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POWERFUL: Charlie Kirk's final speech delivered in South Korea 9/6/25 2026 in Bible Prophecy 2.4 Billion exposed to excessive heat 🔴 LIVE CHICAGO PORTLAND ICE IMMIGRATION DETENTION CENTER 24/7 PROTEST 9/28/2025 Young Conservative Proves Leftist Protesters Wrong England is on the Brink of Civil War! Charlie Kirk Shocks Florida State University With The TRUTH IRL Confronting Protesters Outside UN Trump Meeting The UK Revolution Has Started... Brit's Want Their Country Back Inside Paris Dangerous ANTIFA Riots Rioters STORM Chicago ICE HQ... "Deportation Unit" SCRAPES Invaders Off The Sidewalk She Decoded A Specific Part In The Bible Muslim College Student DUMBFOUNDED as Charlie Kirk Lists The Facts About Hamas Charlie Kirk EVISCERATES Black Students After They OPENLY Support “Anti-White Racism” HEATED DEBATE "Trump Rips U.N. as Useless During General Assembly Address: ‘Empty Words’" Charlie Kirk VS the Wokies at University of Tennessee Charlie Kirk Takes on 3 Professors & a Teacher British leftist student tells Charlie Kirk facts are unfair The 2 Billion View Video: Charlie Kirk's Most Viewed Clips of 2024 Antifa is now officially a terrorist organization. The Greatness of Charlie Kirk: An Eyewitness Account of His Life and Martyrdom Status: Not Logged In; Sign In United States News See other United States News Articles Title: Executive Amnesty Prevention Act of 2014 Source: THOMAS URL Source: http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c113:H.R.5759: Published: Dec 4, 2014 Author: Rep. Ted Yoho Post Date: 2014-12-04 17:51:56 by nolu chan Keywords: None Views: 4277 Comments: 13 Executive Amnesty Prevention Act of 2014 HR 5979 IH 113th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 5759 To establish a rule of construction clarifying the limitations on executive authority to provide certain forms of immigration relief. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES November 20, 2014 Mr. YOHO (for himself, Mr. BROOKS of Alabama, Mr. LAMALFA, Mr. GOHMERT, Mr. LONG, and Mr. PALAZZO) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary A BILL To establish a rule of construction clarifying the limitations on executive authority to provide certain forms of immigration relief. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the `Executive Amnesty Prevention Act of 2014'. SEC. 2. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION. (a) In General- No provision of the United States Constitution, the Immigration and Nationality Act, or other Federal law shall be interpreted or applied to authorize the executive branch of the Government to exempt, by Executive order, regulation, or any other means, categories of persons unlawfully present in the United States from removal under the immigration laws (as such term is defined in section 101 of the Immigration and Nationality Act). Any action by the executive branch with the purpose of circumventing the objectives of this statute shall be null and void and without legal effect. (b) Effective Date- This Act shall have effect retroactively, and shall apply to any such exemption made at any time. END Post Comment   Private Reply   Ignore Thread   Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest #1. To: All (#0) http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d113:h.r.05759: H.R.5759 Latest Title: Executive Amnesty Prevention Act of 2014 Sponsor: Rep Yoho, Ted S. [FL-3] (introduced 11/20/2014) Cosponsors (17) Related Bills: H.RES.770 Latest Major Action: 11/20/2014 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary. http://hotair.com/archives/2014/12/04/breaking-house-passes-symbolic-bill-to-block-obamas-executive-amnesty/ Breaking: House passes symbolic bill to block Obama’s executive amnesty; Update: Roll added posted at 2:41 pm on December 4, 2014 by Allahpundit his was the bill proposed by conservative Ted Yoho that would, if also passed by the Senate and signed by Obama, block Obama’s authority to remake immigration policy on his own. I … thought we had a Constitution that does that, but I guess we don’t anymore. Obviously, a bill like this isn’t going to get past a Democratic Senate and a Democratic president, which means this was an empty gesture designed to show grassroots righties that the leadership shares their concerns about O’s power grab even if they’re not prepared to play hardball to stop it. The burning question: With House tea partiers complaining that the bill was meaningless and ineffectual, could Boehner still find a majority to pass it? Yup, as it turns out. Although he needed a little Democratic help to cross the 218 threshold. Three Democrats voted yes while seven Republicans voted no and another three Republicans voted “present.” The roll isn’t out yet so we’re not sure who those 10 GOPers are but I’ll update as soon as it’s available. The White House, incidentally, has already all but promised to veto this bill. If Boehner had wanted to make Obama choke on it, he could have followed the Lee/Cruz plan by inserting this as a rider to a spending bill that would fund the entire government for a few months. That way, Reid and Obama would have a stark choice of either approving the money with this condition attached or else blocking it and bracing for the resulting shutdown. Instead, by splitting Yoho’s bill off from the “cromnibus” funding bill that’ll be voted on later today (I think), Boehner made it easy for Democrats to oppose Yoho’s language without risking any standoff over government funding. The name of the game here for Republican leaders is no shutdown, no shutdown, no shutdown. The solution was an empty gesture. [snip] nolu chan  posted on  2014-12-04   17:52:42 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply   #2. To: All (#0) http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/wh-threatens-veto-house-anti-executive-amnesty-bill_820601.html WH Threatens Veto of House Anti-Executive Amnesty Bill By Daniel Halper The Weekly Standard 12:13 PM, Dec 4, 2014 The White House released a statement threatening to veto an anti-executive amnesty bill that's being considered in the House. "The Administration strongly opposes the substitute amendment to H.R. 5759 that seeks to restrict the President’s immigration accountability actions. H.R. 5759 would make the broken immigration system worse, not better. By attempting to restrict the Administration’s ability to conduct national security and criminal background checks on undocumented immigrants, H.R. 5759 would make the Nation’s communities less safe. By attempting to make it more difficult for undocumented workers to register and pay taxes, the bill would hurt the Nation’s economy as well," reads the White House statement from the Office of Management and Budget. The President’s recently announced immigration accountability executive actions will help secure the border, hold potentially more than 4 million undocumented immigrants accountable, and ensure that everyone plays by the same rules. In particular, these actions will allow undocumented immigrants who have resided in the United States for five or more years, are not priorities for removal, and are parents of U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents to seek temporary immigration relief, on a case-by-case basis, by registering, passing background checks, and paying their fair share of taxes. These actions also give additional DREAMers the opportunity to request immigration relief under the existing Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy. The bill’s objective is clearly to nullify and block implementation of these executive actions, which would have devastating consequences. It would lead to the separation of families and prevent additional DREAMers from fully contributing to American life. It would also make it more difficult for immigration officials to conduct background checks, for undocumented workers to help the economy by paying taxes, and for the Federal government to focus on removing serious criminals, recent border crossers, and other threats. The President’s actions will increase accountability in the Nation’s broken immigration system while he continues to urge the Congress to finish the job and pass commonsense immigration reform that offers meaningful solutions to the broken system. If the President were presented with H.R. 5759, his senior advisors would recommend that he veto the bill. nolu chan  posted on  2014-12-04   17:53:49 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply   #3. To: All (#0) http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/11/21/presidential-memorandum-modernizing-and-streamlining-us-immigrant-visa-s The White House Office of the Press Secretary For Immediate Release November 21, 2014 Presidential Memorandum -- Modernizing and Streamlining the U.S. Immigrant Visa System for the 21st Century November 21, 2014 MEMORANDUM FOR THE HEADS OF EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES SUBJECT: Modernizing and Streamlining the U.S. Immigrant Visa System for the 21st Century Throughout our Nation's history, immigrants have helped the United States build the world's strongest economy. Immigrants represent the majority of our PhDs in math, computer science, and engineering, and over one quarter of all U.S.