that all individuals coming to this country as a family unit are in fact a family.”

GOP right hand meet other GOP right hand (from NPR): AG Jeff Sessions has called for “zero-tolerance” for immigrants who illegally enter the U.S. along the Mexican border. So, right hand vs. the right in plain sight – whoopee…!!! Nielsen says nope – no such policy. Ho Lee Sheet…!!! This double Ho Lee Sheet.

As far as Sessions is concerned, he blamed previous administrations for allowing “loopholes that led to immigrants crossing the border illegally with children, effectively given them immunity from prosecution saying in speeches: “Word got out about this loophole with predictable results. The number of aliens illegally crossing with children between our ports of entry went from 14,000 to 75,000 —that's a 5-fold increase — in just the last 4 years. This cannot continue.”  Sessions then urged that despite the current policy, the Trump White House does not want to separate children from their parents, saying: “We do not want adults to bring children into this country unlawfully, placing them at risk. This country is dedicated to caring for those children.” 

Then Trump offered blackmail as an option for the DEMS and others: “If we build the wall, if we pass legislation to end the lawlessness, we won't face these terrible choices. We will have a system where those who need to apply for asylum can do so and those who want to come to this country will apply to enter lawfully.”

My 2 Cents: Whew boy – where to begin? 

Trump and large chunk of the GOP are simmering in hot pool of burning oil. They are getting blasted from many diverse sides and they are scared shitless about the election in November to protect their majorities in Congress – a fact. But, this a losing battle for them just like when they sold their big tax cut that we now see benefits the top crust and not most people (so, no big surprise there); their sustained war on the poor and needy (cutting or not funding programs); and, their obvious and open war on women and their healthcare, and healthcare in general. 

Let’s face it, this administration and most of the all GOP-run government is out of step with mainstream thinking. They will pay dearly in November, assuming their PR campaign does not overshadow common sense this cycle – this is going to be one ugly and nasty campaign – one to watch: Trump and his ugliness effort – bet on it. 

Thanks for stopping by.


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