Does Obama Get a NOPE on Immigration?

Published October 19, 2009 @ 01:53PM PT

It's not just 'the gays' that are losing hope in President Barack Obama, but a lot of young immigrants are tired of waiting for change as well.

To quote an undocumented friend of mine:

I feel like living on "hope" has made me loose my competitiveness.

I suppose we are what the White House calls the 'internet left fringe' as well. Obama was the great hope of last year, when he promised immigration reform in 2009 and said the DREAM Act is something that could be done immediately.

Representative Luis Gutierrez has proposed a bill by the end of November, but without the support of the Administration and the Senate, it is unlikely to have any impact. With President Obama breaking his promises to immigrant families and reform unlikely to come by till 2010, right now he is scores a big fat zero on the pro-migrant scale.

Due process violations, terrorizing home and workplace raids and malicious immigration enforcement programs continue under the Obama Administration. Janet Napolitano has promised better detention practices, proposing housing immigrant detainees in hotels, but reading between the lines, this is an invitation for further privatization of the detention industry, thereby increasing the archipelago of detention.

Modern-day cowboys like Sheriff Joe Arpaio should have their wings clipped but instead, the Department of Homeland Security is signing new 287(g) agreements to outsource immigration authority to local law enforcement even after detailed abuses of the program by several counties. Additionally, the White House is extending Secure Communities, which would likely ensnare immigrants on minor charges while increasing distrust in local law enforcement.

In the past few months, Obama has stooped to using the hateful rhetoric of 'illegal immigrants' and appeasing nativists like Joe Wilson, backing away from his pre-election claims of taking the hate out of the immigration debate. This hard-line approach on immigrants to appease the right-wing nativist nuts serves no re-election purpose--it is unlikely to bring in votes for Obama from the wingnuts while also more likely to alienate voters on the left.

The political pandering and maneuvering continues behind the scenes. In the meantime, immigrant families are still separated daily, young immigrants still live in limbo, and 'si se puede' does not feed our families or quell our fears. How much longer till the 'great hope' delivers?

(Picture Credit: The Advocate)

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Comments (7)

(I'm going to borrow the words of Chris Marshall-"gay rights blog,") "Obama is a racist, segregationist, and a liar."

My opinion; he was false hope, sent by the wealthy, to play on the prejudices of minorities, in order to further the "Bush- agenda." He sold his soul for the "all mighty-dollar," and he sold our sovereignty to China.

If he sees people like myself as the,"left-fringe," he'd better look again. I'm a registered Libertarian. If you combine my and Americans like myself, political ideals, as well as the lefts-fringe, they would make up an entire pant leg; not just the "fringe." The right already detest him, so why would he care about alienating them?

Prerna, gay rights blog has taken the tolerant approach to Obama; patiently waiting for him to "do the right thing." They often say,"he has a lot on his plate."(This is when I become angry.) I say:"then he should go on a dang diet." How simple it would be, if he'd only address the issues in our country. Instead he stirs the pot with promise and hope, and it boils over with contempt and hate.

(I'm going to start referring to him as,"Bushama.")

Posted by L.S. hope on 10/19/2009 @ 03:19PM PT
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In meshugana Stein for Congress last year, I warned about this sort of thing. I pleaded for help. I'm the one white guy running for public office Hispanics could get behind. I said with the economy this bad and health care eating up his good will, Obama will disappoint on amnesty.

http://www.steinforgovernor.com/Roll_Call__.html

Posted by Gary Stein on 10/19/2009 @ 07:42PM PT
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He's certainly acting like it's a non-issue. The nation was supposed to see better immigration policies, improved gay rights, and a change in marijuana laws. Each seem like issues that he'd rather not deal with. He's even having difficulty standing up to the GOP and right-wing regarding public option...and that's with massive public support. It's time for all Democrats to get a message that there are no 'throw-away issues' when it comes to justice. Continued support needs to be earned. Rev. Bookburn - Radio Volta

Posted by Rev Bookburn on 10/19/2009 @ 08:08PM PT
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I am really fustrated with what is happening on Immigration right now. I had a long talk with a political expert and this is what he said:

He said he fears that if unemployment does not go down by the summer than we lose possibly up to "5 seats in the senate" because of a backlash and who knows what kind of candidates could be elected if this happens. People vote straight from their pockets and do not think when voting out of anger.