-based Nobel laureates over the past 50 years were foreign-born. Immigrants are also more than twice as likely as native-born Americans to start a business in the United States. They have started one of every four American small businesses and high-tech startups, and more than 40 percent of Fortune 500 companies were founded by immigrants or their children. But despite the overwhelming contributions of immigrants to our Nation's prosperity, our immigration system is broken and has not kept pace with changing times. To address this issue, my Administration has made commonsense immigration reform a priority, and has consistently urged the Congress to act to fix the broken system. Such action would not only continue our proud tradition of welcoming immigrants to this country, but also reduce Federal deficits, increase productivity, and raise wages for all Americans. Immigration reform is an economic, national security, and moral imperative. Even as we continue to seek meaningful legislative reforms, my Administration has pursued administrative reforms to streamline and modernize the legal immigration system. We have worked to simplify an overly complex visa system, one that is confusing to travelers and immigrants, burdensome to businesses, and results in long wait times that negatively impact millions of families and workers. But we can and must do more to improve this system. Executive departments and agencies must continue to focus on streamlining and reforming the legal immigration system, while safeguarding the interest of American workers. Therefore, by the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, and in order to modernize and streamline the U.S. immigration system, I hereby direct as follows: Section 1. Recommendations to Improve the Immigration System. (a) Within 120 days of the date of this memorandum, the Secretaries of State and Homeland Security (Secretaries), in consultation with the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, the Director of the National Economic Council, the Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism, the Director of the Domestic Policy Council, the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, the Attorney General, and the Secretaries of Agriculture, Commerce, Labor, and Education, shall develop: (i) in consultation with private and nonfederal public actors, including business people, labor leaders, universities, and other stakeholders, recommendations to streamline and improve the legal immigration system -- including immigrant and non-immigrant visa processing -- with a focus on reforms that reduce Government costs, improve services for applicants, reduce burdens on employers, and combat waste, fraud, and abuse in the system; (ii) in consultation with stakeholders with relevant expertise in immigration law, recommendations to ensure that administrative policies, practices, and systems use all of the immigrant visa numbers that the Congress provides for and intends to be issued, consistent with demand; and (iii) in consultation with technology experts inside and outside the Government, recommendations for modernizing the information technology infrastructure underlying the visa processing system, with a goal of reducing redundant systems, improving the experience of applicants, and enabling better public and congressional oversight of the system. (b) In developing the recommendations as set forth in subsection (a) of this section, the Secretaries shall establish metrics for measuring progress in implementing the recommendations and in achieving service-level improvements, taking into account the Federal Government's responsibility to protect the integrity of U.S. borders and promote economic opportunity for all workers. Sec. 2. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this memorandum shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect: (i) the authority granted by law to an executive department, agency, or the head thereof; or (ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals. (b) This memorandum shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations. (c) This memorandum is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person. (d) The Secretary of State is hereby authorized and directed to publish this memorandum in the Federal Register. BARACK OBAMA nolu chan  posted on  2014-12-04   17:54:53 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply   #4. To: All (#0) http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/11/21/presidential-memorandum-creating-welcoming-communities-and-fully-integra The White House Office of the Press Secretary For Immediate Release November 21, 2014 Presidential Memorandum -- Creating Welcoming Communities and Fully Integrating Immigrants and Refugees November 21, 2014 MEMORANDUM FOR THE HEADS OF EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES SUBJECT: Creating Welcoming Communities and Fully Integrating Immigrants and Refugees Our country has long been a beacon of hope and opportunity for people from around the world. Nearly 40 million foreign-born residents nationwide contribute to their communities every day, including 3 million refugees who have resettled here since 1975. These new Americans significantly improve our economy. They make up 13 percent of the population, but are over 16 percent of the labor force and start 28 percent of all new businesses. Moreover, immigrants or their children have founded more than 40 percent of Fortune 500 companies, which collectively employ over 10 million people worldwide and generate annual revenues of $4.2 trillion. By focusing on the civic, economic, and linguistic integration of new Americans, we can help immigrants and refugees in the United States contribute fully to our economy and their communities. Civic integration provides new Americans with security in their rights and liberties. Economic integration empowers immigrants to be self-sufficient and allows them to give back to their communities and contribute to economic growth. English language acquisition allows new Americans to attain employment or career advancement and be more active civic participants. Our success as a Nation of immigrants is rooted in our ongoing commitment to welcoming and integrating newcomers into the fabric of our country. It is important that we develop a Federal immigrant integration strategy that is innovative and competitive with those of other industrialized nations and supports mechanisms to ensure that our Nation's diverse people are contributing to society to their fullest potential. Therefore, I am establishing a White House Task Force on New Americans, an interagency effort to identify and support State and local efforts at integration that are working and to consider how to expand and replicate successful models. The Task Force, which will engage with community, business, and faith leaders, as well as State and local elected officials, will help determine additional steps the Federal Government can take to ensure its programs and policies are serving diverse communities that include new Americans. By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, I hereby order as follows: Section 1. White House Task Force on New Americans. (a) There is established a White House Task Force on New Americans (Task Force) to develop a coordinated Federal strategy to better integrate new Americans into communities and support State and local efforts to do the same. It shall be co-chaired by the Director of the Domestic Policy Council and Secretary of Homeland Security, or their designees. In addition to the Co-Chairs, the Task Force shall consist of the following members: (i) the Secretary of State; (ii) the Attorney General; (iii) the Secretary of Agriculture; (iv) the Secretary of Commerce; (v) the Secretary of Labor; (vi) the Secretary of Health and Human Services; (vii) the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development; (viii) the Secretary of Transportation; (ix) the Secretary of Education; (x) the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation for National and Community Service; (xi) the Director of the Office of Management and Budget; (xii) the Administrator of the Small Business Administration; (xiii) the Senior Advisor and Assistant to the President for Intergovernmental Affairs and Public Engagement; (xiv) the Director of the National Economic Council; (xv) the Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism; and (xvi) the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy. (b) A member of the Task Force may designate a senior-level official who is from the member's department, agency, or office, and is a full-time officer or employee of the Federal Government, to perform day-to-day Task Force functions of the member. At the direction of the Co-Chairs, the Task Force may establish subgroups consisting exclusively of Task Force members or their designees under this subsection, as appropriate. (c) The Secretary of Homeland Security shall appoint an Executive Director who will determine the Task Force's agenda, convene regular meetings of the Task Force, and supervise work under the direction of the Co-Chairs. The Department of Homeland Security shall provide funding and administrative support for the Task Force to the extent permitted by law and subject to the availability of appropriations. Each executive department or agency shall bear its own expenses for participating in the Task Force. Sec. 2. Mission and Function of the Task Force. (a) The Task Force shall, consistent with applicable law, work across executive departments and agencies to: (i) review the policies and programs of all relevant executive departments and agencies to ensure they are responsive to the needs of new Americans and the receiving communities in which they reside, and identify ways in which such programs can be used to increase meaningful engagement between new Americans and the receiving community; (ii) identify and disseminate best practices at the State and local level; (iii) provide technical assistance, training, or other support to existing Federal grantees to increase their coordination and capacity to improve long-term integration and foster welcoming community climates; (iv) collect and disseminate immigrant integration data, policies, and programs that affect numerous executive departments and agencies, as well as State and local governments and nongovernmental actors; (v) conduct outreach to representatives of nonprofit organizations, State and local government agencies, elected officials, and other interested persons