Texas Democrats Attack Lamar Smith Over HALT Act
Republican U.S. Rep. Lamar Smith’s attempt to strip the Obama administration of its immigration enforcement powers has drawn a harsh rebuke from Texas Democrats in the U.S. House, who say the proposal “is an attack on [the president’s] integrity that should not pass unnoticed or unopposed.”
Smith, R-San Antonio, this month introduced the Hinder the Administration’s Legalization Temptation (HALT) Act, which would prevent the administration from, among other things, canceling the removal of illegal immigrants, granting protective status to any immigrant and granting parole or issuing deferred action (except in narrow circumstances). It is co-sponsored ...
Comments (17)
Versel Diane Wall Rush via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Didn't Reagan do something like that?
Robert Sheldon via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Lamar Smith is a terrorist!
Tim Tukaram Spotswood via Texas Tribune on Facebook
I still find it hard to believe that we have supposedly been at war for 10 years and can't even figure out how to secure our borders! We go through a grope fest to get on planes but absolutely anyone can simply walk across the border... or ride an elephant across the border.
Dave Cortez via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Grope fest? Hardly. You'd be so lucky. War is much more profitable than border security.
Cristi Parker via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Lamar is a black eye on Texas. This whack-a-doo needs to go.
Luisa Newton via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Mr. Smith represents an area of San Antonio that has more in common w/the KKK than the USA
Luisa Newton via Texas Tribune on Facebook
and Smith knows his days are numbered por que somos mas Latinos en 2011
Bambi Clark via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Let us hope as eyes open more like Smith are evicted.
William Foster via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Lamar Smith is a poster boy for "TERM LIMITS"
roadgeek
Lamar Smith is doing an excellent job. My wife and I had hoped to end up in his district so that we might have a real Congressman again; one who represents our values, but due to the vagaries of redistricting it looks like we are still stuck with Lloyd Doggett, who wrote the book on Hispandering and entitlements. Lloyd never met an illegal alien he didn't like.
V Marshall
***Smith’s allegations comes despite the fact that the Obama administration is on pace to deport or prosecute more immigrants in three years than President George W. Bush did in eight. Department of Justice data reflects that prosecutions for illegal entry since Obama took office are forecasted to be about 132,400 by the end of the year, surpassing the Bush administration’s eight-year total of 122,385***
Nearly 70% of which have been dismissed, deferred or granted asylum according the TRAC project which is a FOIA project run by the University of Syracuse. The actual number of people given an order of removal was slightly over 30% of those "deported". The very reason Smith created this legislation. I hope everyone here remembers this the next time a President you don't support uses his executive powers to accomplish something he can't get done through Congress. Just remember where it started, and your silence when it did. Those on the "dark side" can use the same powers.
geoff giblert
HALT is a response to the new 'low' of playing politics
Tucano Fulano
Republican Congressman Lamar Smith’s attempt to strip the Obama administration of its immigration enforcement powers has drawn a harsh rebuke from Texas Democrats in the U.S. House, who say the proposal “is an attack on [the president’s] integrity that should not pass unnoticed or unopposed.”
But the Donkey-in-Chief has NO integrity.
Brittanicus
The Great plot in Oil, illegal immigration that effects all Americans.
Those who watch the Fox news cable channel last night, found Donald Trump being interviewed by Greta Van Sustren. One thing About Mr. Trump he is a straight shooter and tells the American viewers the truth and not the lies that is carefully rehearsed by the Left. Nor was he truly favorable towards the Republicans, whose elitists, as with the Democrats are driving us over a cliff. His summary has explored foreign policy, which he says that OPEC is ripping us off with bloated prices on gas. Donald has rubbed shoulders with diplomats, Democrats, Liberal progressives and the Republicans; he said have successive chances at removing President Obama during the lame duck session and failed dismally. He stated these individuals that negotiate FAIR TRADE agreements, have placed us even deeper into the financial pit, with China manipulating its currency and is negatively impacting our exports and imports.
He stressed in his commentary that America has more energy resources than any other country, put we are held back by environmentalists and like-thinking politicians. In my way of thinking, how have these experimentalists gained the upper hand against sensible principles? We need oil, and many corporations are ready to explore, but are controlled by these tree huggers and endangered species zealots. We could be looking at a $1.50 for gasoline, instead of obscene prices of $3.87 a gallon. According to a report on oil exploration, the US government is sitting on the largest resource than any place in the world, including Saudi Arabia. Hidden below the Rocky Mountains at 1000 feet, is huge reservoir oil this priceless commodity that remains untouched. Today we know that three exploration teams are doing experimental drilling.
