Trump orders construction of border wall, boosts deportation force

[JoelR]

By Jeremy Diamond, CNN | Updated 5:11 PM ET, Wed January 25, 2017 | CNN | Credit

Washington (CNN)President Donald Trump on Wednesday started to reshape US immigration enforcement policies via executive action, taking his first steps toward fulfilling some of the most contentious pledges that defined his campaign -- building a border wall and speeding the deportation of undocumented immigrants.

Trump signed two executive orders directing the construction of a wall on the US-Mexico border, boosting border patrol forces and increasing the number of immigration enforcement officers who carry out deportations. The orders also call for stripping sanctuary cities of federal grant funding and announced sweeping new criteria that could make many more undocumented immigrants priorities for deportation.

Beginning today, the United States of America gets back control of its borders," Trump told employees of the Department of Homeland Security at the department's headquarters in Washington. ut while Trump directed the "immediate construction of a physical wall on the southern border," the executive orders do not cover the cost of the wall. Trump has repeatedly promised that Mexico will reimburse US taxpayers for the construction costs, a suggestion Mexican officials have rejected out of hand.

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2017/01/25/politics/donald-trump-build-wall-immigration-executive-orders/index.html

How quickly do you think the wall will be built?  And are you supportive or against mass deportations? 

[Bingo1]

This is how it begins....

[Doug]

Breaking news from the BBC

Donald Trump has hit out at Mexico after its president cancelled next week's visit to the White House.
The US president said meeting Enrique Pena Nieto would be "fruitless" if Mexico didn't treat the US "with respect" and pay for a new border wall.
The diplomatic spat comes a day after Mr Trump unveiled his plan to build a barrier along the Mexico-US border.
Senate Republicans said the US Congress would move ahead with the plan, and it would cost $12bn (£9.5bn) to $15bn.
Mr Trump told Republican lawmakers in Philadelphia that the two leaders had mutually agreed to cancel the summit, adding, "the American people will not pay for the wall."
"Unless Mexico is going to treat the United States fairly, with respect, such a meeting would be fruitless, and I want to go a different route. We have no choice."

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-38760671

My personal opinion is that this President is not doing America any favours by his smug, arrogant attitude.  I think the American people are going to regret ever voting for him as their President.. Just out of curiosity how can he build a wall and then insist that Mexico pays for it. I am curious.  I suggest if this is the way forward for Mr Trump, maybe he should think about dismantling the Statue of Liberty and what it represents.

Still, what do I know?  I am just a European and we have to deal with Brexit - something the British people will regret voting for too, I think.  Ah well, my country right or wrong I guess, but I am glad I voted to stay in Europe. (much good it has done me and others like me!).

[Steve]

I keep wondering when people are going to wake up and come to the realization we have an idiot for a President.  Now he is saying they are going to have Mexico pay for the wall by imposing a 20% import tax on Mexican goods.  So the American people still pay for it in the end because everything from Mexico will cost more.  Who the Hell in the US is going to buy goods from Mexico with a 20% import tax?  Will the import tax apply to cars manufactured in Mexico as well? A $40,000 car would cost an extra $8,000.  What about car parts from Mexico that are used in the assembly of US manufactured cars?  This would just drive up the cost of American made cars.  Essentially he is blackmailing Mexico by threatening to shut down their manufacturing industry and create wide-spread unemployment in Mexico.  According to US trade statistics for 2015 the US exported $267.2 billion to Mexico and Mexico exported $316.4 billion to the US.  Mexico will just retaliate and people in the US who manufacture and export goods to Mexico will be out of a job. 

A report I read says it will take years to build since there is a current shortage of construction workers in the US and since a lot of them are undocumented workers they can't use them. Plus the fact a lot of the land along the border is private property and if those property owners refuse to have the wall built on their land then the US will have to go to court and use Eminent Domain which will wind up in years of ligation.

Another thing that burns me up is his insistence there was massive voter fraud and he wants an investigation which will no doubt cost millions of dollars only to find out in the end there was no massive voter fraud.  A complete waste of tax payer money when there no indication of voter fraud in the first place.  He and the Republicans are willing to spend money like this yet they could care less about making sure that average Americans receive affordable health care.  Such a sorry state of affairs this country has become.   

