NEWS & POLITICS  
comments_image -

Four Examples of Delusional, Anti-Immigrant Activist Hysteria

After the DHS announced a modest shift in policy to identify "low priority" deportation cases, anti-immigrant activists continued to scream delusional, "amnesty!" rhetoric.
August 26, 2011  |  
 
Advertisement
 

 Anti-immigrant activists are nothing if not predictable. They scream “amnesty” whenever any administration or congress tries to inject a little justice and humanity into our broken immigration system. So, naturally, the anti-immigrant crowd has been screaming “amnesty” without pause since August 18—the day the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that it would review all of the nearly 300,000 pending deportation cases in order to identify those which are “low priority” and should be “administratively closed.” In other words, DHS will focus on deporting dangerous criminals rather than dishwashers.

This is a relatively modest policy shift and amounts to a decision as to how finite DHS resources can best be utilized to enhance national security and public safety. Needless to say, anti-immigrant activists don’t see it this way. Judging from their shrill comments, the DHS announcement means that all unauthorized immigrants in the country are now on the road to legal status, that all U.S. immigration laws have been rescinded, and that the Obama Administration is trampling upon the Constitution, Congress, and the public in its lawless quest for open and uncontrolled borders.

The statements coming from the anti-immigrant crowd range from the farcical to the delusional. Consider the following:

William Gheen, president of Americans for Legal Immigration PAC (ALIPAC):

“Obama has just created a constitutional crisis by nullifying the US Constitution, existing federal immigration laws, the votes of the Congress, and every vote cast and e-mail sent by Americans who have defeated this Amnesty legislation eight times in the last six years. This is the death of a nation. This is the fall of the American Republic and the loss of all that our forebears have fought to build and preserve.”

Stuart Hurlbert, board member of Californians for Population Stabilization (CAPS): 

“Effectively this is mass amnesty and another announcement to the world that indeed our gates are wide open. When the next million invaders arrive, Obama and Napolitano will plead that now a ‘shortage of resources’ forces them to limit enforcement actions only to serial killers who are unshaven, have bad manners and have killed in excess of ten persons.” 

Frosty Wooldridge, advisory board member of the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR):

“In the most anti-American act of his short term in office, Barack Hussein Obama, an outsider president gave amnesty to over 20 million illegal aliens and possibly a much higher number when the final count arrives. Obama, America’s chief law enforcement officer, decided to stop enforcing the law. No more deportations of illegal aliens! Usurp every legal immigrant and American citizen! U.S. borders do not mean anything anymore and U.S. sovereignty has been assigned to the highest bidder: employers of illegal aliens.”

Rick Oltman, former employee of FAIR and CAPS:

“In the most anti-American act of his administration that showed complete contempt for America and Americans, President Barack Hussein Obama amnestied over 30 million illegal aliens on Thursday. There was no legislation, no debate and no consideration for American citizens… It was cowardly because Obama and the political elites of both parties who want amnesty for illegal aliens knew they couldn’t get the legislation passed.”

Comments such as these bear no relationship to what DHS actually announced on August 18. But accuracy is not a highly valued trait in anti-immigrant circles. Inflamed and inflammatory rhetoric is far more important than facts.

Walter Ewing, Ph.D., is the Senior Researcher at the Immigration Policy Center. He has authored or co-authored 20 reports and opinion pieces for the IPC and has published articles in the Georgetown Journal of Law and Public Policy, Stanford Law and Policy Review, and Immigration Law Today.
submit to reddit

-
Email
Print
Share
LIKED THIS ARTICLE? JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST
Stay up to date with the latest News & Politics headlines via email
Advertisement
Most Read
Most Emailed
Most Discussed
On REDDIT
On DIGG
 
loading most read content ..
Advertisement
AlterNet Radio: What's At Stake in Wisconsin; Real "Defense" Budget Is $1 Trillion; the Right's Phony Race War

By Staff | AlterNet

 
 
Fox, Breitbart, and Ricketts Try to Bring Back D'Souza's Pseudo-Birtherism

By Steve M | No More Mister Nice Blog

 
 
Activists Speak Out Against Lack of Access to Bradley Manning

By Agence France Presse

 
 
NYPD Catches Sexual Assailant, Then Lets Him Go Free Because He Didn't Feel Like Being Questioned

By Jill F | Feministe

 
 
Gov. Scott Orders Purging of Florida’s Voter Rolls - Just in Time For Prez Election

By Adele Stan | AlterNet

 
 
Abortion Clinics Across Country Put On Alert In Wake of Georgia Clinic Arson Cases

By Robin Marty | RH Reality Check

 
 
Former GOP Congresswoman Blasts New GOP Women’s Caucus: ‘They’re Not Voting In Best Interest Of All Women’

By Josh Israel | ThinkProgress

 
 
Debbie Wasserman Schulz is Wrong on Wisconsin

By LaFeminista | DailyKos

 
 
Pro-Coal Group Pays People to Wear Its Shirts at EPA Hearing

By Heather Moyer | Sierra Club

 
 
Kids Inundate NY Governor With Concerns About Fracking

By Seth Gladstone | Food and Water Watch

 
 
 
 
 
loading ...
POWERED BY DIGG'S USERS
 
[ page served from web 1 ]