He believes that unemployment has now stabilized and he predicted that by the summer it will go down to 7%. If it goes down to 7% this is significant enough to run a successful nationwide campaign under the Obama umbrella to gain senate seats.

Another theory is that the GOP knows that they can not afford to aggrevate anymore minoritys anymore. They have a small percentage of Latino voters and they can not afford to lose them. If they shoot down the Reform Bill they will lose them in 2011 when high voters turnout is expected.

The Obama administration has put all eggs in one basket "healthcare reform" and it looks good so far. Hillary Clinton had waited to try to pass "healthcare" to late in her husbands term. The price they paid was "the senate".

I fear that we could lose these seats and we need them. We need this bill to pass. 11.8 million can not afford to wait anymore.

What is happening is really scarey but I have to say we are all trying our best to do the right thing and we have all worked very hard to push this bill forward. We put people in office that we thought were the best people to move our issues forward and I really do not know what to expect anymore.

Immigration reform is used as a political wedge issue and the GOP fears a future growth in minority votes if it passes.

We have to hope that unemployment goes down to that 7% with healthcare reform.

Posted by Mary Pranzatelli on 10/19/2009 @ 09:50PM PT
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P.S. I love the "NOPE" caption.

Mary doing the right thing would be giving people employment in order to get out of poverty. By supporting the left or right, your not sending a clear enough message. We need our country to unite, so they are forced to address every issue we are facing. The huge monopolies can't afford to lobby against all of us.

Posted by L.S. hope on 10/19/2009 @ 11:44PM PT
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Hi L.S., I read you message the other day but have been thinking about it. You are right when you say the huge monopolies can't afford to lobby against all of us if we stick together. :)

Posted by Mary Pranzatelli on 10/20/2009 @ 08:52PM PT
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I'M TIRED OF SEEING PEOPLE TALK ABOUT OBAMA AND HE HAVEN'T BEEN IN OFFICE FOR A YEAR YET AND EVERYBODY HAS SOMETHING BAD TO SAY. HE IS DOING THE BEST HE CAN WITH THE PEOPLE HE HAS. Y'ALL ACT LIKE EVERYTHING THAT HE SAID WAS JUST GOING TO HAPPEN OVER NIGHT. ALL NEED TO STEP BACK AND GIVE HIM A CHANCE. WHY ALL OF YOU DIDN'T STAND UP TO BUSH WITH ALL THIS NONSENSE. HE DID THIS TO AMERICA AND OBAMA IS TRYING TO DO WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE. HE STANDS UP FOR LGBT AND FOR IMMIGRANTS AND FOR THIS COUNTRY . BUT Y'ALL ARE SO IMPATIENT THAT Y'ALL CANT JUST WAIT AND SEE. TAKE A MINUTE AND THINK HOW FAST DO YOU HANDLE YOUR BUSINESS AND WHAT STEPS DO HAVE TO TAKE TO GET THERE. HOW MANY KIDS DO YOU HAVE . THIS MAN HAS TO PLEASE A WHO NATION OF IMPATIENT PEOPLE THAT HAS NOTHING ELSE TO DO BUT SAY WHAT HE ISN'T DOING IF YOU FEEL LIKE THAT YOU DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

Posted by tomany tosoon on 11/03/2009 @ 03:39PM PT
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Author

Prerna obtained her Masters degree in International Relations in 2007 and took a hiatus from academia. During this break, she co-founded DreamActivist.org and helped launch a program for immigrant youth in the Bay Area (S4FC). Currently, she is also a Managing Editor at The Sanctuary. Views expressed on this blog are her own and not that of any organization currently affiliated with her. Contact email - prerna@change.org