that can assist with the Task Force's development of recommendations; (vi) work with Federal, State, and local entities to measure and strengthen equitable access to services and programs for new Americans, consistent with applicable law; and (vii) share information with and communicate to the American public regarding the benefits that result from integrating new Americans into communities. (b) Within 120 days of the date of this memorandum, the Task Force shall develop and submit to the President an Integration Plan with recommendations for agency actions to further the integration of new Americans. The Integration Plan shall include: (i) an assessment by each Task Force member of the status and scope of the efforts by the member's department, agency, or office to further the civic, economic, and linguistic integration of new Americans, including a report on the status of any offices or programs that have been created to develop, implement, or monitor targeted initiatives concerning immigrant integration; and (ii) recommendations for issues, programs, or initiatives that should be further evaluated, studied, and implemented, as appropriate. (c) The Task Force shall provide, within 1 year of the date of this memorandum, a status report to the President regarding the implementation of this memorandum. The Task Force shall review and update the Integration Plan periodically, as appropriate, and shall present to the President any updated recommendations or findings. Sec. 3. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this memorandum shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect: (i) the authority granted by law to an executive department, agency, or the head thereof; or (ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals. (b) This memorandum shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations. (c) This memorandum is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person. (d) The Secretary of Homeland Security is hereby authorized and directed to publish this memorandum in the Federal Register. BARACK OBAMA nolu chan  posted on  2014-12-04   17:55:23 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply   #5. To: All (#0) http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/11/25/remarks-president-immigration-chicago-il The White House Office of the Press Secretary For Immediate Release November 25, 2014 Remarks by the President on Immigration -- Chicago, IL Copernicus Center Chicago, Illinois 5:05 P.M. CST THE PRESIDENT: Thank you so much. (Applause.) Everybody, have a seat. (Applause.) Thank you. Thank you so much. Happy early Thanksgiving, everybody. It is good to be home. (Applause.) Although it's cold in Chicago. (Laughter.) It was 60 degrees in Washington. It's not 60 degrees here. (Laughter.) Let me begin by thanking the Copernicus Center. Dzien dobry to everybody. (Applause.) We appreciate you. Thank you so much. I hope you don't mind -- because obviously there’s a lot of stuff in the news -- I actually need to begin by saying a few words about what’s happened over the past day, not just in Ferguson, Missouri, our neighbor to the south, but all across America. As many of you know, a verdict came down -- or a grand jury made a decision yesterday that upset a lot of people. And as I said last night, the frustrations that we’ve seen are not just about a particular incident. They have deep roots in many communities of color who have a sense that our laws are not always being enforced uniformly or fairly. That may not be true everywhere, and it's certainly not true for the vast majority of law enforcement officials, but that's an impression that folks have and it's not just made up. It's rooted in realities that have existed in this country for a long time. Now, as I said last night, there are productive ways of responding and expressing those frustrations, and there are destructive ways of responding. Burning buildings, torching cars, destroying property, putting people at risk -- that's destructive and there’s no excuse for it. Those are criminal acts, and people should be prosecuted if they engage in criminal acts. But what we also saw -- although it didn’t get as much attention in the media -- was people gathering in overwhelmingly peaceful protest -- here in Chicago, in New York, in Los Angeles, other cities. We’ve seen young people who were organizing, and people beginning to have real conversations about how do we change the situation so that there’s more trust between law enforcement and some of these communities. And those are necessary conversations to have. We're here to talk about immigration, but part of what makes America this remarkable place is being American doesn’t mean you have to look a certain way or have a certain last name or come from a certain place; it has to do with a commitment to ideals, a belief in certain values. And if any part of the American community doesn’t feel welcomed or treated fairly, that's something that puts all of us at risk and we all have to be concerned about it. So my message to those people who are constructively moving forward, trying to organize, mobilize, and ask hard, important questions about how we improve the situation -- I want all those folks to know that their President is going to work with them. (Applause.) Separate and apart from the particular circumstances in Ferguson, which I am careful not to speak to because it's not my job as President to comment on ongoing investigations and specific cases, but the frustrations people have generally -- those are rooted in some hard truths that have to be addressed. And so those who are prepared to work constructively, your President will work with you. And a lot of folks, I believe, in law enforcement and a lot of folks in city halls and governor’s offices across the country want to work with you as well. So as part of that, I’ve instructed Attorney General Eric Holder not just to investigate what happened in Ferguson, but also identify specific steps we can take together to set up a series of regional meetings focused on building trust in our communities. And next week, we’ll bring together state and local officials, and law enforcement, and community leaders and faith leaders to start identifying very specific steps that we can take to make sure that law enforcement is fair and is being applied equally to every person in this country. And we know certain things work. We know that if we train police properly, that that improves policing and makes people feel that the system is fair. We know that when we have a police force that is representative of the communities it's serving that makes a difference. (Applause.) And we know that when there’s clear accountability and transparency when something happens that makes a difference. So there are specific things we can do, and the key now is for us to lift up the best practices and work, city by city, state by state, county by county, all across this country, because the problem is not just a Ferguson problem, it is an American problem. And we've got to make sure that we are actually bringing about change. The bottom line is, nothing of significance, nothing of benefit results from destructive acts. I've never seen a civil rights law, or a health care bill, or an immigration bill result because a car got burned. It happened because people vote. It happened because people mobilize. It happened because people organize. It happens because people look at what are the best policies to solve the problem. That's how you actually move something forward. (Applause.) So don't take the short-term, easy route and just engage in destructive behavior. Take the long-term, hard but lasting route of working with me and governors and state officials to bring about some real change. And to those who think that what happened in Ferguson is an excuse for violence, I do not have any sympathy for that. (Applause.) I have no sympathy at all for destroying your own communities. But for the overwhelming majority of people who just feel frustrated and pain because they get a sense that maybe some communities aren't treated fairly, or some individuals aren't seen as worthy as others, I understand that. And I want to work with you and I want to move forward with you. Your President will be right there with you. AUDIENCE MEMBER: Thank you, Mr. President! THE PRESIDENT: All right? So that's what we need to focus on. (Applause.) Let’s be constructive. I appreciate your patience, because I know you came here to talk about immigration. But this is relevant, because part of what America is about is stitching together folks from different backgrounds and different faiths and different ethnicities. That's what makes us special. (Applause.) And, look, let’s face it, sometimes that's hard. Sometimes that's hard to do. But it's worthwhile, it's worth doing. If you go to -- I was just traveling in Asia -- you go to Japan, they don't have problems with certain folks being discriminated against because mostly everybody is Japanese. (Laughter.) You know? But here, part of what’s wonderful about America is also what makes our democracy hard sometimes, because sometimes we get attached to our particular tribe, our particular race, our particular religion, and then we start treating other folks differently. And that, sometimes, has been a bottleneck to how we think about immigration. If you look at the history of immigration in this country, each successive wave, there have been periods where the folks who were already here suddenly say, well, I don't want those folks. Even though the only people who have the right to say that are some Native Americans. (Applause.) Now, it is fitting that I've come here, back home to Chicago. Because Chicago has always been a city of immigrants. And that’s still true in the neighborhoods that define this city. (Applause.) Especially on the North Side up here. I mean, there’s -- (laughter.) We got everything up