Thread. Some thoughts in response to today's immigration developments: Biden raised refugee cap to 62,500 on way to 125,000 and family reunification task force is bringing separated parents to the US on 3-yr parole with work permits. What does it mean? /1
It means Biden is back on offense when it comes to immigration. He’s weathered the concerted drive by the rightwing to tag him w the so-called “Biden border crisis.” He's weathered the beltway punditry who adopted the RW narrative. /2
20,000 kids seeking safety from harm in an America that describes itself as a beacon of hope, and many in the media call it a "crisis?" What bullshit. They should be asking why we are not holding parades for them, and does it have anything to do with the color of their skin. /3
Under pressure to "turn off the spigot” as if migration from Central America starts at our southern border, the WH seemed to put pro-immigrant moves on hold. No lifting of the refugee cap. No TPS. No unwinding of Title 42, etc. I won't lie... /4
I expected them to do what every other administration - from both parties - has done over the past four decades has done when faced with a spike in Central Americans: reach for cruel deterrence. It's politically expedient. The pundits support it precisely because of that. /5
To their credit, the WH resisted it. They stayed the course. They are managing their way through the challenge in a relatively humane manner. It's working. The numbers are down, the kids in Border Patrol stations is way down, and they are placing kids safely with family. /6
So, yeah. Biden hesitated. You can almost hear him. No refugee cap. No big moves. Too much bad press. Too many calls from scared Democrats. He could have added, too much ludicrous commentary on the President's "messaging." But then keeping Trump's refugee cap backfires; /7
the admin's "humane and orderly" approach at the border begins to work; and beltway MSM types stop hyping Foxlandia's "border crisis" BS. Biden shifts. He leans in on his speech, he lifts the refugee cap as promised, and the admin reunites separated families here in the US. /8
Let's hope this shift is the mark of restart. Let's hope it means Biden will blow past the bad faith noise machine on the right, ignore the beltway pundits trying to boss him, and gets done what the Democratic coalition that elected him wants: /9
Reunite separated families, welcome refugees, end T42, create fair shot asylum process, reform the bloated enforcement, and fight for pathways to citizenship for undocumented immigrants - Dreamers, TPS holders, farm workers, and essential workers. Go big, WH. It works. END
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Why is Biden leaning in on immigration? Key factors: 1) Trump’s nativism backfired with the majority of the public; 2) immigration as an electoral wedge issue has lost its edge; 3) the pro-immigrant movement has changed the terms of the debate; and... /1
4) as a seasoned legislator, Biden has a deft touch when it comes to locating the sweet spot that unifies the progressive and moderate wings of the Democratic coalition. More.../2
Re public opinion, Trump’s nativism backfired. His cruelty forced a choice, and a solid majority came down on the side of immigrants. Gallup 2020 polling showed support for immigrants and for increasing immigration levels is at its highest level ever.. /3 news.gallup.com/poll/313106/am…
A thread on what Stephen Miller and his allies are up to now. They are trying to set up Biden for failure by setting a frame that is a trap.
First, let's remember that this will go down as the most evil, cruel and xenophobic administration in modern American history. /1
They kidnapped children and separated families. They ended DACA, then defied SCOTUS and fed court decisions they didn't like. They built a wall Congress opposed. They gutted asylum, decimated refugee admissions, slashed legal immigration, and now expel all, no qs asked.../2
They were appointed and serve illegally. They buried intel on Russian cyberattacks. I could go on. Then, in the runup to '20, they turned DHS into full-time political tool of Trump's reelection campaign. They helped clear out Lafayette Square for that Trump bible stunt./3
2/ Trump’s budget embodies his presidency: demonize immigrants to give white grievance voters someone to blame so they will be distracted as he gives billions in tax cuts to the wealthy while slashing billions in healthcare, retirement security and education for the rest of us.
3/ Once called the ‘Southern strategy,’ it’s been a staple of the GOP’s playbook for the past 60 yrs. Some of the issues they've shamelessly exploited: crime, welfare, school prayer, affirmative action, gender equality, reproductive rights, marriage equality, trans equality ....
Thread. Okay, so here I am in England, attending to a critically ill older brother, and my phone blows up this morning. Seems the NYT printed an oped by Jerry Kammer of the Center for Immigration Studies, an outfit
designated a hate group by SPLC. tinyurl.com/rp4wjhz1/. 1/
The oped argues pro-immigrant advocates are to blame for the divisiveness of the immigration debate. The author pretends he's mainstream but then reveals himself: "many Americans admire [Trump’s] willingness to wage what they see as a patriotic battle to defend common people.” 2/
In the piece, author Jerry Kammer cites an awards dinner I presided over 19 years ago. He says I “made a pitch” to those assembled. Either Kammer doesn’t have a sense of humor or he is deliberately misrepresenting my comments (my bet is on the latter). 3/
1/ Trump's defects on full display in his failure at the border: cruelty, ineptitude, impatience, and arrogance. He thinks his tough-guy shtick will stop Central Americans from fleeing for their lives. Not happening. He thinks cutting aid to the source countries will work. He...
2/ ...thinks everyone else is to blame - the laws, the Dems, the judges, the Mexican govt, the Central American govts. He never thinks that maybe his strategy sucks. Well, his strategy does suck, and it will continue to suck. Cuz he fundamentally misreads the nature of the crisis
3/ This is not, at root, an "illegal immigration crisis." This is a refugee crisis. 3 Central American countries are wracked by gang violence, femicide, corruption, and, increasingly, food insecurity. 97% of those showing up are from these 3 countries. Their house is on fire.
1/ My take. There will be no wall and no shutdown. Trump's talk about a border wall and shutdown is not about policy, it's about narrative. It's not about outcome, it's about brand. It's not about legislating, it's about the mid-terms. It's not abt progress, it's about attitude.
2/ Don't dignify his talk as anything more than rantings of a desperate man, in over his head, fearful of looking weak, knowing by now he'll never get his wall, trying to preen as king of the hill, willing to break the china to show he's still the bull.
3/ Stop treating this as a real threat or a real policy proposal. Trump wants to gin up his base w xenophobia and racism cuz he seems to gets that the tax cut isn't working and wages for his base are down, while the GOP's wealthy donors laugh all the way to the bank.