Seems to me, Biden-Harris admin has a bold regional strategy to deal with the decades-long dynamic of forced migration from Central America. But they don't do a very good job of communicating it. Here’s what I’d like to hear. A thread /1 Forced migration doesn’t start at the border nor is it caused by U.S. immigration policies (U.S. foreign policy is a different matter). Our goal is to replace the decades-long cycle of spikes and cruel deterrence with a strategy to achieve durable solutions. /2

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

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

tinyurl.com/yxepzlz4 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

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

THREAD.

1/ Our take on the meaning of Trump's 2021 budget:

Billions in Tax Cuts for the Wealthy, Billions in Health and Education Cuts for the Rest of Us, and Billions for His Stupid Border Wall.

It’s race-baiting in the service of plutocracy.

tinyurl.com/yxyfb9gp 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.

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/

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

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.

1/ My take on today's deadline to reunite kids Trump admin seized and separated from their parents: "The facts are clear. Trump and his team took thousands of kids from their parents; they separated them without any plan or system to reunite them;... americasvoice.org/press_releases… 2/ they deported hundreds of parents without reuniting them with their kids; and now they claim to be making decisions in the best interests of the children. None of this is acceptable...

1/ There's lots of confusion on nature of Ted Cruz, Goodlatte/Ryan proposals to "end family separations." Here's the fundamental truth: family separation stems from zero tolerance, which is discretionary Trump policy since April. The only way to end it is for Trump to end it. 2/ When all those who come to our border are prosecuted criminally and imprisoned, even for a short time, the kids become the responsibility of the federal government. These "fixes" are headline-grabbing and give Rs a place to stand, but let's not kid ourselves....

1/ My take: Tonight a bipartisan rebellion in the Senate rebuffed a determined Republican strategy to strong arm Democrats, govern by short-term Continuing Resolution, and to delay and derail the Dream Act. 2/ The vote tonight in the Senate to defeat the House-passed Continuing Resolution was a stinging rebuke of the dysfunctional governance practiced by President Trump and Republican congressional leaders.