Secret immigration powers found in Obamatrade
'Some of the provisions … would require the U.S. to change its laws'
President Obama
President Obama, whose push for vastly higher levels of immigration
was recently halted a federal court in Texas, would gain vast new powers
to change immigration law and practice under a looming trade agreement,
according to Breitbart News.
Breitbart asked “immigration experts” to review pending trade
agreement documents that have been posted online by Wikileaks and
Rosemary Jenks, director of government relations for Numbers USA, who
reported the dangers.
She said the documentation reveals seemingly innocuous changes such as the removal of an economic needs test for visa applications and a shorter time limit for processing applications, but together they reveal the agenda.
“The existence of these 10 pages on immigration in the Trade and Services Agreement make it absolutely clear in my mind that the administration is negotiating immigration – and for them to say they are not – they have a lot of explaining to do based on the actual text in this agreement,” Jenks told Breitbart News.
She was referring to Obama’s Trade in Services Act, or TISA, one of several deals that could be fast-tracked if Republicans in the U.S. House agree.
Along with TISA, the administration has negotiated the Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership.
Obama wants to pass Trade Promotion Authority under which he could fast-track the trade bills. The TPA would not allow amendments, and the Breitbart report said any member of Congress who votes for it “would technically also be voting to massively expand President Obama’s executive authority when it comes to immigration matters.”
The analysis found that TISA is written to include a listing of about 40 industries “where potentially the U.S. visa processes would have to change to accommodate the requirements within the agreement.”
“Jenks explained that under the agreement, the terms don’t have an economic needs based test, which currently U.S. law requires for some types of visa applications in order to show there aren’t American workers available to fill positions,” the analysis said.
Then on another page, the agreement states, “The period of processing applications may not exceed 30 days.”
It’s a massive problem for the U.S. because so many visa applications take longer than 30 days, according to Jenks.
“We will not be able to meet those requirements without essentially our government becoming a rubber stamp,” she said.
She warned that the “fact that there’s a footnote in this agreement that says that face to face interviews are too burdensome … we’re supposed to be doing face to face interviews with applicants for temporary visas.”
According to the State Department Consular Officer, she said, “it’s the in person interviews that really give the consular officer an opportunity to determine – is this person is a criminal, is this person a terrorist … all of those things are more easily determined when you’re sitting face to face with someone and asking those questions.”
Thirdly, she noted that there appears to be an opening to create agreements that extend for more than seven years, which would be a change in current U.S. law.
Breitbart noted the high level of secrecy imposed by the Obama administration on its plans for immigration changes.
TISA is even more secretive than TPP, the report said.
“Lawmakers on Capitol Hill can review the text of TPP in a secret, secured room inside the Capitol – and in some cases can bring staffers who have high enough security clearances – but with TiSA, no such draft text is available,” the report said.
“The Senate passed the TPA last month, so it is up to the House to put the brakes on Obama’s unilateral power. The House could vote as early as Friday on fast-track, but may head into next week. By all counts, it’s going to be a very tight vote – and may not pass. It remains to be seen what will happen in light of leaks about things like the immigration provisions of TiSA – which deals with 24 separate parties, mostly different nations but also the European Union. It is focused on increasing the free flow of services worldwide – and with that, comes labor. Labor means immigration and guestworkers,” the report said.
Jenks’ analysis said the implication is that the U.S. would be subject to the provisions.
“There is nothing in there that says otherwise, and there is no question in my mind that some of the provisions in this Trade and Services Agreement would require the United States to change its immigration laws,” she said.
A Republican aide on Capitol Hill told WND, “This is the smoking gun that shows Paul Ryan wasn’t telling the truth.”
Wisconsin Republican Rep. Paul Ryan said recently it was “an urban legend” that TPP contained language that would advance Obama’s immigration agenda. The aide said the TPA vote moves all of the trade bills, so whether the language is in TPP or TISA doesn’t matter.
“There’s no way we (House Republicans) would sign off on immigration reform in the trade agreements,” Ryan had said.
It’s just one of the ways Obama is moving to loosen immigration practices in the U.S.
WND reported that even though a federal appeals court in Texas upheld a ruling halting his administration’s orders on the issue, the agenda appears to be moving forward.
Obama last fall announced plans to delay the deportation of as many as 5 million illegal aliens through memos issued by appointees.
But then the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced the extension of a program allowing spouses of certain visa holders to obtain work permits. According to the Washington Times, the move will, in 90 days, allow some 180,000 immigrants to be eligible for the benefit “in the first year.”
“Allowing the spouses of these visa holders to legally work in the United States makes perfect sense,” the newspaper quoted agency chief Leon Rodriguez saying. “It helps U.S. businesses keep their highly skilled workers by increasing the chances these workers will choose to stay in this country during the transition from temporary workers to permanent residents.”
WND also reported the Washington watchdog Judicial Watch revealed the Obama administration was moving quickly on contracts for the president’s amnesty even though it had been ordered to stop.
