Clinton Got Her Foot Caught in the Amnesty Trap – Here’s Why



hillary_clinton_rotator740x450ccDonald Trump rode to victory because the Democrats left him two huge openings on trade and immigration. Hillary Clinton’s positions on amnesty created vulnerability for her. Pushed to the far left, Clinton took positions that were untenable – rewarding illegal behavior in front of the law abiding while never committing to a credible strategy that would defend America’s borders going forward. Trump took full advantage, driving home the point that the Democratic nominee never pledged to even try to halt future illegal immigration.

Indeed she seemed content to encourage it.

Charitably, you might claim she was held captive by a wing of her party that had been encouraged to demand ever more. Clinton was trapped in the corner Obama had painted her into.  The reality is that she and folks like the retiring Minority Leader Harry Reid had been lulled into using the amnesty issue to beat down a cowed and malleable Republican Party leadership – so weak had been the congressional response to executive overreach.  They went too far and Trump called their bluff.

Somewhere along the way, immigration became a political operation of the Democrats. Gone was any concern about the welfare of the American worker or the primacy of the rule of law, and Donald Trump used that, along with trade, to take portions of the “blue wall” in the rust belt.  Lesson learned:  don’t forget your base in an unprincipled effort to exploit an issue that should be above partisan manipulation.  Here the people rule!

About Author

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Dan is the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR)'s President after joining the organization in 1982. He has testified more than 50 times before Congress, and been cited in the media as "America's best-known immigration reformer." Dan has appeared on virtually every significant TV and radio news/talk program in America and, in addition to being a contributing editor to ImmigrationReform.com, has contributed commentaries to a vast number of print media outlets.

35 Comments

  1. avatar

    Ligaya Fabian of 1631 El Camino Real #8 Tustin Ca 92780 submitted fake documents and paid money to obtain a driver’s license but the dmv found out and revoked the license. She jumpshipped her flight from Germany to Canada at lax to get here. She now has a green card.

  2. avatar

    You could not make this stuff up if you tried. Rahm Emanuel, mayor of the sanctuary city of Chicago, wants to give “mental health benefits” to illegals worrying about being deported. Never mind that his city is a war zone in major parts of it and that they have already raised taxes on everything not nailed down and it’s still not enough to pay for the costs illegals have placed on the city.

    • avatar

      Apparently Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel favors foreign-born murderers and rapists over law abiding U.S. Citizens.

      Anyone who’s outraged over this policies can contact the Mayor’s office at 312-744-3300.

  3. avatar

    Thank you FAIR for not giving up the fight. I had given up when the Gang of 8 tried to sell us out. Then Trump came along. Cubs and Trump in the same month! Miracles do happen!!!!

  4. avatar

    And if you are not world-centric yet you will not be able to agree, nor be able to understand this basic human developmental principal. Expose your self to any number of books by Ken Wilber, the top researcher of the Human Development disciplines in today’s academic circles. I am almost finished with “A short History of Everything”… fascinating really.

    • avatar

      Fox is the status quo. I see fox news as the epitome of a country-centric worldview. To place yourself in another shoes is a wider perspective. The smaller or more narrow ones perspective, the more dangerous you are to a healthy mind, world and others. From an infants egocentric world, through a family-centric, village-centric, country-centric, world-centric and beyond, is the natural unfolding of psychic development. We are all unfolding. It is matter of time only to a humanly mature earth.

  5. avatar
    Raymond Babcock on

    I voted for Trump I said it loud. Make America great again. Now that I have my leader In the White House. The losers are showing there true color. Time for law and order. My America is not a refugee camp. English borders law enforcement. To hate America why come here.

    • avatar

      Really…I found this
      rBurnsPrankMonkey 1 hour ago
      Trump supporters are tools. He hasn’t taken office and he’s starting to break promises. He campaigned on a platform of cleaning house in Washington and is already stocking his transition team and potential cabinet selections with political insiders. He pledged to eliminate Obamacare and is already saying that he’s prepared to compromise on it. I’m going to enjoy watching you suckers get screwed over for the next four years. Because the people who are going to get hurt the most are exact same uneducated white trash who voted for Trump.
      Show replies (29) Reply

      • avatar

        N to the tile of the article if is how come Clintons the popular vote….very possible by 2M+ once all votes are countex

      • avatar

        The “uneducated white trash who voted for Trump”, as you call Trump voters, are the descendants of the people who founded and built this country, and fought to liberate the world from Nazism and Japanese imperialism. How would you and others like you who are just showing up now at “The Land of the Big PX” in order to rip it off like to be living in a world ruled by the Nazis and Japanese? Mexicans and others from south of the border would not be doing so well in a world ruled by the Axis powers, and it takes a lot of chutzpah for someone like you to have such contempt for the people of this country.