Even though this oil discovery is beyond massive, the problem was how to extract it? Today with new technological breakthrough, the resource can finally be tapped. The “Bakken Formation” as it is known stretches through North and South Dakota and Eastern Montana; read the truth for yourself? Find out how environmentalists and borders nuts are effecting the resurrecting of our economy and a future.
In 2011 Lead researcher Dr. James T. Bartis, is an internationally recognized expert in energy, environment, and technology development , in a Rand Corporation in his study says, "We've got more oil in this very compact area than the entire Middle east—more than 2 Trillion dollars untapped." Oil companies today are a different breed from the past and understand the need for stewardship of our planet, with more careful attitude towards keeping drilling platforms low key. The question should be asked, “SO HOW CAN WE NOT BE EXTRACTING THIS OIL RESERVE? ACCORDING TO THE MEDIA IS IT BECAUSE THE ENVIRONMENTALISTS AND OTHER ENTITIES THAT ARE BLOCKING ALL THE EFFORTS TO AID AMERICA? WE CAN BECOME INDEPENDENT OF FOREIGN OIL We have so much oil in certain desolate places; we would have an overabundance and could sell it at a fair price to other countries. Maybe Americans should unite and place an amendment in the Constitution and exile these liberal environmentalist nuts in Alcatraz Island. Sustren asked more in-depth questions about our energy supplies, His answer was simple that we create domestic energy beginning with drilling for oil, coal, natural gas and the exploitation of every alternative energy resource making us less dependent on foreign sources.
That we must tax all goods manufactured by foreign nations that do not treat us fairly (instead of being subservient to China) sold in America. WE MUST ensure that our government representatives are top notch businessmen, who use fiscally sound principles in reducing our national debt. If we ever want to climb from our financial recessions, it is imperative that we have a Constitutional balance budget amendment as with most States and American taxpayers. We are the world’s largest consumer nation on this planet and if they want to do business with us, play by the rules. That America should always come first, ensuring that use American tax dollars to aid American’s suffering from natural catastrophes; not foreign countries. That WE MUST not protect foreign nations without compensation to our Country and our soldiers, that the United Nations have seen place the larger part of the burden on US taxpayers. He supplemented this saying that we must not cut Medicare or Medicaid. On illegal Immigration, specifically Arizona’s problem, Mr. Trump stopped short of endorsing racial profiling, he was in favor of “getting them out” if “people come into the country illegally.”
Most Americans must agree strongly with the real anxiety caused by the 14.5 trillion dollars, we owe to foreign potentates, investors and China. What are our negotiators thinking with fast track so-called free trade agreement, that all it has achieved for us is huge imports of cheap goods placing us in the red, while our export dollars are in the negative? If we haven't lost face in foreign countries, they are at least laughing at us behind our backs. Our representatives for free trade negotiations, must have put in appearance from "Toy Story" and even those characters had more common sense, then the idiots who represent the United States of America.
Not sure of Donald Trump’s answer to illegal immigration, but nationwide polls wants the present administration to secure the border. Arizona has been left in the foreground for years, until its massive deficit of discretionary spending finally was the last straw of a strong Governor and a State Senator was animated to do something about its bleeding treasury caused by the illegal immigration invaders. The state of Nevada had for years, being hit hard by Economic migrants and, who smuggled themselves into this border State. Other frontier states as followed the same fate by mostly unfunded mandates to educate illegal alien children, who have clogged the school system in Arizona, California, Texas, New Mexico, spilling out to far reaching States and causing financial mayhem. Somewhere around 70 hospitals have closed, because Liberal law says we must treat the uninsured, whoever walks into any health domain.
If the Federal government reimburses any hospital is very minimal, so taxpayers have to cover the bills. Much of these monetary travesties could be halted for good, if Congress enacted a bill to make illegal entry to this country a felony. No matter where you originated from, throughout the globe, the punishment should be exemplary. This should be carried through to business and agriculture as both entities, abuse the law. Businesses are just starting to feel the impact, of hiring foreign nationals stealing jobs from the less fortunate in the workforce. Stealing somebody’s right to a job, should carry harsh penalties including confiscation of business assets and prison. Farmers and agrarian businesses have for years abused migrant worker laws, including not paying for injured workers hospital treatment, or the schooling for those indigent hired children. By federal law it’s all forced on the US taxpayer to carry the burden.
