Obama’s immigration meeting a farce, say amnesty critics

On Tuesday without the usual fanfare for a White House special event, President Barack Obama held an immigration conference to discuss how to fix America’s broken immigration system with a group accused of being responsible for breaking the system in the first place.

The White House claimed that the invitees represented a "broad group of business, law enforcement, faith and former and current elected leaders from across the political spectrum."  However, truth in labeling would indicate otherwise and members of the news media ignored the reality of yet another Obama "dog and pony show"  complete with deceit and demagoguery. 

  Not a single invitation was extended to a border state governor, sheriff, member of Congress, or group representing the true stakeholders of U.S. immigration policies – the American people.  

In reality, the meeting was yet another amnesty planning session by partisan special interests determined to find a way to get done what the American public has flatly rejected.  

"The President’s message to the American public is loud and clear.  We’re going to ignore your immigration concerns, close the door, and shut you out of the debate.  A roomful of sanctuary city politicians, business leaders desperate to keep the tap flowing with cheap foreign labor, and powerful immigrant special interest groups is not a balanced discussion; it’s an amnesty call-to action," Dan Stein, President of the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), said.  

The goal of the participants in the White House meeting is to pressure Obama into using his executive power to halt deportations while a broader amnesty bill is being considered by Congress. Immigration reform is necessary in the long run, Rep. Luis Gutierrez said, but in the meantime the government must ensure that it doesn’t “needlessly deport” those who are working, raising families and “contributing to our nation and economic recovery.” Obama must “provide relief” from deportation, the congressman asserts.  

Congressman Gutierrez has been a long-time proponent of amnesty and opponent of immigration enforcement. He even went so far recently as to openly call for a suspension of all such immigration enforcement actions until Congress passes "comprehensive" immigration reform.    

Adopting the rhetoric of the radical left, Rep. Luis Gutierrez has explicitly compared the actions of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency to those of Nazi Germany’s most infamous secret police force, the Gestapo.

In an article appearing in the online publication The Politico on August 6, 2008, Gutierrez lowered himself to using inflammatory rhetoric simply unacceptable for a member of Congress. "You know who is in charge now? The Gestapo agents at Homeland Security. They are in charge," Gutierrez told The Politico.  

The profiles of several key participants of the Tuesday meeting reveal the inappropriateness of having those who oppose enforcement, simultaneously serving as advisors to fix our immigration system.   

  * Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, former California Governor whose refusal to rein in sanctuary cities policies helped the state incur $21.5 billion in annual illegal immigration costs.  

* John Podesta, former Clintonista now CEO of Center for American Progress whose well-financed political machine — backers include George Soros — relentlessly pushes a radical agenda for amnesty, open borders, and non-enforcement. 

  * Bill Bratton, Former Police Chief, City of Los Angeles and City of New York, who, while serving as LAPD Chief, staunchly supported a policy to not focus enforcement efforts on "individuals whose only violation is illegal entry." 

  "The President will only address immigration when it serves his political interests.  Just days after he announced his reelection bid, the President met behind closed doors promising amnesty to appease the special interests he needs to energize his campaign supporters. Rather than discussing the real cost and impact of illegal and legal immigration with people from a variety of perspectives, President Obama clearly remains committed to helping only one set of stakeholders in this debate – those who profit financially and politically from illegal immigration," said Stein. 

  Jim Kouri, CPP, formerly Fifth Vice-President, is currently a Board Member of the National Association of Chiefs of Police, an editor for ConservativeBase.com, and he’s a columnist for Examiner.com.  In addition, he’s a blogger for the Cheyenne, Wyoming Fox News Radio affiliate KGAB (www.kgab.com). Kouri also serves as political advisor for Emmy and Golden Globe winning actor Michael Moriarty. 

To subscribe to Kouri’s newsletter write to COPmagazine@aol.com and write "Subscription" on the subject line.