Immigration amnesty—what now Obama since Republicans won?

Today, November 10, I received the following e-mail from Barack Obama, which I believe is genuine since I have received emails purportedly coming from him, because according to the email I am an “Obama for America supporter”. [Full disclosure: I am for America but I am not for Obama].

Here’s a portion relevant to immigration. “Emmanuel—Two years. That’s all the time I have left as your president. I know what I’m going to be fighting for until I leave this office... If it’s... fixing our immigration system that fires you up, I need you to stand up for it... With or without help from Congress, I’m not done making real change for the American people. http://my.barackobama.com/Lets-Go. Thank you, Barack Obama.”

My answer: “Dear Barack Obama: Do not change our immigration laws without the help of Congress. The power to make laws is vested in Congress. Your duty as President is to enforce the laws, not make laws. Thank you, Emmanuel Samonte Tipon”

“Attorney, where is the amnesty for illegal aliens that you said Obama will issue Wednesday after the elections?” asked a Honolulu coffee shop habitué when he saw me after the elections. “He must have been shell shocked by the Republican blitzkrieg,” I quipped.

Obviously the habitué read my column “Wednesday morning amnesty for illegal aliens?” which I wrote for this publication in September. I said then that President Obama had put off executive action on immigration until after the elections because if he did it before the elections the majority of the American people who are against amnesty will be so angry that they will go to the polls to vote against the Democratic senatorial candidates and Republicans will thus win at least six senatorial seats thereby enabling them to control the Senate.

The majority of the American people were not fooled by Obama’s ploy and voted against him because amnesty breeds lawlessness and is unfair to those who obey the law. The Republicans won at least seven senatorial seats and will control the Senate. Republicans also retained control of the House of Representatives. And Republicans will control 31 governorships (including Illinois which Obama claims as his second home state). The Republicans won, according to David Brooks, because they have “deep roots in four of the dominant institutions of American society: the business community, the military, the church and civic organizations.”

Was Obama chastened by his repudiation at the polls? No. He reportedly said that the Democrats should have gotten more people to vote.

According to USA Today’s November 10 edition, the battle lines have been drawn on immigration: “Like boxers at the start of a bout, President Obama and newly empowered Republicans are circling each other over the issue of immigration...  While Obama again pledged to issue executive orders on immigration policy, Republicans who will soon take control of the Senate said Sunday that “amnesty” orders will poison relations for the rest of the president’s term.... Obama said that the immigration policy needs to be changed but added that congressional Republicans can always override his executive orders by passing a comprehensive immigration bill. [The problem is that if the bill does not grant amnesty Obama will veto it]. Republican congressional leaders said that they are concerned that Obama’s executive orders could legalize the status of millions of migrants in the country illegally.”

Why is Obama hell-bent on giving amnesty to illegal aliens when there are other more pressing issues facing the country—jobs, the economy, tax reform, ISIS, Ebola epidemic, etc. Does he want to pad the Democratic Party’s rolls with illegal aliens? An estimated 6.4 percent of noncitizens cast illegal ballots in 2008 and these “mostly Democratic voters could have easily swung close races.” The Week magazine, 11/14/14.

Obama amnesty like Obamacare will backfire against the Democratic Party and undermine the candidacy of Hillary Clinton, a fellow Yalie, who could be an effective president. Republicans will call it “Obama’s third term”. A Republican president will set aside any Obama amnesty.

(Atty. Tipon has a Master of Laws degree from Yale Law School and a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of the Philippines. He specializes in immigration law and criminal defense. Office: 800 Bethel St., Suite 402, Honolulu, HI 96813. Tel. (808) 225-2645. E-Mail: filamlaw@yahoo.com. Websites:  www.MilitaryandCriminalLaw.com. He is from Laoag City and Magsingal, Ilocos Sur. He served as an Immigration Officer. He is co-author of “Immigration Law Service, 1^st ed.,” an 8-volume practice guide for immigration officers and lawyers. Listen to the most funny, interesting, and useful radio program in Hawaii on KNDI at 1270 AM dial every Thursday at 7:30 a.m. This article is a general overview of the subject matter discussed and is not intended as legal advice. No attorney-client relationship is established between the writer and readers relying upon and/or acting pursuant to the contents of this article.)