Patterico's Pontifications

5/19/2009

Obama Plans to Deport the Criminals First?

Filed under: Deport the Criminals First,Immigration — Patterico @ 10:29 pm



It sounds too good to be true:

The Obama administration is expanding a program initiated by President George W. Bush aimed at checking the immigration status of virtually every person booked into local jails. In four years, the measure could result in a tenfold increase in illegal immigrants who have been convicted of crimes and identified for deportation, current and former U.S. officials said.

By matching inmates’ fingerprints to federal immigration databases, authorities hope to pinpoint deportable illegal immigrants before they are released from custody.

Allahpundit is suspicious, and I have to admit it, so am I. But you never know. Maybe he’s actually doing the right thing. Time will tell.

41 Responses to “Obama Plans to Deport the Criminals First?”

  1. Well, I guess he’s reaching out to the nativist/xenophobist community, and throwing LaRaza under the bus.
    Pat Buchanan will be ecstatic.

    AD - RtR/OS! (1b5813)

  2. Yeah, but without securing the borders those criminals are just going to find their way back into the U.S. I suppose we are temporarily inconveniencing them by sending them home, but on the other hand if they are having their sentence commuted in order to deported (as I hear California is considering in order to free up crowded jails) then who is really getting the better end of the bargain?

    JVW (eabe68)

  3. Ear Leader is a liar….. don’t bother listening to the words, track the actions.

    redc1c4 (9c4f4a)

  4. It is fascinating to me that when President Obama either preserves or expands policies from the past administration that are consistent with conservative principles, the reaction on this blog and many of the other peanut galleries which contributed to the last election fiasco is abuse and churlishness towards him.

    President Obama is right–he won, and the Republicans lost, and the delusional stubborness that has replaced the grace of men like Buckley and Reagan will keep the Republican losing until it is tossed away with the failure-attracting ‘tudes of the previous administration.

    Here’s Jake Weisberg’s apt description of Obama:

    “He’s ruthless. In a recent interview with the New York Times, Obama described his economic policy as “ruthless pragmatism.” Interesting choice of modifiers. Obama has a healthy disdain for the overrated virtue of political loyalty. Around the nomination process, this has been slightly chilling to watch. If you’re useful, you can hang around with him. If you start to look like a liability, enjoy your time with the wolves. Before the inauguration, Christopher Hitchens described Obama as feline in his demeanor. The president is catlike also in his lack of evident affection for the people who take care of him. His cracks at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner about Hillary Clinton being an envious loser, Larry Summers’ woman problem, and training his dog not to pee on Tim Geithner skirted cruelty. Obama’s jokes about himself were about how great everyone thinks he is.”

    The same is true of President Obama’s attitudes to policies. He is going to do what works, and if deporting criminals quicker allows him to keep demonstrating progress on crime, he’ll do it. There will be no Hurricane Katrina-style fiascos on his watch.

    Cyrus Sanai (ada6da)

  5. It is fascinating to me that when President Obama either preserves or expands policies from the past administration that are consistent with conservative principles, the reaction on this blog and many of the other peanut galleries which contributed to the last election fiasco is abuse and churlishness towards him.

    President Obama is right–he won, and the Republicans lost, and the delusional stubborness that has replaced the grace of men like Buckley and Reagan will keep the Republican losing until it is tossed away with the failure-attracting ‘tudes of the previous administration.

    Here’s Jake Weisberg’s apt description of Obama:

    “He’s ruthless. In a recent interview with the New York Times, Obama described his economic policy as “ruthless pragmatism.” Interesting choice of modifiers. Obama has a healthy disdain for the overrated virtue of political loyalty. Around the nomination process, this has been slightly chilling to watch. If you’re useful, you can hang around with him. If you start to look like a liability, enjoy your time with the wolves. Before the inauguration, Christopher Hitchens described Obama as feline in his demeanor. The president is catlike also in his lack of evident affection for the people who take care of him. His cracks at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner about Hillary Clinton being an envious loser, Larry Summers’ woman problem, and training his dog not to pee on Tim Geithner skirted cruelty. Obama’s jokes about himself were about how great everyone thinks he is.”

    The same is true of President Obama’s attitudes to policies. He is going to do what works, and if deporting criminals quicker allows him to keep demonstrating progress on crime, he’ll do it. There will be no Hurricane Katrina-style fiascos on his watch.

    Cyrus Sanai (ada6da)

  6. Patterico, I only hit submit once and two comments got posted at the same time. Scratch one of them.

    Cyrus Sanai (ada6da)

  7. No Hurricane Katrina-style fiascos…Do you mean the “Good Job, Brownie” fiasco or the handling of the whole thing?

    Remember that most of what was reported to be happening during Katrina never did actually happen. There was no sniper fire. There were no bodies stacked like cordwood in the Super Dome. George Bush does not hate black people. 50% of the people who died had working vehicles in their driveway.

    Sure, there were some mistakes. Most of them on the local, county and state level, not at federal. Why is the corrupt city council not held to account? What about Mayor “Chocolate City” Nagin? Or Governor Blanco?

