POWIP Piece of Work In Progress

The “back-door” administration [UPDATED]

My wish is your command

Is considering an initiative to advance their immigration agenda without, oh, say, having to consult that pesky Congress:

With Congress gridlocked on an immigration bill, the Obama administration is considering using a back door to stop deporting many illegal immigrants - what a draft government memo said could be "a non-legislative version of amnesty."

The memo, addressed to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Director Alejandro Mayorkas and written by four agency staffers, lists tools it says the administration has to "reduce the threat of removal" for many illegal immigrants who have run afoul of immigration authorities.

"In the absence of comprehensive immigration reform, USCIS can extend benefits and/or protections to many individuals and groups by issuing new guidance and regulations, exercising discretion with regard to parole-in-place, deferred action and the issuance of Notices to Appear," the staffers wrote in the memo, which was obtained by Sen. Charles E. Grassley, Iowa Republican.

The memo suggests that in-depth discussions have occurred on how to keep many illegal immigrants in the country, which would be at least a temporary alternative to the proposals Democrats in Congress have made to legalize illegal immigrants.

Mr. Grassley said it confirms his fears that the administration is trying an end-run around Congress.

Remember when it was en vogue to criticize Boooooooooooosh! for being a fascist dictatorial leader who was intent on Shredding! the Constitution?  I wonder why we're not hearing that same uproar from the usual suspects over this?  Just askin'...

Oh, and, remember how the same eeeevollll despot wanted to invade everyone's privacy?  Well, it seems that along with the other Boooooooooosh! policies he has quietly kept in place, or expanded, his Imperial benevolence, Lord Obamus, has decided the FBI shouldn't need to consult the court in order to access internet records of individuals activities and contacts:

The Obama administration is seeking to make it easier for the FBI to compel companies to turn over records of an individual’s Internet activity without a court order if agents deem the information relevant to a terrorism or intelligence investigation.

The administration wants to add just four words — “electronic communication transactional records” — to a list of items that the law says the FBI may demand without a judge’s approval. Government lawyers say this category of information includes the addresses to which an Internet user sends e-mail; the times and dates e-mail was sent and received; and possibly a user’s browser history. It does not include, the lawyers hasten to point out, the “content” of e-mail or other Internet communication.

*Whew* That's a relief. At least they're not looking to read the actual text of our private communications-yet; I guess that will come in the next increment of "progress"

This must be more of that New Kind of Politics!, or maybe the Transparency! Obama spoke about during campaign 2008.  Just Words?!?  Well, you make the call.

I won't go into the wonky details, but according to my lovely wife the ADA, records such as these can already easily obtained by order of a judge very quickly just by showing that they're needed as part of an ongoing investigation.  So neither of us can understand the need to circumvent the usual judiciary.  So while we can all agree on the validity of combatting terrorism, it seems to me at least that there is already an efficient method in place to get this very information, by simply talking to a judge.  But as always, YMMV.

New.Kind.of.Politics...

Change! you can believe in...

Just keep repeating that mantra; you know, for the hope !

Update:  According to White House spokes-nozzle Robert Gibbs, Obama doesn't even support amnesty, let alone have any secret plan for using regulatory measures to effectively allow it.  Sure he doesn't Bobby, sure...I believe you.  I also still put teeth under my pillow so I can be reimbursed by the tooth fairy, and send my wish Christmas lists to Santy Claus each year.

Do you believe him kind reader?  I mean, if you do I have a friend who's got a bitchin' bridge in Brooklyn he says he'll part with cheap.  Let me know if you're interested.

(Image courtesy of Moonbattery)

Rocketman