If Obama Orders Amnesty, Cut Off Funds! - Cong. Gohmert |
[WND.com 10.25.14]
WND RADIO
GOHMERT: IF OBAMA ORDERS AMNESTY, CUT OFF FUNDS
'When the executive branch
is acting illegally,
then you quit providing any money'
Greg Corombos is news director for Radio America.
New reporting shows the Obama administration released illegal aliens accused of violent crimes, including murder, despite various officials repeatedly insisting only those with very minor infractions were set free while they waited for deportation or for their cases to be resolved in court, and Rep. Louie Gohmert says it's time for President Obama to tell the truth and protect Americans.
The congressman is also seething over reports from earlier this week that the administration seems to be preparing to legalize a massive number of people in the U.S. unlawfully. If Obama issues an executive order to grant amnesty to millions of illegals, Gohmert says it's time for Congress to cut off funds.
Obama administration officials, ranging from former Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director John Morton to former White House Press Secretary Jay Carney, assured lawmakers, reporters and the public that the 2,200 illegal aliens released from detention last year either had no other crimes on their records or the crimes were extremely minor.
On Thursday, USA Today reported records showed the Obama administration released illegal aliens accused of kidnapping, sexual assault, drug trafficking and even homicide.
"It is the first obligation of the federal government to provide for the common defense, and that's against all enemies foreign and domestic," Gohmert said. "If everybody in the world loved Americans, we'd be great. If everybody in America loved America, we'd be great. But that's not the case. We owe the American people better, and this administration and this White House has got to stop lying."
According to Gohmert, officials in Texas long disputed the federal government's immigration numbers. He said this latest revelation is more proof that suspicion is well-founded.
"We've been reporting for months now, just based on Texas numbers, that the federal immigration numbers were a lie. They were just absolutely a lie. We knew in Texas there were tens of thousands more than [Citizenship and Immigration Services] was admitting. So this really documents that Texas was right all along and that the American public had been lied to," he said, asserting that repeated lies from the government greatly damage the foundation of a country.
"Unfortunately, when you have an administration who's been caught in one lie after another, it just destroys the faith that people might have in the government," Gohmert said.
While deeply disappointed, Gohmert said he is not at all surprised because the forces tasked with holding the administration accountable refuse to do their jobs.
"This is what happens when you have a Congress that protects the president from being questioned about lies, protection from being brought and made accountable for lost lives and lies about those lost lives," he said.
"That's what we've had in (Senate Majority Leader) Harry Reid. No matter what we've demanded, what we've voted for, what we've passed in the House, Harry Reid has stood in defiance and protected the president," Gohmert added. "Then we have a Supreme Court that has a majority that really doesn't want to deal with the president when it comes to things he's been dishonest about."
Listen to the WND/Radio America interview with Rep. Louie Gohmert:
However, Gohmert said stories like these also put the burden on the American people to demand better of their government.
"I keep bringing up the old adage that is eminently true that democracy ensures a people are governed no better than they deserve," he said. "So if people in the United States want better government, they have got to get Harry Reid out of the way as majority leader. You do that by going and voting and get Republicans in the Senate, give us more authority, get us people that will elect strong leaders in the House and Senate. Then we can use the Constitution to stop the illegality that's going on in the executive branch."
According to the USA Today story, government officials contend they never intended to allow illegal aliens charged with violent crimes to walk free. They say much of it happened because of funding issues that were largely out of their control.
Gohmert strongly denounces the idea that more money was all that was needed to stop dangerous people from being released. He said it is factually and politically disingenuous.
"They have not wanted a lot of money to spend on deporting people because they don't want to deport them. They've got plenty of money to do their job," he said, pointing out how the administration has defied the clear demands of Congress when it comes to spending on immigration enforcement.
"Under the Bush administration, there was $4 billion appropriated for part of the fence (real and virtual), and (former Homeland Security Secretary) Janet Napolitano said, 'You know what, we've decided we don't want to do that. We'll use the money somewhere else,'" said Gohmert, noting again that key allies of Obama stand in the way of true accountability.
"They refuse to follow the law," he said. "They refuse to spend money where it's dictated. They do what they want and with Harry Reid standing in the way of enforcing the law and Eric Holder providing the president the biggest criminal defense firm in America, he's been able to get away with it. This administration has. It's got to stop."
The news on illegal immigrants accused of violent crimes being released from detention follows on the heels of reports earlier in the week suggesting the president is preparing for a massive extension of work permits to people in the U.S. illegally. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services are bracing for a "surge scenario" of up to nine million work visas in a year. The total contract could possibly legalize anywhere from 4 million to 34 million people in the near future, and now Americans are taking to the streets in protest.
"I think when we see this kind of request, despite the dishonesty of (White House Press Secretary) Josh Earnest on behalf of the president that obviously this is what they planned to do. They planned to legalize millions of people that are here illegally. They are going to turn this country inside out," said Gohmert, who believes the administration is orchestrating much of what Americans have seen this year, including the massive influx of illegal aliens, including many minors coming across the U.S.-Mexico border this past summer.
"At the first of this year, this administration sent out for contracts for people who would be able to transport thousands and thousands of people from the Texas border. Low and behold, it turned out that's exactly what happened in the months ahead," Gohmert said. "The administration said, 'Gee, we didn't really anticipate this.' Yes they did. It was in their initial request."
Especially galling to Gohmert is what he sees as the president's unconstitutional attempts to unilaterally change immigration policy because Congress won't give him the legislative changes he wants.
"He continues to refuse to do his job (of securing the border) and says, 'Not only am I not going to do my job that's legally required, I'm going to start legislating, which is not my job," he said.
If Republicans gain control of the House and Senate and Obama goes through with executive action on immigration, Gohmert said Congress will hit the administration hard in the wallet.
"If he does that, we have got to cut off massive billions and billions of dollars to the White House and the executive branch," he said. "That is the power of the purse. When the executive branch is acting illegally, then you quit providing any money whatsoever to allow them to continue their illegality."