Washington Post
By Jerry Markon
June 8, 2015
Homeland
Security Secretary Jeh Johnson predicted Monday that federal courts
will ultimately allow the Obama administration to proceed with its plans
to shield millions
of illegal immigrants from deportation.
“I
believe we will prevail,” Johnson said of the legal battle that has
forced DHS to halt preparations to move forward with President Obama’s
controversial executive actions
announced in November. A federal judge and an appeals court have
temporarily blocked the measures, which would make up to 5 million
undocumented immigrants eligible for deportation relief, including
undocumented parents of U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents.
“Our
lawyers at the Department of Justice say we have the legal authority to
do this,” Johnson said in a speech about the nation’s immigration
system at Rice University
in Houston. He added that the president’s actions, known as deferred action, are “the right thing to do. …Over and over again, in the life of
this nation, there have been classes of people who, by virtue of their
race, gender, religion, or nationality, exist
on the margins of society and struggle to seek our acceptance.”
“It has been the tradition of this great nation that, ultimately, we hear their claims and grant them relief,” Johnson said.
In
his remarks, the secretary also criticized what he called the “emotion
and partisanship wrapped around the subject of immigration. Facts are
too often drowned out
by demagoguery, suspicion, exaggeration, and misperception.”
As
an example, Johnson cited a 2013 public opinion survey in which
Americans were asked whether the number of immigrants entering the
country illegally is higher or lower
compared to 2003. A majority, 55 percent, said illegal immigration was
rising.
In
fact, Johnson said, “the opposite is true,” pointing to indications
that illegal immigration flows are far lower than in the past. Evidence
has been emerging that such
flows have have fallen to their lowest level in at least two decades,
with DHS and some experts crediting the billions of dollars the nation
has poured into southwest border security. Other experts point to other
factors for the change, such as demographic
changes and economic improvements in Mexico.
“I
am on a mission to separate fact from fiction about immigration in the
public mind,” and share more information,” said Johnson, who
acknowledged that DHS has said too
little publicly about the subject in past years. “This too breeds
suspicion and misperception to fill the void,” he said.
For more information, go to: www.beverlyhillsimmigrationlaw.com
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