        • avatar

          Secborders I did not say but the guy u read his name,,, btw doubtfulnthey have ancestrybin this land

      • avatar

        Hey Dad, the unemployment office called again and said the benefit checks are going to be stopped unless you start looking for a job. One more thing, mom says she is filing for divorce because you won’t get off your butt and look for work. Dad, please stop trolling and get a life.

        • avatar

          Very possible out if 339 million even though if u understood English you realize I said … I did not

  6. avatar
    Barbara Griffith on

    There is something else too about Huma Abedin Hillary’s right hand, all of her family is directly connected to the Muslim Brotherhood. Her mother belongs to the Muslim Sisterhood, her brother belongs to the Muslim Brotherhood. Those people are terrorists, I’m wondering if the FBI will even look into the woman’s background? With at least 6 investigations ongoing connected to the Clinton Foundation its going to be interesting to out just who is going to jail. I’m not holding my breath on that one.
    Changing the subject I want to mention that Geet Wilder’s the politician from Holland gave a really good speech on the refugees that is destroying his country. It can be found at gatestoneinstitute.org
    He sounds like he is calling for a Brexit, I know the Uk has called what has happened with the voters here in the U.S. is our Brexit. All I can say is let the changes begin!!!

    • avatar
      Elizabeth Beasley on

      It seems that the Clintons have a way of avoiding vetting for their minions. In a tell all book by an in WH FBI agent, during Billy boy’s first term, their cabinet members were nearly impossible to do back ground checks on. Vincent Foster was the hardest! FYI – his server, in his WH office, came up missing too!

  7. avatar

    The Democrats have been selling America to 1) be elected 2) Make themselves rich. while on tax payer’s shoulders.
    Why are illegal immigrant/invaders 1) do not complaint when the same is asked of their county. 2) Why they do NOT demand of their leader to procure a living wage and or welfare for them?
    How can one expect those emigrants to defend America if they did NOT defend their own country?

  8. avatar

    I would Love to tweet this. Many Americans Feel This way including Myself- Well said. I agree.

    Maria

  9. avatar

    A lot of open borders liberals are complaining about how afraid a lot of “immigrants” (illegal aliens) are. What about all of the law abiding American citizens who have been afraid of being murdered, raped, robbed, etc. by illegal aliens or terrorists? Or Americans who have had illegal drugs pouring into their communities from south of the border? They don’t matter, only citizens from foreign countries who have broken our laws to come here matter.

    If they are afraid of being deported then they should never have broken our laws to come to this country. If an American citizen is afraid of being sent to prison, then they make sure they don’t break any laws so that won’t happen. They have only their own criminal behavior to blame.

    • avatar

      Well said. The government has made the United States Citizens feel like we’re second class citizens to their illegal immigrants!

      • avatar

        Very true Pam Thorne. It will be very interesting to see how our country looks in 3 or 6 months.
        Thank God Trump is President – elect.

  10. avatar

    TRUMP IS NOT THE WEASELY PIECE OF PIG TURD WE CURRENTLY HAVE IN THE WHITE HOUSE!!! I BELIEVE IF HE SAYS SOMETHING…… HE DOES IT. HIS WORD IS HIS BOND AND, MORE IMPORTANTLY, HE IS HONEST…. SOMETHING WE THE PEOPLE HAVE NOT SEEN IN 8 YEARS!!! AND CONGRESS… KISSES muslim ***…. SO WE THE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN IN THE TOILET WHILE THE WANNABE ROYAL COUPLE BUT IN REALITY muslim PIGS DRAW PICTURES WITH WORDS THINKING WE BELIEVE THE **** THEY SPEW!!! CRIMINALS IN CONGRESS…. CRIMINALS IN JUSTICE DEPARTMENT….. AND IDIOTS MANDATING PERSONAL AGENDAS AND MEALS….. HOW STUPID CAN CONGRESS GET BEFORE WE KICK THEM OUT???? NOW WE KNOW WHERE THE LINE IS…. AND THEY WILL BE GONE AND HONOR AND JUSTICE WILL RETURN TO OUR NATION!!! TRUMP…. YOUR LOAD IS HEAVY AFTER THE muslim CRIMINALS….. BUT WE THE PEOPLE ARE HERE…. ANXIOUS TO RID OURSELVES OF THEIR STUPIDITY AND RETURN HONOR AND MORALITY TO OUR GOVERNMENT…. SOMETHING A FEW CONGRESSMEN HAVE TRIED AND BEEN BEATEN DOWN.

    • avatar

      I would Love to tweet this. Many people, including myself, Feel Exactly The way- Well Said- i Agree.