Judicial Watch said it had a source inside the industry of government contracts who said there is “no indication that the court order has impacted, slowed down or modified the procurement in any way.”
“They’re really rushing into it,” the source said.
Judicial Watch cited a government solicitation for companies to provide services for Obama’s plans to process illegal aliens and give them many of the privileges of citizenship.
The deal is immense, Judicial Watch said, with an estimated need for between 200 and 600 contractors.
The government solicitation described itself as a “combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial services prepared in accordance with the format in FAR Subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice.”
“This announcement constitutes the only solicitation and proposals are being requested. Attached to this combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial services is a request for proposal with proposals due on February 20, 2015. This combined synopsis/solicitation is for records support services in support of deferred action for parents of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents (hereafter referred to as DAPA). Industry is encouraged to review the request for proposal and ask questions by January 30, 2015. USCIS intends to award a contract from this solicitation in March 2015 in order to provide the awardee time to hire, train, and process security clearances; and for full performance to commence on May 19, 2015.”
“The complex deal is being rushed through at a ‘full-throttle pace’ extremely rare for such a huge venture that’s sure to radically change the current system, according to JW’s source, who has worked for decades as a contract expert at the highest levels of government,” the group said.
But administration officials were unabashed in their intent.
Cecilia Munoz, White House domestic policy director, addressed the issue: “It’s important to put [the judge's ruling] in context, because the broader executive actions are moving forward. The administration continues to implement the portions of the actions that the president and the Department of Homeland Security took, which were not affected by the court’s ruling.”
However, the actual order itself said: “The United States of America, its departments, agencies, officers, agents and employees and Jeh Johnson, secretary of the Department of Homeland Security; R. Gil Kerlikowske, commissioner of United States customs and Border Protection; Ronald D. Vitiello, deputy chief of United States Border Patrol, United States Customs and Border Protection; Thomas S. Winkowski, acting director of United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement; and Leon Rodriguez, director of United States Citizenship and Immigration Services are hereby enjoined from implementing any and all aspects or phases of the Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents.”
And even Obama himself said he couldn’t do it alone.
House Speaker John Boehner has listed online 22 times when Obama has made such statements.
For example, in October 2010, Obama said: “I am president, I am not king. I can’t do these things just by myself. … I’ve got to have some partners to do it. … If Congress has laws on the books that says that people who are here who are not documented have to be deported, then I can exercise some flexibility in terms of where we deploy our resources, to focus on people who are really causing problems as opposed to families who are just trying to work and support themselves. But there’s a limit to the discretion that I can show because I am obliged to execute the law. … I can’t just make the laws up by myself.”
She said the documentation reveals seemingly innocuous changes such as the removal of an economic needs test for visa applications and a shorter time limit for processing applications, but together they reveal the agenda.
“The existence of these 10 pages on immigration in the Trade and Services Agreement make it absolutely clear in my mind that the administration is negotiating immigration – and for them to say they are not – they have a lot of explaining to do based on the actual text in this agreement,” Jenks told Breitbart News.
She was referring to Obama’s Trade in Services Act, or TISA, one of several deals that could be fast-tracked if Republicans in the U.S. House agree.
Along with TISA, the administration has negotiated the Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership.
Obama wants to pass Trade Promotion Authority under which he could fast-track the trade bills. The TPA would not allow amendments, and the Breitbart report said any member of Congress who votes for it “would technically also be voting to massively expand President Obama’s executive authority when it comes to immigration matters.”
The analysis found that TISA is written to include a listing of about 40 industries “where potentially the U.S. visa processes would have to change to accommodate the requirements within the agreement.”
“Jenks explained that under the agreement, the terms don’t have an economic needs based test, which currently U.S. law requires for some types of visa applications in order to show there aren’t American workers available to fill positions,” the analysis said.
Then on another page, the agreement states, “The period of processing applications may not exceed 30 days.”
It’s a massive problem for the U.S. because so many visa applications take longer than 30 days, according to Jenks.
“We will not be able to meet those requirements without essentially our government becoming a rubber stamp,” she said.
She warned that the “fact that there’s a footnote in this agreement that says that face to face interviews are too burdensome … we’re supposed to be doing face to face interviews with applicants for temporary visas.”
According to the State Department Consular Officer, she said, “it’s the in person interviews that really give the consular officer an opportunity to determine – is this person is a criminal, is this person a terrorist … all of those things are more easily determined when you’re sitting face to face with someone and asking those questions.”
Thirdly, she noted that there appears to be an opening to create agreements that extend for more than seven years, which would be a change in current U.S. law.
Breitbart noted the high level of secrecy imposed by the Obama administration on its plans for immigration changes.
TISA is even more secretive than TPP, the report said.
“Lawmakers on Capitol Hill can review the text of TPP in a secret, secured room inside the Capitol – and in some cases can bring staffers who have high enough security clearances – but with TiSA, no such draft text is available,” the report said.