here. (Laughter.) No, you go to the public schools around here and you got 50, 60, 70 different languages being spoken. From Andersonville to Chinatown; from Devon to Greektown; Pilsen to Ukrainian Village -- immigrants have made this city of broad shoulders their home. We are Swedish and Polish and German and Italian. Everybody is Irish on St. Patrick’s Day. (Laughter and applause.) We’ve got names like Pat Quinn, our Governor -- (applause) -- and Luis Gutierrez, our Congressman -- (applause) -- Jan Schakowsky, another Congresswoman -- (applause) -- Brad Schneider, Congressman. (Applause.) Rahm Emanuel -- (applause.) All mixed up. (Laughter.) I don't mean Rahm. I mean all of us, together. (Laughter.) It is true that Rahm speaks a language that can't be translated in front of children. (Laughter.) Although he’s a mayor now, so he doesn’t do that anymore, I'm sure. (Laughter.) Anyone who’s driven along the Kennedy has seen the silhouettes of steeples jabbing at the sky -- steeples as diverse as the houses of worship that they belong to, and the immigrants that built them, and the communities who call those neighborhoods home to this day. Today, we’re here at a Polish community center, and I just -- (applause.) I was just meeting with a group of Chicago’s business and civic leaders, representing people who come here from Mexico and China and Poland and Ireland. You just heard Billy Lawless, who was a successful business owner back in Galway. But, he says -- and I'm quoting here -- “I had a thing for the United States. I always wanted to see if I could hack it with you guys.” And so, 16 years ago, Billy comes to Chicago, opens up an Irish pub -- because there was a shortage of Irish pubs in Chicago. (Laughter and applause.) Then he opened another restaurant, then another, and then another. And four months ago, Billy and his wife became American citizens, and they voted for the very first time as Americans on November 4th. And you can often find their son, also named Billy, charming the heck out of customers at all hours of the day and night. Together they’ve gone from employing 10 workers to employing more than 250 workers. And you just heard what Billy said -- “This is what we immigrants do.” One study a few years ago found that immigrants start more than a quarter of all new businesses in the United States -- one-quarter of them. Another study found that immigrants and their children start over 40 percent of Fortune 500 companies. Think about that. But it makes sense, because being a nation of immigrants gives us this huge entrepreneurial advantage over other nations. If you are willing to strike out, go to someplace new, build from scratch -- you’ve got that sense of being willing to take risks and being able to build something from scratch -- you have that spirit, that's part of what the American spirit is all about. It's part of what drove us westward across the frontier -- not feeling like what’s in front of you is the only thing that's possible, but that something else is possible. And because of those businesses started by immigrants, we all benefit. It means more jobs. It means more growth for everybody. Now, as I said last week, our immigration system has been broken for a long time. Families who try to come here the right way can get stuck in line for years. Business owners who treat their employees right often see the competition exploit undocumented workers to undercut businesses. All of us, I think, don't like the idea that anybody can reap the rewards of living in America without its responsibilities. And there are people who desperately want to embrace those responsibilities, but they have no way of coming out of the shadows and getting right with the law. So everybody is stuck with a system that doesn’t work for anybody. Now, a year and a half ago, we had a big majority -- Democrats, Republicans, independents -- in the United States Senate and they came together, they passed a bipartisan bill to fix this broken system. And the bill wasn’t perfect. It didn’t have everything I wanted; it didn’t have everything that anybody wanted. But it did reflect common sense. It was this huge improvement. We would have doubled the number of border patrol agents. So if you are concerned about illegal migration, it would have made our borders that much tougher. It would have made our legal immigration system smarter and fairer, and reduce some of the backlog that hampers families from getting here. It would have given millions of people a chance to earn their citizenship the right way. And independent experts said that, over the next two decades, the new law would grow our economy and shrink our deficit. And had the House of Representatives allowed a simple yes or no vote on that kind of bill, it would have passed. That's all they needed to do, just call the bill. It would be law right now. We’d be well on our way to solving the problems in the system. I'd be implementing those provisions. But for a year and a half, over 500 days, Republican leaders in the House simply refused to allow a vote. They wouldn't let it come to the floor. Now, I still believe the best way to solve this problem is by working together to pass that kind of common-sense law. When I was talking to Billy and the other civic leaders -- there were things that can only be solved by Congress. But until then, there are actions I have the legal authority to take that will help make our immigration system more fair and more just. And I took them last week. (Applause.) They were the right thing to do. (Applause.) So we're devoting more resources for law enforcement to stem the flow of illegal crossings at the borders and to speed the return of those who do cross over. We're initiating smarter reforms so high-skilled immigrants, and graduates, and entrepreneurs can stay and contribute to our economy. And I'm taking new steps to deal responsibly with the millions of undocumented immigrants who already live here -- including here in Chicago. Now, I've said this before, so I just want to be clear, and I say it in front of immigrant rights groups all the time. Undocumented workers who broke our immigration laws should be held accountable. There’s a particular category, and that's those who may be dangerous. It's a small minority, but it's a significant one. And that’s why, over the past six years, deportations of criminals are up 80 percent. And we’ll keep focusing our limited enforcement resources on those who actually pose a threat to our security. Felons, not families. Gangs, not some mom or dad who are working hard just trying to make a better life for their kids. But even -- AUDIENCE MEMBER: Mr. President, that has been a lie. You have been deporting every -- AUDIENCE: Booo -- THE PRESIDENT: All right. Okay. All right. That's fine. All right. AUDIENCE MEMBER: Not one more! Stop deportations! AUDIENCE MEMBER: Not one more! AUDIENCE MEMBER: (Inaudible) -- to a lot of people and this is not about immigration reform for communities -- labeling people as criminals. And that is not the truth! You did not -- (inaudible) -- felons, not families. THE PRESIDENT: Okay, I've heard you. AUDIENCE MEMBER: (Inaudible.) THE PRESIDENT: Okay. AUDIENCE MEMBER: (Inaudible.) THE PRESIDENT: I understand. AUDIENCE: Booo -- THE PRESIDENT: Listen, hold on. Hold on. Hold on. Young lady, don't just start yelling, young lady. Sir, why don't you sit down, too. Listen -- AUDIENCE MEMBER: (Inaudible.) THE PRESIDENT: Here, can I just say this? All right, I've listened to you. I heard you. I heard you. I heard you. All right? Now, I've been respectful. I let you holler. So let me -- (applause.) All right? Nobody is removing you. I've heard you. But you’ve got to listen to me, too. All right? (Applause.) And I understand you may disagree. I understand you may disagree. But we've got to be able to talk honestly about these issues. All right? Now, you're absolutely right that there have been significant numbers of deportations. That's true. But what you're not paying attention to is the fact that I just took action to change the law. (Applause.) So that's point number one. Point number two, the way the change in the law works is that we're reprioritizing how we enforce our immigration laws generally. So not everybody qualifies for being able to sign up and register, but the change in priorities applies to everybody. The point is that, though I understand why you might have yelled at me a month ago -- (laughter) -- although I disagree with some of your characterizations, it doesn’t make much sense to yell at me right now -- (applause) -- when we're making changes. (Applause.) So the point is -- but the point is, let’s make sure that you get the facts and that you know exactly what we're doing. And then if you have disagreements, then you can work through all the immigrant rights organizations that we work with to try to address some of your concerns. (Applause.) Right? But here’s what won't work. What won't work is folks -- what won't work is folks just shouting at each other. All right? So I've been respectful. I responded to your question. I'd ask you now to let me speak to all the other people who are here. All right? (Applause.) Okay. AUDIENCE MEMBER: (Inaudible.) AUDIENCE: Booo -- THE PRESIDENT: Okay. It's good to be back in Chicago. (Laughter and applause.) Because everybody has got something to say. But I'm not going to be able to have a conversation with each of you separately. (Laughter.) So there are other ways of engaging. Just sit down. I went off script for a pretty long time. (Laughter.) I don't mind. I know people are passionate about this. But be respectful of everybody who’s here. (Applause.) All right? Now, let me get to the point that I was making, which is even if we deported all the criminals, folks who had actually done bad things, there are millions of people here who are good people but have still broken the immigration laws. And they’re found in every