Now on Drudge: “They Can’t Stay” . . . with a wink (with updates)

Last updated on: June 20, 2014 at 9:49 am by Jane the Actuary

Now on Drudge: “They Can’t Stay” . . . with a wink (with updates) 2014-06-20T09:49:00-06:00 Jane the Actuary

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

The link goes to a Washington Times article, with very little in the way of content. Here’s the key (and first) sentence:

President Obama told his Mexican counterpart in a phone call Thursday that immigrants crossing into the U.S. illegally won’t qualify for legalized status or deferred deportation, including children.

At this point, I don’t know what to make of all of this. The administration repeatedly says that minors and families are fleeing due to poverty and violence — but I don’t think anyone believes this is the motivating factor responsible for the sudden surge. Even the administration acknowledges that these would-be immigrants believe that there is a new administration policy, leading to families and children willingly surrendering themselves, but the line from the White House is “they’re wrong; they won’t be allowed to stay.”

Is Drudge right to pair this statement with a wink? Is Obama playing a game here — the same sort of deliberate half-truth that masks a lie by omission, the same game that Bill Clinton played with “I did not have sexual relations with that woman”?

This is what we know:

The administration has repeatedly said that they will not deport anyone without a criminal record. Because there aren’t sufficient detention facilities, newly-arriving families with children (as opposed to adults without children, who are, I believe, actually detained) are being given “Notices To Appear” and I haven’t seen any reporting on whether these families are actually “appearing” or not — in other words, do they, or did they, genuinely believe that they would be given legal authorization to stay, and are they complying with the government processes, even if it means eventual deportation? Or is the opportunity to live under-the-radar without fear of deportation, sending their children to American schools, finding an immigrant community and help in securing a fake ID and a job, and settling in illegally, good enough? Because if the latter is the case, then all the rhetoric about “only deporting criminals” and “they just want a better life” is certainly giving them grounds to believe they can stay put.

And the children? Do the parents who send them genuinely believe the narrow fact that the “DACA” executive-order amnesty applies to them? Or do they hear the administration, and the experiences of others, and the repeated statement that “they’re only children,” and conclude that, one way or the other, when it comes down to it, the children have a good enough shot at being allowed to stay to attempt it?

And when Obama repeats the line that “they aren’t eligible for DACA” rather than a broader “these children and families will be deported immediately” is he deliberately avoiding broader statements so as to play the “I didn’t lie” game later?

According to the CIA World Factbook, there are approximately 10,000,000 children under the age of 14 in Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador. That’s a lot of prospective new arrivals.

UPDATE: Just a couple more thoughts: if we take the administration at its word, that it really does want the immigrant flow to end, then there’s only one way to accomplish this: for large numbers of Guatemalans, Hondurans, and El Salvadorans to in fact be deported, and be deported quickly, returning home with tales of woe from their failed attempt to immigrate. All the nice words from the White House won’t make a different — only actions.

Further update: Here’s an article from azcentral.com which acknowledges that, as its title states, there are “few immediate consequences for child immigrants,” that, despite the administration’s words to the contrary, border-crossers from Central America will be able to stay for what amounts to an indefinite period of time, and can just cease showing up at deportation hearings if they appear not to be going their way. When individuals make the decision to cross into the United States, which will factor more in their decision — statements from government officials, or reports from others who have arrived and are doing just fine?

Another article, which I can’t find any longer, featured interviews with prospective immigrants, all of whom said they were motivated by poverty and gangs rather than believing in some new openness to immigrants in the U.S. But, at the same time, none of them appeared to consider the fact that they, in fact, did not have the legal right to immigrate as any factor to consider.

Uncategorized

Previous Post

June 19, 2014

Update on Dad, plus -- what do you know about CCRCs?

Next Post

June 20, 2014 Someone debunk this, please

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Actuarial/Retirement Issues Politics Uncategorized

Select a Month September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 December 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 August 2021 June 2021 April 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

According to Hebrews, Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and when?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Until the end of the age In all eternity past Throughout all generations Forever