With Congress divided, Obama to go his own way on immigration

[TomCADem]

Source: CNN

Washington (CNN) -- With Congress mired in dysfunction over immigration, President Barack Obama says he'll do what he can to sidestep the legislative logjam.

One possibility: using presidential authority to remove the threat of possible deportation for a few million immigrants living illegally in the country, a step that conservatives decry as amnesty.

Here is a look at how we got here and steps Obama could take in coming months to address what all parties agree is a broken immigration system and boost the Democratic brand, though not necessarily in this year's congressional elections.

* * *
While Obama's administration has deported or turned back more than 2 million people, it shifted the priority from working immigrants targeted under predecessor George W. Bush to criminals, more recent border crosses and those who keep re-entering illegally.

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2014/08/04/politics/immigration-what-next/

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It is still amazing the degree to which the media gives Republicans a free pass. Republicans demand that the President "fully enforce" the laws, but refuse to appropriate sufficient resources to perform the job. It is akin to giving some $100 to do $200 worth of work, then complaining when the job is left unfinished. Yet, the media plays along.

[pampango]

1. When Obama enforces the provisions of the 2006 law passed by a republican congress and signed by a

republican president, he is accused by them of making his own immigration law.

When asked for the money to enforce the law they passed 8 years ago, the republican house says "Never mind that law (which requires new funding). Let's just change the law so that no funding is needed. That's how we solve problems around here."

[alp227]

2. If you're talking about the anti trafficking law it was in 2008

passed overwhelmingly by both parties but signed by GW Bush.