state, every race, every nationality. Tracking down and rounding up and deporting millions of people is not realistic. It's not who we are. It's not what America should be. On the other hand -- and this sometimes is not acknowledged -- if you came here illegally, you are cutting in front of the line of the folks who were trying to come here legally --(applause) -- which also is not fair. (Applause.) that's not fair. That doesn’t make people bad people. But it does mean that you cut in front of the line -- because there are a lot of folks who are waiting to try to get here legally. So the deal that we're putting forward is this: If you’ve been here for more than five years; if you have children who are citizens or legal residents; if you register, and pass a criminal background check, and pay your fair share of taxes -- then you can apply to stay temporarily. You can come out of the shadows. You can get right with the law. This isn’t amnesty, or legalization, or even a pathway to citizenship -- because that's not something I can do. That is something only Congress can do. It also doesn’t apply to anyone who has come to this country recently, or might come illegally in the future -- because borders do mean something. So it's accountability. It's a common-sense approach that allows me to exercise legal authorities that I have in order to make sure that we're preventing families from being broken apart. And I am the first one to acknowledge that part of the reason that this has become important to me is, you're right, there have been times where families got broken apart -- while I've been President. And it's heartbreaking. That's not right. So until Congress does a complete fix, what we're saying is, if you have deep ties here, and you start paying your fair share of taxes, then we won’t deport you and separate you from your kids. (Applause.) And even if you do not fully qualify, we will still try to reprioritize how we're enforcing the laws -- which we have to do -- in a way that is less likely to break families apart. Because the system is broken. And one of the reasons why this is important is because immigrants are good for the economy. We keep on hearing that they’re bad. But a report by my Council of Economic Advisers put out last week shows how the actions we're taking will grow our economy for everybody. By 2024, the actions that I'm taking will add at least $90 billion to our Gross Domestic Product. (Applause.) And this economic growth will reduce our deficit by $25 billion. These actions will grow our labor force by nearly 150,000 people, and they will boost wages for American-born workers. Now, if we passed a comprehensive law, it would be even better. We’d grow even faster, and the deficit would come down even faster. But even the steps we're taking now will make a difference. And these actions are lawful. They’re not only lawful, they’re the kinds of actions that have been taken by every President for the past 50 years. (Applause.) When I hear some of my Republican friends talk about this, I try to remind them President Reagan took action to keep families together. The first President Bush took action to shield about 1.5 million people -- that was about 40 percent of undocumented immigrants in America at the time. So when folks in Congress question my authority to make our immigration system work better, I’ve one answer: Pass a bill. (Applause.) Pass a bill. Go ahead and pass a bill. I want to work with both parties on a more permanent legislative solution. I know that's what Luis Gutierrez wants, and Jan Schakowski wants, and Brad Schneider wants. They’ve been at the forefront fighting for a more permanent solution. And the day I sign a comprehensive immigration bill into law, then the actions I take will no longer be necessary. But in the meantime, I'm going to do what I can to make this system work better. And in the meantime, Washington shouldn’t let disagreements over one issue be a deal-breaker on every issue. (Applause.) That’s not how our democracy works. You can't disagree with one thing and then just say, all right, I'm going to take my ball away and go home. (Laughter.) And Congress certainly should not shut down the government again over this. Americans are tired of gridlock. We’re ready to move forward. (Applause.) As you can imagine, I’ve gotten a lot of letters and a lot of emails about immigration over the past few days. And some have said it was a mistake for me to act. But then others remind me why I had to. One letter I got last week came from Brett Duncan, of Dawsonville, Georgia. And Brett is a Republican, and so he doesn’t really agree with me about anything. (Laughter.) Well, maybe everything. His ancestors came over from Scotland before the Civil War, so his immigration status is pretty much settled. (Laughter.) But he’s done missionary work overseas. He knows what it’s like to be a stranger. And over the years he’s gotten to know a lot of the new immigrants in his community. And here’s what he said. He said, “Their children are as American as I am. It would be senseless to deport their parents.” It would be bad for America.” “I believe,” Brett wrote, “that a human being, created in the very image of Almighty God, is the greatest resource we have in this country.” (Applause.) So we're not a nation that kicks out strivers and dreamers who want to earn their piece of the American Dream. We are a nation that fundamentally is strong, is special, is exceptional, because we find ways to welcome people, fellow human beings, children of God, into the fold, and harness their talents to make the future brighter for everybody. We didn’t raise the Statue of Liberty with her back to the world. We did it facing the world -- her light, her beacon shining. And whether we are -- whether we cross the Atlantic, or the Pacific, or the Rio Grande, we all shared one thing, and that's the hope that America would be the place where we could believe as we choose, and pray as we choose, and start a business without paying a bribe, and that we could vote in an election without fearing reprisal, and that the law would be enforced equally for everybody, regardless of what you look like or what your last name was. That’s the ideal that binds us all together. That's what’s at stake when we have conversations about immigration. That's what’s at stake when we have conversations about Ferguson -- are we going to live up to those ideals of who we are as a people. And it falls on all of us to hand down to our kids a country that lives up to that promise, where America is the place where we can make it if we try. (Applause.) So, thank you very much, everybody. God bless you. God bless America. (Applause.) END 5:38 P.M. CST nolu chan  posted on  2014-12-04   17:56:13 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply   #6. To: All (#0) http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/11/20/fact-sheet-immigration-accountability-executive-action The White House Office of the Press Secretary For Immediate Release November 20, 2014 FACT SHEET: Immigration Accountability Executive Action The President’s Immigration Accountability Executive Actions will help secure the border, hold nearly 5 million undocumented immigrants accountable, and ensure that everyone plays by the same rules. Acting within his legal authority, the President is taking an important step to fix our broken immigration system. These executive actions crack down on illegal immigration at the border, prioritize deporting felons not families, and require certain undocumented immigrants to pass a criminal background check and pay their fair share of taxes as they register to temporarily stay in the U.S. without fear of deportation. These are common sense steps, but only Congress can finish the job. As the President acts, he’ll continue to work with Congress on a comprehensive, bipartisan bill—like the one passed by the Senate more than a year ago—that can replace these actions and fix the whole system. Three critical elements of the President’s executive actions are: Cracking Down on Illegal Immigration at the Border: The President’s actions increase the chances that anyone attempting to cross the border illegally will be caught and sent back. Continuing the surge of resources that effectively reduced the number of unaccompanied children crossing the border illegally this summer, the President’s actions will also centralize border security command-and-control to continue to crack down on illegal immigration. Deporting Felons, Not Families: The President’s actions focus on the deportation of people who threaten national security and public safety. He has directed immigration enforcement to place anyone suspected of terrorism, violent criminals, gang members, and recent border crossers at the top of the deportation priority list. Accountability – Criminal Background Checks and Taxes: The President is also acting to hold accountable those undocumented immigrants who have lived in the US for more than five years and are parents of U.S. citizens or Lawful Permanent Residents. By registering and passing criminal and national security background checks, millions of undocumented immigrants will start paying their fair share of taxes and temporarily stay in the U.S. without fear of deportation for three years at a time. The President’s actions will also streamline legal immigration to boost our economy and will promote naturalization for those who qualify. For more than a half century, every president—Democratic or Republican—has used his legal authority to act on immigration. President Obama is now taking another commonsense step. As the Administration implements these executive actions, Congress should finish the job by passing a bill like the bipartisan Senate bill that: continues to strengthen border security by adding 20,000 more Border Patrol agents; cracks down on companies who hire undocumented workers; creates an earned