It Is Time for the GOP to Take the Lead in Immigration Security and Reform

A leaked top-secret law enforcement document places blame for the current border crisis not on violence, but on misleading immigration policy statements by President Obama - as well as on a popular Spanish language television network Univision. Even the president of Honduras, one of three countries that have sent 57,000 minors across the US border, agrees. The report, leaked from the El Paso Intelligence Center (EPIC) with access limited to law enforcement officials, states : "Univision, Primer Impacto, Al Rojo Vivo, and several Honduran television news outlets" are to blame for painting a too rosy picture of current US immigration policy and encouraging parents to hire smugglers, or "coyotes," to get their children into a better life in the United States, according to a Breitbart report. Of 230 migrants interviewed for the report, 219 said their main reason for heading for the US border was their belief that the US would grant free "permisos," or entry permits, to minors and females travelling with minors. The report also states that fear of gang violence in their home countries, often cited by the Obama administration as the primary cause of the huge increase in border violations by the minors, is "not the principal factor driving the increase" in illegal immigration. The report concludes that the flood of minor illegal immigrants will not stop "until migrants' misperceptions about US immigration benefits are changed." Honduras President Juan Orlando Hernandez recently told a congressional delegation led by Texas Republican Representative Kay Granger that the "lack of information about the US immigration reform legal process" is one of the factors encouraging minors to attempg to cross the border into the US, according to President Hernandez' spokesman, Jorge Hernandez Alcerro. ~~~~~ Obama has asked Congress to provide $3.7 billion in emergency money to help deal with the crisis, including healthcare, education and legal counseling for the illegal immigrant minors. But, Republicans, including Texas Governor Rick Perry, have opposed authorizing the funds, preferring deportation and stronger border security as solutions. "Our view as House Republicans is that we're not going to write a blank check," Texas GOP Representative Mike McCaul, chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, told Fox News. Univision's leading anchor, Jorge Ramos, in particular, has taken a strong, partisan pro-immigration stance on the Spanish-language station with 2.1 million viewers, and has said : "Republicans don't get it. They're going to lose the 2016 election if they don't move on immigration reform and they're going to lose again in 2020," Breitbart reported."Immigration reform is a prerequisite for the Hispanic community. If you want to go to the White House, you have to knock on the door of Univision and Fusion before. Because otherwise, you won't get there." ~~~~~ Dear readers, the Republican response to the immigration mess created by President Obama is correct and it is in agreement with the view of the majority of Americans. And, the basic GOP position on immigration reform is correct -- secure the borders while simultaneously dealing with the current wave of illegal immigrants - provide funds for quick legal review near the border areas and then legally return the vast majority of them to their countries of origin - actively inform Central Americans about the reality of trying to illegally enter the US. And only then put America's immigration policy on a firm footing. To do this, the Republican House should bring to the floor for debate and passage the "first step" of an immigration reform bill that codifies these crisis policies and adds an outline of procedures for making future decisions about handling already-established illegal immigrants -- but not until the President certifies and Congress verifies that the borders actually are secure and that the current wave of illegal immigrants have been returned to their homes in Central America and Mexico. There is no need now to decide about green card / path to citizenship / taxes and fines - or anything else relating to established illegals. But it is imperative that the Republican Party take the initiative : provide the means to permanently secure the borders, deport the current wave of illegals and provide a timeline for tackling immigration when these crises are resolved. Until the GOP takes the leadership in this crisis, President Obama and the Democrat Party will continue to pretend that they are the White Hats, while in fact they are doing nothing but making the problem worse. Republicans know what must be done. The majority of Americans agree with them. So, let's do it. Now. Pass the bill and force the Democratic Senate to show their colors and make a decision.