“The Senate passed the TPA last month, so it is up to the House to put the brakes on Obama’s unilateral power. The House could vote as early as Friday on fast-track, but may head into next week. By all counts, it’s going to be a very tight vote – and may not pass. It remains to be seen what will happen in light of leaks about things like the immigration provisions of TiSA – which deals with 24 separate parties, mostly different nations but also the European Union. It is focused on increasing the free flow of services worldwide – and with that, comes labor. Labor means immigration and guestworkers,” the report said.
Jenks’ analysis said the implication is that the U.S. would be subject to the provisions.
“There is nothing in there that says otherwise, and there is no question in my mind that some of the provisions in this Trade and Services Agreement would require the United States to change its immigration laws,” she said.
A Republican aide on Capitol Hill told WND, “This is the smoking gun that shows Paul Ryan wasn’t telling the truth.”
Wisconsin Republican Rep. Paul Ryan said recently it was “an urban legend” that TPP contained language that would advance Obama’s immigration agenda. The aide said the TPA vote moves all of the trade bills, so whether the language is in TPP or TISA doesn’t matter.
“There’s no way we (House Republicans) would sign off on immigration reform in the trade agreements,” Ryan had said.
It’s just one of the ways Obama is moving to loosen immigration practices in the U.S.
WND reported that even though a federal appeals court in Texas upheld a ruling halting his administration’s orders on the issue, the agenda appears to be moving forward.
Obama last fall announced plans to delay the deportation of as many as 5 million illegal aliens through memos issued by appointees.
But then the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced the extension of a program allowing spouses of certain visa holders to obtain work permits. According to the Washington Times, the move will, in 90 days, allow some 180,000 immigrants to be eligible for the benefit “in the first year.”
“Allowing the spouses of these visa holders to legally work in the United States makes perfect sense,” the newspaper quoted agency chief Leon Rodriguez saying. “It helps U.S. businesses keep their highly skilled workers by increasing the chances these workers will choose to stay in this country during the transition from temporary workers to permanent residents.”
WND also reported the Washington watchdog Judicial Watch revealed the Obama administration was moving quickly on contracts for the president’s amnesty even though it had been ordered to stop.
Judicial Watch said it had a source inside the industry of government contracts who said there is “no indication that the court order has impacted, slowed down or modified the procurement in any way.”
“They’re really rushing into it,” the source said.
Judicial Watch cited a government solicitation for companies to provide services for Obama’s plans to process illegal aliens and give them many of the privileges of citizenship.
The deal is immense, Judicial Watch said, with an estimated need for between 200 and 600 contractors.
The government solicitation described itself as a “combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial services prepared in accordance with the format in FAR Subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice.”
“This announcement constitutes the only solicitation and proposals are being requested. Attached to this combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial services is a request for proposal with proposals due on February 20, 2015. This combined synopsis/solicitation is for records support services in support of deferred action for parents of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents (hereafter referred to as DAPA). Industry is encouraged to review the request for proposal and ask questions by January 30, 2015. USCIS intends to award a contract from this solicitation in March 2015 in order to provide the awardee time to hire, train, and process security clearances; and for full performance to commence on May 19, 2015.”
“The complex deal is being rushed through at a ‘full-throttle pace’ extremely rare for such a huge venture that’s sure to radically change the current system, according to JW’s source, who has worked for decades as a contract expert at the highest levels of government,” the group said.
But administration officials were unabashed in their intent.
Cecilia Munoz, White House domestic policy director, addressed the issue: “It’s important to put [the judge's ruling] in context, because the broader executive actions are moving forward. The administration continues to implement the portions of the actions that the president and the Department of Homeland Security took, which were not affected by the court’s ruling.”
However, the actual order itself said: “The United States of America, its departments, agencies, officers, agents and employees and Jeh Johnson, secretary of the Department of Homeland Security; R. Gil Kerlikowske, commissioner of United States customs and Border Protection; Ronald D. Vitiello, deputy chief of United States Border Patrol, United States Customs and Border Protection; Thomas S. Winkowski, acting director of United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement; and Leon Rodriguez, director of United States Citizenship and Immigration Services are hereby enjoined from implementing any and all aspects or phases of the Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents.”
And even Obama himself said he couldn’t do it alone.
House Speaker John Boehner has listed online 22 times when Obama has made such statements.
For example, in October 2010, Obama said: “I am president, I am not king. I can’t do these things just by myself. … I’ve got to have some partners to do it. … If Congress has laws on the books that says that people who are here who are not documented have to be deported, then I can exercise some flexibility in terms of where we deploy our resources, to focus on people who are really causing problems as opposed to families who are just trying to work and support themselves. But there’s a limit to the discretion that I can show because I am obliged to execute the law. … I can’t just make the laws up by myself.”
Read more at http://www.wnd.com/2015/06/secret-immigration-powers-found-in-obamatrade/#vIXo0IVdsYl0Dc3Y.99
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