path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants who pay a fine and taxes, pass a background check, learn English and go to the back of the line; and boosts our economy and keeps families together by cutting red tape to simplify our legal immigration process. CRACKING DOWN ON ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION AT THE BORDER Under the Obama Administration, the resources that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) dedicates to security at the Southwest border are at an all-time high. Today, there are 3,000 additional Border Patrol agents along the Southwest Border and our border fencing, unmanned aircraft surveillance systems, and ground surveillance systems have more than doubled since 2008. Taken as a whole, the additional boots on the ground, technology, and resources provided in the last six years represent the most serious and sustained effort to secure our border in our Nation’s history, cutting illegal border crossings by more than half. And this effort is producing results. From 1990 to 2007, the population of undocumented individuals in the United States grew from 3.5 million to 11 million people. Since then, the size of the undocumented population has stopped growing for the first time in decades. Border apprehensions—a key indicator of border security— are at their lowest level since the 1970s. This past summer, the President and the entire Administration responded to the influx of unaccompanied children with an aggressive, coordinated Federal response focused on heightened deterrence, enhanced enforcement, stronger foreign cooperation, and greater capacity for Federal agencies to ensure that our border remains secure. As a result, the number of unaccompanied children attempting to cross the Southwest border has declined precipitously, and the Administration continues to focus its resources to prevent a similar situation from developing in the future. To build on these efforts and to ensure that our limited enforcement resources are used effectively, the President has announced the following actions: Shifting resources to the border and recent border crossers. Over the summer, DHS sent hundreds of Border Patrol agents and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) personnel to the Southwest border, and the Department of Justice (DOJ) reordered dockets in immigration courts to prioritize removal cases of recent border crossers. This continued focus will help keep our borders safe and secure. In addition, Secretary Johnson is announcing a new Southern Border and Approaches Campaign Plan which will strengthen the efforts of the agencies who work to keep our border secure. And by establishing clearer priorities for interior enforcement, DHS is increasing the likelihood that people attempting to cross the border illegally will be apprehended and sent back. Streamlining the immigration court process. DOJ is announcing a package of immigration court reforms that will address the backlog of pending cases by working with DHS to more quickly adjudicate cases of individuals who meet new DHS-wide enforcement priorities and close cases of individuals who are low priorities. DOJ will also pursue regulations that adopt best practices for court systems to use limited court hearing time as efficiently as possible. Protecting victims of crime and human trafficking as well as workers. The Department of Labor (DOL) is expanding and strengthening immigration options for victims of crimes (U visas) and trafficking (T visas) who cooperate in government investigations. An interagency working group will also explore ways to ensure that workers can avail themselves of their labor and employment rights without fear of retaliation. DEPORTING FELONS, NOT FAMILIES By setting priorities and focusing its enforcement resources, the Obama Administration has already increased the removal of criminals by more than 80%. These actions build on that strong record by: Focusing on the removal of national security, border security, and public safety threats. To better focus on the priorities that matter, Secretary Johnson is issuing a new DHS-wide memorandum that makes clear that the government’s enforcement activity should be focused on national security threats, serious criminals, and recent border crossers. DHS will direct all of its enforcement resources at pursuing these highest priorities for removal. Implementing a new Priority Enforcement Program. Effectively identifying and removing criminals in state and local jails is a critical goal but it must be done in a way that sustains the community’s trust. To address concerns from Governors, Mayors, law enforcement and community leaders which have undermined cooperation with DHS, Secretary Johnson is replacing the existing Secure Communities program with a new Priority Enforcement Program (PEP) to remove those convicted of criminal offenses. DHS will continue to rely on biometric data to verify individuals who are enforcement priorities, and they will also work with DOJ’s Bureau of Prisons to identify and remove federal criminals serving time as soon as possible. ACCOUNTABILITY – CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECKS AND TAXES Every Democratic and Republican president since Dwight Eisenhower has taken executive action on immigration. Consistent with this long history, DHS will expand the existing Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program to include more immigrants who came to the U.S. as children. DHS will also create a new deferred action program for people who are parents of U.S. Citizens or Lawful Permanent Residents (LPRs) and have lived in the United States for five years or longer if they register, pass a background check and pay taxes. The President is taking the following actions to hold accountable certain undocumented immigrants: Creating a mechanism that requires certain undocumented immigrants to pass a background check to make sure that they start paying their fair share in taxes. In order to promote public safety, DHS is establishing a new deferred action program for parents of U.S. Citizens or LPRs who are not enforcement priorities and have been in the country for more than 5 years. Individuals will have the opportunity to request temporary relief from deportation and work authorization for three years at a time if they come forward and register, submit biometric data, pass background checks, pay fees, and show that their child was born before the date of this announcement. By providing individuals with an opportunity to come out of the shadows and work legally, we will also help crack down on companies who hired undocumented workers, which undermines the wages of all workers, and ensure that individuals are playing by the rules and paying their fair share of taxes. Expanding DACA to cover additional DREAMers. Under the initial DACA program, young people who had been in the U.S. for at least five years, came as children, and met specific education and public safety criteria were eligible for temporary relief from deportation so long as they were born after 1981 and entered the country before June 15, 2007. DHS is expanding DACA so that individuals who were brought to this country as children can apply if they entered before January 1, 2010, regardless of how old they are today. Going forward, DACA relief will also be granted for three years. The President’s actions will also streamline legal immigration to boost our economy and promote naturalization by: Providing portable work authorization for high-skilled workers awaiting LPR status and their spouses. Under the current system, employees with approved LPR applications often wait many years for their visa to become available. DHS will make regulatory changes to allow these workers to move or change jobs more easily. DHS is finalizing new rules to give certain H-1B spouses employment authorization as long as the H-1B spouse has an approved LPR application. Enhancing options for foreign entrepreneurs. DHS will expand immigration options for foreign entrepreneurs who meet certain criteria for creating jobs, attracting investment, and generating revenue in the U.S., to ensure that our system encourages them to grow our economy. The criteria will include income thresholds so that these individuals are not eligible for certain public benefits like welfare or tax credits under the Affordable Care Act. Strengthening and extending on-the-job training for STEM graduates of U.S universities. In order to strengthen educational experiences of foreign students studying science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) at U.S. universities, DHS will propose changes to expand and extend the use of the existing Optional Practical Training (OPT) program and require stronger ties between OPT students and their colleges and universities following graduation. Streamlining the process for foreign workers and their employers, while protecting American workers. DHS will clarify its guidance on temporary L-1 visas for foreign workers who transfer from a company’s foreign office to its U.S. office. DOL will take regulatory action to modernize the labor market test that is required of employers that sponsor foreign workers for immigrant visas while ensuring that American workers are protected. Reducing family separation for those waiting to obtain LPR status. Due to barriers in our system, U.S. citizens and LPRs are often separated for years from their immediate relatives, while they wait to obtain their LPR status. To reduce the time these individuals are separated, DHS will expand an existing program that allows certain individuals to apply for a provisional waiver for certain violations before departing the United States to attend visa interviews. Ensuring that individuals with lawful status can travel to their countries of origin. DHS will clarify its guidance to provide greater assurance to individuals with a pending LPR application or certain