      Maria

    • avatar

      Correct and well said! Congressmen or women that don’t want to jump on the Trump train will not be in office after the next election! America’s “Silent majority” has been forced to take part in the political circle! We sat back too long and let the Rich Liberals think they can call US Deplorables and Parents basement dwellers! That brought us out along with the treatment of the working class people and Governments disregard of us! We are tired of the Government Side stepping American Laws and procedures to FOLLOW them was disregarded also! It was time for the line in the sand! islamics imported that were NOT screened for radicals. Now we have the Enemy in everyone’s BACKYARD! With MORE to come! NOT A SMART AND SECURE thing to do for The American Public to have to be on GUARD AGAINST! On guard we are! The threats against American Citizens by islam or illegal immigrants and some Black groups saying White Blood will be spilled is taken VERY SERIOUSLY and WE WILL DEFEND OUR FAMILIES WITH DEADLY FORCE! THIS SHOULD NOT BE FORGOTTEN BY THESE BLACKMAILERS! Don’t EVER threaten our FAMILIES! THE WRATH OF THIS WILL BECOME OBVIOUS WHEN YOU ATTEMPT IT!! My FAMILY is all I have that’s dear to me and NEVER THREATEN THEIR SAFETY! You have awakened a SLEEPING GIANT that you don’t want to make feel we have an ENEMY AT OUR DOORSTEP! We will no tolerate ANY threat or action against them and WILL STRIKE HARD AGAINST IT! Go ahead and protest if you feel you must, but DON”T THREATEN a sleeping Giant or you may get tramped on!

    • avatar

      Really

      rBurnsPrankMonkey 1 hour ago
      Trump supporters are tools. He hasn’t taken office and he’s starting to break promises. He campaigned on a platform of cleaning house in Washington and is already stocking his transition team and potential cabinet selections with political insiders. He pledged to eliminate Obamacare and is already saying that he’s prepared to compromise on it. I’m going to enjoy watching you suckers get screwed over for the next four years. Because the people who are going to get hurt the most are exact same uneducated white trash who voted for Trump.
      Show replies (29) Reply

      • avatar

        Hello Dad, I’m just writing to let you know that our supply of food stamps are running low and and that the collection agency called again today about your past due credit card bill. Also, the workforce agency also called today and said that they would cancel the unemployment checks unless you start to look for a job.

  11. avatar

    I hope Trump keeps his promises re: immigration controls and enforcement first well before any type of “comprehensive reform” legalization/amnesty. I think these Soros-funded and media-encouraged riots are attempts to put Trump on the defensive and diminish his obvious mandate. I hope Trump doesn’t cave.

    • avatar

      IT’S A SAD STATE OF AFFAIRS THAT THE MEDIA IS SO WOVEN INTO KEEPING IT ALL CLOSE TO THE CHEST. BY “ALL” I MEAN EVERYTHING… FUNDS, OPPORTUNITY, CONTROL, LEISURE, OPPORTUNITY AND MORE. YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT AND YOU THINK WHAT YOU READ. THANKS TO THE INTERNET AND P2P COMMUNICATION, WE ARE BREAKING AWAY FROM THE MEDIA ENOUGH TO TAKE A FRESH BREATH AND VIEW WHAT IS HAPPENING. I DON’T EXPECT THE STATUS QUO TO GRASP WHAT I AM SAYING. THE NORMAL HUMAN CONDITION IS DENIAL. I PRAY THAT US HUMANS WILL DEVELOP AS RAPIDLY AS THE WORLD IS CHANGING.
      GOOD LUCK TO ME, US AND THEM. I DON’T MEAN TO PAINT THE STATUS QUO IN A NEGATIVE MANNER. I AM SIMPLE STATING THE TRUTHS OF OUR UNFOLDING AS HUMAN BEINGS.

      • avatar

        You’re correct. The readership of sites like Breitbart and Drudge soared in the past few months. They are certainly a bit over the line sometimes, and I think a lot of people went there initially for a laugh, but then they realized that they were seeing stories they never saw on the Today Show and CNN. And the media brought it on themselves. There;s nothing wrong with a liberal viewpoint, we need it, but that can’t be all we hear.

    • avatar

      Russian Leader Putin has put a price on his arrest for sponsoring Terrorism {Dead or Alive) ! I think it would be wise to heed this warning M. Soros! I don’t think that this man bluffs a lot! I think he’s very serious and MUST HAVE EVIDENCE to back this up! Buying the media has caused Americans to loose confidence in their Broadcasts being Truthful! Now the ONLY News broadcast I watch is “Fox”! No other news broadcast has been reliable. That’s their MISTAKE! Their ratings will show this after their showing of all of the protest violence has slowed down They will be deserted by the American Public! We’re tired of one sided newscasts and REFUSE to partake in it.

      • avatar

        But fox is the status quo. I see fox news as the epitome of a country-centric worldview. To place yourself in another shoes is a wider perspective. The smaller or more narrow ones perspective, the more dangerous you are to a healthy mind, world and others. From an infants egocentric world, through a family-centric, village-centric, country-centric, world-centric and beyond, is the natural unfolding of psychic development. We are all unfolding. It is matter of time only to a humanly mature earth.