First, they come for the immigrants, and boy, is Trump taking aim at them today, with the assistance of his nominated Attorney General, Bigot Jefferson Beauregard Sessions.
In orders signed today, Trump is undoing the Obama administration's policy of "catch-and-release," taking aim at so-called "sanctuary cities," while putting the spotlight on the victims of crimes committed by undocumented immigrants.
The Wall
According to the order concerning border security, The Wall will be built with taxpayer money, which makes this at least half of a broken promise, despite Trump's claims Mexico will pay for it "in a form" at some point.
It reads, "In accordance with existing law, including the Secure Fence Act and IIRIRA, take all appropriate steps to immediately plan, design, and construct a physical wall along the southern border, using appropriate materials and technology to most effectively achieve complete operational control of the southern border."
As for paying for it? Well, there's language for that, too.
The appropriate agencies are ordered to "identify and, to the extent permitted by law, allocate all sources of Federal funds for the planning, designing, and constructing of a physical wall along the southern border"
While Congress gabbles at each other about how they can't afford Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid or the Affordable Care Act, the administration will be sending them budget requests to "project and develop long-term funding requirements for the wall."
Apparently walls matter more than lives.
Taxpayers will also pay for "a comprehensive study of the security of the southern border, to be completed within 180 days of this order, that shall include the current state of southern border security, all geophysical and topographical aspects of the southern border, the availability of Federal and State resources necessary to achieve complete operational control of the southern border, and a strategy to obtain and maintain complete operational control of the southern border."
That's the wall. That same order will perk up investors in private prisons in Arizona, New Mexico and Texas as well, because it authorizes them to gear up and build even more detention facilities as needed.
Deportations and "Sanctuary Cities"
The order on immigration enforcement is even more draconian.
It provides for the immediate hire of up to 10,000 more immigration officers (jobs!) at taxpayer expense, of course, and in spite of a federal hiring freeze put into effect across the administration.
So-called "sanctuary cities" are a particular target. According to the order, such cities will not be eligible for federal grants as determined by the Attorney General. Think about Jeff Sessions in that light -- who also worked closely with Kris Kobach and Steve Bannon to author this.
Additionally, the order calls for a public report pertaining only to so-called sanctuary cities to publish a weekly list of "criminal actions committed by aliens and any jurisdiction that ignored or otherwise failed to honor any detainers with respect to such aliens."
Sort of a blacklist, you see.
These orders do not address those who were covered under President Obama's DACA order protecting children of immigrants brought to the United States who have become eligible for work permits. But give it time.
In the meantime, protest actions are springing up. There are marches planned for tonight in New York to protest. New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman just released this statement with regard to sanctuary cities:
“The President lacks the constitutional authority to cut off funding to states and cities simply because they have lawfully acted to protect immigrant families -- as described in the legal guidance my office issued last week. Local governments seeking to protect their immigrant communities from federal overreach have every right to do so.
“Building and maintaining trust between local law enforcement and the communities they bravely serve is vital to ensuring public safety. Any attempt to bully local governments into abandoning policies that have proven to keep our cities safe is not only unconstitutional, but threatens the safety of our citizens.
“I urge President Trump to revoke this Executive Order right away. If he does not, I will do everything in my power to fight it.”
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti has also pledged to resist.
Senator Jefferson Beauregard Sessions has not yet been voted on in committee, nor for confirmation on the Senate floor. Now is your opportunity to contact your Senator and urge them to vote NO on his confirmation, especially given his participation in these loathsome, racist executive orders.
I will update this post with any more news as it's available. But for now, what we know is that Trump plans to retaliate against urban centers that did not support him via bogus immigration actions and voter fraud investigations, at taxpayers' expense.