temporary status permission to travel abroad with advance permission (“parole”). Issuing a Presidential Memorandum on visa modernization. There are many ways in which our legal immigration system can be modernized to reduce government costs, eliminate redundant systems, reduce burdens on employers and families, and eliminate fraud. The President is issuing a Memorandum directing an interagency group to recommend areas for improvement. Creating a White House Task Force on New Americans. The President is creating a White House Task Force on New Americans to create a federal strategy on immigrant integration. Promoting Citizenship Public Awareness: DHS will launch a comprehensive citizenship awareness media campaign in the 10 states that are home to 75 percent of the overall LPR population. USCIS will also expand options for paying naturalization fees and explore additional measures to expand accessibility, including studying potential partial fee waiver for qualified individuals. Ensuring U.S. Citizens Can Serve: To further our military’s needs and support recruitment efforts, DHS will expand an existing policy to provide relief to spouses and children of U.S. citizens seeking to enlist in the military, consistent with a request made by the Department of Defense. nolu chan  posted on  2014-12-04   17:57:14 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply   #7. To: All (#0) http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/11/21/fact-sheet-economic-benefits-fixing-our-broken-immigration-system The White House Office of the Press Secretary For Immediate Release November 21, 2014 FACT SHEET: The Economic Benefits of Fixing Our Broken Immigration System The President’s Immigration Accountability Executive actions will help secure the border, hold nearly 5 million undocumented immigrants accountable and ensure that everyone plays by the same rules. Acting within his legal authority, the President is taking an important step to fix our broken immigration system. These executive actions crack down on illegal immigration at the border, prioritize deporting felons not families, and require certain undocumented immigrants to pass a criminal background check and pay their fair share of taxes as they register to temporarily stay in the US without fear of deportation. These are commonsense steps, but only Congress can finish the job. As the President acts, he’ll continue to work with Congress on a comprehensive, bipartisan bill—like the one passed by the Senate more than a year ago—that can replace these actions and fix the whole system. According to an analysis by the President’s Council of Economic Advisers (CEA), the President’s executive actions on immigration would boost economic output by an estimated 0.4 to 0.9 percent over ten years, corresponding to increases in GDP of $90 billion to $210 billion in 2024. The President’s actions will grow the economy by increasing the productivity of all American workers. These actions will increase the productivity of American workers, in part by allowing undocumented workers to come out of the shadows and find jobs that better match their skills and potential. This shift of workers across occupations will also allow more native workers to specialize in the tasks best suited to their abilities. These effects are likely to lead to wage increases for all workers—immigrants and natives alike. In addition, by encouraging high-skilled immigration, these actions will boost the rate of innovation and patenting in the American economy, further increasing the productivity of the American workforce. The President’s actions will increase the size of the American workforce. CEA estimates that the economy will also grow thanks to an expansion of the American labor force by nearly150,000 people over 10 years as a result of the President’s executive actions. Average wages for all workers, both U.S.-born and immigrant, will increase. Increases in productivity and innovation caused by the President’s actions will translate into higher wages for all types of workers. CEA estimates that by 2024 annual wages for native workers will rise 0.3 percent, or approximately $170 in today’s dollars. CEA also estimates that the President’s actions would neither increase nor decrease the likelihood of employment for native workers. A bigger economy will reduce the deficit. As the economy grows so do tax revenues, requiring the government to borrow less to finance government operations. This reduced borrowing translates into reduced spending on interest payments by the government, thus reducing overall government spending—and shrinking the deficit. CEA’s estimate of the higher economic growth associated with executive action on immigration would translate into reductions in the Federal deficit by $25 billion in 2024. At the same time, the President’s executive actions will expand the country’s tax base by millions of people and billions of dollars. Individuals potentially eligible for deferred action under the President’s executive actions are in the country today – and have been for many years. They provide for their families, just like all American citizens. Many are already in the workforce and contributing Federal, State, and local taxes. But roughly two-thirds of them don’t pay taxes today. The President is changing that, ensuring that these individuals have the opportunity to apply for a work authorization and pay taxes. By allowing those eligible for deferred action to work in this country, both workers and employers will be able to come out from the shadows and contribute payroll taxes, just like all American citizens. To be sure, the economic benefits of these actions are not as strong as those under the bipartisan legislation that passed in the Senate. If Congress passes that bill, we will be able to fully realize the economic benefits of commonsense immigration reform. Independent studies have affirmed that commonsense immigration reform would significantly increase economic growth, shrink the deficit, and boost wages for native-born U.S. workers. Commonsense immigration reform would strengthen the overall economy and grow U.S. GDP. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimated that enacting the Senate immigration reform bill would increase real GDP relative to current law projections by 3.3 percent in 2023 and 5.4 percent in 2033 – an increase of roughly $700 billion and $1.4 trillion, respectively, in today’s dollars. According to independent estimates, improvements to the agricultural visa program alone would almost immediately increase GDP by $2 billion. Commonsense immigration reform would increase wages and productivity for American workers. According to CBO and other independent studies, immigration reform would increase overall U.S. productivity, resulting in higher wages. CBO estimates that real wages would be 0.5 percent higher in 2033 — the equivalent to an additional $250 of income for the median American household — as a result of enacting the Senate bill. The Senate bill would raise the “wage floor” for all workers—particularly in industries where employers pay undocumented workers low wages under the table and thus drive down the wages of all workers. Commonsense immigration reform would reduce the federal deficit and strengthen Social Security. According to CBO, the additional taxes paid by new and legalizing immigrants under the Senate bill would reduce the federal budget deficit by nearly $850 billion over the next 20 years. The independent Social Security Administration (SSA) Actuary estimates that the Senate bill would add nearly $300 billion to the Social Security Trust Fund over the next decade and would improve Social Security’s finances over the long run, extending Social Security solvency by two years. nolu chan  posted on  2014-12-04   17:57:52 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply   #8. To: nolu chan (#7) The President’s actions will increase the size of the American workforce. CEA estimates that the economy will also grow thanks to an expansion of the American labor force by nearly 150,000 people over 10 years as a result of the President’s executive actions. Average wages for all workers, both U.S.-born and immigrant, will increase. Increases in productivity and innovation caused by the President’s actions will translate into higher wages for all types of workers. CEA estimates that by 2024 annual wages for native workers will rise 0.3 percent, or approximately $170 in today’s dollars. CEA also estimates that the President’s actions would neither increase nor decrease the likelihood of employment for native workers. The US workforce is already the "most productive" in the world, or it used to be! So, this cabal truly believes that all of the unemployed citizens will get jobs because 150,000 people will be added to the workforce??? Wages will increase??? These people are certifiable! out damned spot  posted on  2014-12-04   18:52:31 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply   #9. To: nolu chan (#0) Keep the heat on!!! Call the Capitol Hill Operator and ask for your specific Senator or House Rep. (202)-224-4121 Contact Boehner! www.speaker.gov/contact Grow a pair! Stop caving! Shout it out RIGHT NOW that Obama will close down the government if we don't allow him to BREAK OUR LAWS! He will OWN it! Stop letting this tyrant destroy our laws, our jobs and our way of life! Stop giving the MSM your power. Just say NO! 202 225 3121 out damned spot  posted on  2014-12-04   19:00:46 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply   #10. To: out damned spot (#9) Note that there is no issuance of an Executive Order. A list of all Executive Orders is available here. There are the two Presidential Memoranda which I have provided at #3 and #4 above. The White House site for Executive Orders is here. Executive Actions on Immigration are discussed here at the USCIS site. A Presidential Memoranda is an Executive