    I’ll give Obama credit where credit is due. If he actually ships criminals overseas where they belong – fabulous. That I remain unwavering in my disapproval of his economic policies, his plans for healthcare, etc., does not affect my approval of any one of his plans to continue Bush policies.

    I remained supportive on the war on terrorists while heartily disapproving Bush’s economic policies and his expansion of the federal government.

    Vivian Louise (c0f830)

  8. This will be meaningless unless coupled with a reform of the deportation system.

    All the check can do is result in a transfer of the inmate from custody of a state prison system to the custody of federal immigration authorities.

    Generally, one of two things happens once that transfer takes place — 1) the alien agrees to a voluntary deportation, in which case they are bused to the border and escorted across, or 2) a deportation hearing is scheduled. That’s a due process requirement before someone can be involuntarily deported.

    Well, deportation hearings don’t happen over-night. Usually its many many months. And because the detention centers are overcrowded, and because there is no deportation order in place, the aliens subject to status proceedings are …… RELEASED on bail.

    Usually never to be heard from again.

    So, unless you find a better system for adjudicating status determinations, most of the same criminal aliens are going to end up right back out on the streets again.

    WLS Shipwrecked (53653f)

  9. What WLS said. Obama’s aunt’s deportation hearing was automatically, routinely continued for one year. The system, as it now operates, works only for the immigrants we want to have here — the law-abiding, productive people who leave voluntarily in order not to come under the three-year/ten-year exclusion for overstaying.

    nk (a1896a)

  10. Don’t you understand? This is perfect triangulation! President Obama will set in motion some sort of mechanism to identify the citizenship status of incarcerated suspects, and the ACLU and its Fellow Travelers will immediately file suit, one which will be successful, to prevent such from being implimented. It would smack of racial profiling, of ethnic discrimination, just all sorts of evil things, don’t you know?

    So, the President will try to claim credit for having made the attempt, the courts will shut it down, and he’ll continue to nominate the kind of judges who would continue to strike down things like this.

    The cynical Dana (3e4784)

  11. The question that everyone should be asking, no – demanding an an answer to, is:

    Why have we not been doing this all along?

    Amphipolis (fdbc48)

  12. It will be interesting to see the reaction from the sanctuary cities. Two years or so back Mayor Daley opposed BCIS when they requested something similar in Chicago.

    nk (a1896a)

  13. Why, it was absolutely racist when a Republican wanted to do this. Now, it is pragmatic. Plus, I do not believe it will happen. There might be an increase in pressure from cities, counties, and states to do something about this as a result, which would be good. But, I remain skeptical. TOTUS has not done anything yet. Words do not count.

    JD (07b76c)

  14. If they were serious about this, sanctuary cities would no longer be allowed to thumb their nose at enforcement of the law.

    JD (07b76c)

  15. And the pessimism continues. More whining is expected here in 5…4…3…2….1….and action!

    The Emperor (09c9e3)

  16. Lithium shortage

    JD (07b76c)

  17. Paper bag shortage.

    Dmac (1ddf7e)

  18. Humor shortage.

    The Emperor (09c9e3)

  19. JD,

    To paraphrase Kris Kristofferson: Some “people” are to blogging what pantyhose is to finger-f_____g”.

    nk (a1896a)

  20. “…Obama has a healthy disdain for the overrated virtue of political loyalty...” which is only exceeded, Cyrus, by our disdain for your competance, wisdom, and political insight.

    The man talks a good game, let’s see if he can attack the basket – an area he has studiously avoided in most of his endeavors (except when Rezko was filling it with fresh fruit and aragula for Michelle’s table).

    AD - RtR/OS! (47d252)

  21. When Obama deports his favorite illegal alien Auntie, then I’ll accept he’s trying to do something.

    PCD (02f8c1)

  22. #21
    Wont you be the first to come here to accuse him of being so heartless and wicked and selfish and hateful? Something I have seen folks say about him when they saw pictures of how impoverished his folks at Kenya were. I don’t think he should bother himself with trying to impress folks. Either way, he will be criticized. He should just do what he knows is right.

    The Emperor (09c9e3)

  23. If Duh-1 had any concern for the condition of his extended family in Kenya, his half-brother wouldn’t be living in a cardboard shack in a Nairobi slum on an income of $150/year; or, his Aunt in Public Housing – and subject to deportation – in Boston.

    AD - RtR/OS! (47d252)

  24. #11 asked the key question, “Why have we not been doing this all along?”

    The answer is that top leaders in both the Dems and GOP are in cahoots. The professional political class is attempting to maintain the impression our major political represent opposing views: liberal and conservative in general terms. Actually, both are working toward a more collectivist economic system, which is part and parcel of the larger and more extensive population control mechanism they envision.

    It’s a one world system with the swells at the top of the social order ruling benevoently over the gently biding hurds. So, don’t waste time
    resisting or even trying to understand, just follow the bouncing ball and stay in tune. And, whatever you do, don’t smart off with one of those snarky bumper stickers:

    I already have a Savior,
    I’m looking for a President.