Only the TEA PARTY can reclaim America from out of control spending, from Obama's rising tax policies. Certainly one thing all US citizens and legal residents should demand is reinventing the tax system, with no escape clauses for the wealthy, tax havens abroad and any other loopholes. Rid ourselves of the copious IRS and give a fair tax system that everybody pays into? In the 2012 election we can carry on repeating the same special privileges for those who govern us, and return our nation back to the people. We must also have vigilance of our voting system, as illegal aliens being driven by nonchalant oversight could easily change the course of rightful candidates to personages, more favored by foreign nationals. Look up "Voter Fraud" to understand how your vote is vulnerable in future elections. Integrity in elections is a thing of the past, unless everybody who registers and those who enter the polling station is cross checked with legal picture ID. Most hazardous to voting for "Citizens only" is the Absentee Ballot that is one of the easiest documents to forge. Every American should demand that Polling station official see a official ID with a photograph.
Liberals are trying to impress on us and even the US government that illegal immigration is slowing down? Whether this is true or not, will be analyzed by reputable organizations? However what we are supposedly to believe, that there are only 11.5 million illegal people squatting on our soil. The truth being that most knowledgeable groups give no credence to this number, when according to NumbersUSA, Judicial Watch and the Heritage foundation, which 11.5 can be doubled; and that seems an under-count in itself To strengthen this number a survey of San Francisco inhabitants, through irregular tax returns estimated there were 565.000 alone in that one county?
The Tea PARTY will ensure that the federal 1986 Immigration Control and Reform Act is strengthened, that failed because both Democrats and Republicans refused to enforce them. New tools to be used and nationally enforced will be the E-Verify law, to identify foreigners in the workplace and Secure Communities being introduced to validate by fingerprints, if that person is illegally in America, when sent to ICE and homeland Security. Stepping up again to champion common sense is Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX), Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee and the man who leading on H.R. 2164, which is the 50-state mandatory E-Verify bill. Chairman Smith has introduced a bill that can change the situation! America has been importing cheap labor for years thanks to the thoughtlessness of Republicans, paid for by corporate donors.
If you want out of the "Tax and Spend" mentality of the Liberals, we must vote into office a genuinely Tea Party Leader. A great choice would be Michelle Bachmann who is under attack by the opposite party. She has a strong backbone and is willing to suffer the Trials and demonization verbally attacked by activists with a brain impediment, who are now running scared of the honest implications of Tea Party candidates. This is a patriotic chance to help your fellow jobless countryman by Calling House Leadership NOW Call the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121
In conclusion, Arizona needs our help and those not content with the governments excuses for not constructing the REAL DOUBLE FENCE--can donate to the website at: https://www.buildtheborderfence.com/azborder/index.xhtml
shirley lake
@V Marshall. The numbers are Obama's campaign strategy to impress upon persons who want Federal Immigration laws enforced that he is actually doing something about illegal immigration. The fact is that he recently signed a Defacto Amnesty. Obama's claims that he is removing illegals that have committed crimes is far fetched because many of the criminal illegals in our country have complete anonymity by virtue of the fact that they are undocumented. Our police do not have fingerprints or addresses on file. Sorry that some people are gullible and really want to believe Obama. Others are very savvy read and compare stats. His non enforcement will contribute to his being a one term president. Yes, Reagan did give an amnesty to what he thought was to be 1 1/2 million illegals with congresses assurance that they would secure the border. It turned out to be 4 million and the border is still unsecured. An amnesty today of perhaps as high as 40 million would be economic insanity. Partly because millions more will rush the border hoping for an eventual subsequent amnesty, not to mention that all that are given amnesty will be entitled to benefits. Illegals that are given amnesty will be able to sponsor for citizenship others in their families. Our economy cannot currently sustain us. Contact your congressmen and Obama and demand that he retract the De Facto Amnesty and enforce federal immigration laws.
Dam Bam
Rep. Lamar Smith is not anti-immigration; he is pro Rule of Law. Canada and the US have srtong rules of law, and they have grown prosperous. Mexico, Central American and most Carribean countries have weak rules of law, or dictatorships, and they have have never been prosperous. So now, with no respect for our system of checks and balances between the branches of our government, the amnesty advocates want us to suspend our Rule of Law and replace it with rule by executive fiat, and if somebody like Lamar Smith, who probably has many forefathers who shed blood for our Constitution, wants to preserve our strong rule of law (so we don’t we don’t slide downward toward being like Mexico or Cuba), then these advocates get out their bag of ad hominems and show their consituents and most of the citizens how not to be a good American citizen.
Texascattleco
Criminal illegals should be of the first interest. Lamar wants to send kindergarten kids home instead of criminals.