Action. The memoranda do not seem to say all that has been announced and discussed. nolu chan  posted on  2014-12-04   19:49:18 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply   #11. To: nolu chan (#0) "Executive Amnesty Prevention Act of 2014" What a stupid waste of time. misterwhite  posted on  2014-12-04   20:38:33 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply   #12. To: All (#0) http://www.dhs.gov/immigration-action Fixing Our Broken Immigration System Through Executive Action - Key Facts (En español) The President asked Secretary Johnson and Attorney General Eric Holder to undertake a rigorous and inclusive review to inform recommendations on reforming our broken immigration system through executive action. This review sought the advice and input from the men and women charged with implementing the policies, as well as the ideas of a broad range of stakeholders and Members of Congress from both sides of the aisle. Our assessment identified the following ten areas where we, within the confines of the law, could take action to increase border security, focus enforcement resources, and ensure accountability in our immigration system. Executive Actions Strengthen Border Security DHS will implement a Southern Border and Approaches Campaign Strategy to fundamentally alter the way in which we marshal resources to the border. This new plan will employ DHS assets in a strategic and coordinated way to provide effective enforcement of our laws and interdict individuals seeking to illegally across land, sea, and air. To accomplish this, DHS is commissioning three task forces of various law enforcement agencies. The first will focus on the southern maritime border. The second will be responsible for the southern land border and the West Coast. The third will focus on investigations to support the other two task forces. In addition, DHS will continue the surge of resources that effectively reduced the number of unaccompanied children crossing the border illegally this summer. This included additional Border Patrol agents, ICE personnel, criminal investigators, additional monitors, and working with DOJ to reorder dockets in immigration courts, along with reforms in these courts. Executive Action: Strengthen Border Security (1.5 MB PDF) Revise Removal Priorities DHS will implement a new department-wide enforcement and removal policy that places top priority on national security threats, convicted felons, gang members, and illegal entrants apprehended at the border; the second-tier priority on those convicted of significant or multiple misdemeanors and those who are not apprehended at the border, but who entered or reentered this country unlawfully after January 1, 2014; and the third priority on those who are non-criminals but who have failed to abide by a final order of removal issued on or after January 1, 2014. Under this revised policy, those who entered illegally prior to January 1, 2014, who never disobeyed a prior order of removal, and were never convicted of a serious offense, will not be priorities for removal. This policy also provides clear guidance on the exercise of prosecutorial discretion. Executive Action: Revise Removal Priorities (3.2 MB PDF) End Secure Communities and Replace it with New Priority Enforcement Program DHS will end the Secure Communities program, and replace it with the Priority Enforcement Program (PEP) that will closely and clearly reflect DHS’s new top enforcement priorities. The program will continue to rely on fingerprint-based biometric data submitted during bookings by state and local law enforcement agencies and will identify to law enforcement agencies the specific criteria for which we will seek an individual in their custody. The list of largely criminal offenses is taken from Priorities 1 and 2 of our new enforcement priorities. In addition, we will formulate plans to engage state and local governments on enforcement priorities and will enhance Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) ability to arrest, detain, and remove individuals deemed threats to national security, border security, or public safety. Executive Action: End Secure Communities and Replace it with New Priority Enforcement Program (1.5 MB PDF) Personnel Reform for ICE Officers Related to these enforcement and removal reforms, we will support job series realignment and premium ability pay coverage for ICE ERO officers engaged in removal operations. These measures are essential to bringing ICE agents and officers pay in line with other law enforcement personnel. Executive Action: Personnel Reform for ICE Officers (1.0 MB PDF) Expand Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Program We will expand eligibility for DACA to encompass a broader class of children. DACA eligibility was limited to those who were under 31 years of age on June 15, 2012, who entered the U.S. before June 15, 2007, and who were under 16 years old when they entered. DACA eligibility will be expanded to cover all undocumented immigrants who entered the U.S. before the age of 16, and not just those born after June 15, 1981. We will also adjust the entry date from June 15, 2007 to January 1, 2010. The relief (including work authorization) will now last for three years rather than two. Executive Action: Expand Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Program (2.8 MB PDF) Extend Deferred Action to Parents of U.S. Citizens and Lawful Permanent Residents DHS will extend eligibility for deferred action to individuals who (i) are not removal priorities under our new policy, (ii) have been in this country at least 5 years, (iii) have children who on the date of this announcement are U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents, and (iv) present no other factors that would make a grant of deferred action inappropriate. These individuals will be assessed for eligibility for deferred action on a case-by-case basis, and then be permitted to apply for work authorization, provided they pay a fee. Each individual will undergo a thorough background check of all relevant national security and criminal databases, including DHS and FBI databases. With work-authorization, these individuals will pay taxes and contribute to the economy. Executive Action: Extend Deferred Action to Parents of U.S. Citizens and Lawful Permanent Residents (2.8 MB PDF) Expand Provisional Waivers to Spouses and Children of Lawful Permanent Residents The provisional waiver program DHS announced in January 2013 for undocumented spouses and children of U.S. citizens will be expanded to include the spouses and children of lawful permanent residents, as well as the adult children of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents. At the same time, we will further clarify the “extreme hardship” standard that must be met to obtain the waiver. Executive Action: Expand Provisional Waivers to Spouses and Children of Lawful Permanent Residents (1.0 MB PDF) Revise Parole Rules DHS will begin rulemaking to identify the conditions under which talented entrepreneurs should be paroled into the United States, on the ground that their entry would yield a significant public economic benefit. DHS will also support the military and its recruitment efforts by working with the Department of Defense to address the availability of parole-in-place and deferred action to spouses, parents, and children of U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents who seek to enlist in the U.S. Armed Forces. DHS will also issue guidance to clarify that when anyone is given “advance parole” to leave the country – including those who obtain deferred action - they will not be considered to have departed. Undocumented aliens generally trigger a 3- or 10-year bar to returning to the United States when they depart. Executive Action: Revise Parole Rules - Entrepreneurs (2.6 MB PDF) Executive Action: Revise Parole Rules - Parole-in-Place and Deferred Action (711 KB PDF) Executive Action: Revise Parole Rules - Advance Parole (690 KB) Promote the Naturalization Process To promote access to U.S. citizenship, we will permit the use of credit cards as a payment option for the naturalization fee, and expand citizenship public awareness. It is important to note that the naturalization fee is $680, currently payable only by cash, check or money order. DHS will also explore the feasibility of expanding fee waiver options. Executive Action: Promote the Naturalization Process (1 MB PDF) Support High-skilled Business and Workers DHS will take a number of administrative actions to better enable U.S. businesses to hire and retain highly skilled foreign-born workers and strengthen and expand opportunities for students to gain on-the-job training. For example, because our immigration system suffers from extremely long waits for green cards, we will amend current regulations and make other administrative changes to provide needed flexibility to workers with approved employment-based green card petitions. Executive Action: Support High-skilled Business and Workers (2.6 MB PDF) Additional Information The White House: Fixing the System U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services: Immigration Action | En español U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement: Immigration Action Last Published Date: November 21, 2014 nolu chan  posted on  2014-12-04   23:11:48 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply   #13. To: nolu chan (#0) More useless garbage from the Republican party, and just think some voters were actually expecting better. “Political correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional, illogical minority, and rapidly promoted by mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end.” CZ82  posted on  2014-12-05   6:24:39 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply   Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest

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