    Ropelight (e36d4f)

  25. Comment by AD – RtR/OS! — 5/20/2009 @ 9:39 am

    So you disagree with PCD’s comment @ 21? Good.

    The Emperor (09c9e3)

  26. You assume facts that are not in evidence.

    AD - RtR/OS! (47d252)

  27. You can’t be for and against the same thing at the same time, AD. My comment was in response to PCD’s comment. Do you agree with him? He is saying he wants to see him deport his aunt before he believes him. You are saying he does not care about his people. His aunt especially. Do you agree with PCD?

    The Emperor (09c9e3)

  28. I find that Duh-1’s words are usually without substance,
    and that his actions usually do not match up with those words; ie, as JD famously reminds us:
    Everything he says has an expiration date (usually measured as when the words pass his lips).

    AD - RtR/OS! (47d252)

  29. Where the hell are people finding the grounds for pessimism? It’s not like the US has committed trillions of dollars it doesn’t have and no way to pay it back besides economy killing tax increases. Or something.

    EBJ (2fd7f7)

  30. That is a rather exaggeration of your feelings towards the President. Surely you don’t believe what you just posted now, AD. The President may have reversed his position on a number of issues. Mostly because he wanted to do what is right, even at the risk of being called a flip-flopper. But you must agree that most of the things he promised he would do, he has done. I know that admitting to that may not fit into the narrative here, so don’t bother.

    The Emperor (09c9e3)

  31. The Emperor, the President did not reverse his positions out of a desire to “do what is right”. He reversed his positions because his positions were never serious positions in the first place. He’s an empty suit.

    SPQR (72771e)

  32. He’s an empty suit.

    Comment by SPQR — 5/20/2009 @ 10:35 am
    You gonna keep calling him that by 2012?

    The Emperor (09c9e3)

  33. Emporor, Obama doesn’t follow up on his words for starters.

    Second, he craps upon his family for political gain.

    Third, favorite auntie violated the law. If Barry does anything but deports her or issues her a Presidential Pardon, Barry is breaking the law.

    PCD (02f8c1)

  34. Yes, The Emperor, I’m going to keep calling him that for as long as he displays the lack of seriousness and vacuousness of his word that he has to date.

    SPQR (72771e)

  35. What I write is what I believe.
    As someone once said:
    “I say what I mean, and I mean what I say.”
    If you can’t accept my words, that says more about you than it does about me.

    AD - RtR/OS! (47d252)

  36. Boob bait for bubbas. Most incarcerated aliens are illegal, and those are already being removed. The rest, and a large number, are legal permanent residents who cannot be removed without an order from a immigration judge, much less the years long legal proceedings necessary for an order. And don’t forget that the LPRs will also have a claim against deporation based on the impact on their spouces and children.

    More importantly, the Obama Regime is ignoring the legal authority to summarily remove all criminal aliens given under expidited removal authority. They, however, refuse to exercise it.

    Also you have to take into account the manpower necessary to remove a million illegals. Much more than the current number of agents assigned to immigration enforcement in ICE.

    Also you must take into account that the Obama Regime opposes using local law enforcement to remove aliens. They are attacking Sheriff Arpaio as we speak with a fictitious civil rights investigation. Maricopa County has removed more aliens last year than the Phoenix office of ICE.

    Just a screen for more amnesty.

    Federale (1e08da)

  37. Of course Obama in his budget decided to zero out the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program, under which states got $400 million in the current fiscal year to cover the costs of housing convicts and pre-trial detainees who are illegally in the U.S.

    Hmmm, that’s not a disincentive to jailing illegals in the first place, is it?

    in_awe (bc82df)

  38. Comment by in_awe — 5/20/2009 @ 12:18 pm

    Kind of makes the case for just turning them over to the Feds in the fist place, at the time of booking, since they (the Feds) won’t contribute to their incarceration.
    Now, if we could only get ICE to actually, physically, deport these people.

    AD - RtR/OS! (47d252)

  39. Yes, The Emperor, I’m going to keep calling him that for as long as he displays the lack of seriousness and vacuousness of his word that he has to date.

    Empty Suit is an absolute perfect description of Obama, much in the same way that left made good use of “All hat, no cattle” for George W. Bush. That worked because Bush was a Texan, a rancher, and was presumed to have this undeserved swagger that couldn’t be backed up by accomplishment.

    In the same way, Obama is perfect for “empty suit” since he is a suave urban metrosexual who looks exceptionally impressive at first glance, but has almost nothing beneath that marvelous exterior. Kind of like a beautiful Christmas present with expensive silver and gold wrapping paper and a huge silk ribbon tied into a bow that turns out to be an empty box inside.

    JVW (eabe68)

  40. All this does, like with national security, is show how fundamentally unserious Teh One, the Dems, and the MSM have been over the last several years.

    JD (57d75b)

  41. I think the Dems are seriously getting snookered. And I’m happy about that.

    I have to say, I like these developments. I like them quite a bit. Gobama!

    Harvey M Anderson (a664fb)


Powered by WordPress.

Page loaded in: 0.1034 secs.