[JackFTwist]

On a bright note, various news sources reported today that George Orwell’s classic 1984 has shot to being the #1 bestseller on Amazon.com, following Trump Administration spokeswoman Kellyane Conway’s use of the term “alternative facts” on last Sunday morning’s “Meet the Press” TV program.  (Just Google “1984” or “kellyane conway alternative facts" and you’ll get links to a number of different such reports.  Take your pick.)  As of the time of this post, new copies of the paperback book are out of stock, and Penguin Press, the publisher, has ordered a special printing.  (The Kindle e-reader edition is available, and used print copies are apparently still available from secondary sellers.)

https://smile.amazon.com/1984-Signet-Classics-George-Orwell/dp/0451524934/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1485470304&sr=8-1&keywords=1984

Even Fox News has reported on the phenomenon.  (The one report I read was very factual and straightforward.  It didn’t try to give the story a pro-Trump or anti-press slant.)

In 1984, “The Party’s” official slogan is:  “War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength.”  “Trumpspeak” may take Orwellian “doublespeak” to new heights.

 

Edited January 27, 2017 by JackFTwist

[Doug]

4 hours ago, JackFTwist said:

In 1984, “The Party’s” official slogan is:  “War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength.”  “Trumpspeak” may take Orwellian “doublespeak” to new heights.

I rather suspect that George Orwell's Animal Farm will also be re-read by many for the same reasons.

You can read the short summary here:-

https://www.enotes.com/topics/animal-farm

[Bingo1]

15 hours ago, Steve said:

I keep wondering when people are going to wake up and come to the realization we have an idiot for a President.  Now he is saying they are going to have Mexico pay for the wall by imposing a 20% import tax on Mexican goods.  So the American people still pay for it in the end because everything from Mexico will cost more.  Who the Hell in the US is going to buy goods from Mexico with a 20% import tax?  Will the import tax apply to cars manufactured in Mexico as well? A $40,000 car would cost an extra $8,000.  What about car parts from Mexico that are used in the assembly of US manufactured cars?  This would just drive up the cost of American made cars.  Essentially he is blackmailing Mexico by threatening to shut down their manufacturing industry and create wide-spread unemployment in Mexico.  According to US trade statistics for 2015 the US exported $267.2 billion to Mexico and Mexico exported $316.4 billion to the US.  Mexico will just retaliate and people in the US who manufacture and export goods to Mexico will be out of a job. 

A report I read says it will take years to build since there is a current shortage of construction workers in the US and since a lot of them are undocumented workers they can't use them. Plus the fact a lot of the land along the border is private property and if those property owners refuse to have the wall built on their land then the US will have to go to court and use Eminent Domain which will wind up in years of ligation.

Another thing that burns me up is his insistence there was massive voter fraud and he wants an investigation which will no doubt cost millions of dollars only to find out in the end there was no massive voter fraud.  A complete waste of tax payer money when there no indication of voter fraud in the first place.  He and the Republicans are willing to spend money like this yet they could care less about making sure that average Americans receive affordable health care.  Such a sorry state of affairs this country has become.   

I think everyone realizes it by now, but no one is sure what to do about it. The Repugnants run the entire government now and they sure as hell aren't going to do anything. If it was the other way around, you can bet that impeachment hearings would already be underway.

[Doug]

21 hours ago, Bingo said:

This is how it begins....

This is the way the world ends
Not with a bang but a whimper.

T S Eliot

[Steve]

12 hours ago, Bingo said:

I think everyone realizes it by now, but no one is sure what to do about it. The Repugnants run the entire government now and they sure as hell aren't going to do anything. If it was the other way around, you can bet that impeachment hearings would already be underway.

You got that right @Bingo The House Select Committee on Benghazi alone devoured over $6.8 million of taxpayers' money, or nearly $8,000 per day and basically came up with nothing.  If Hillary had the potential conflicts of interest that Donald has there would be a committee right now investigating her with impeachment their goal.  What a bunch of hypocrites. 

.

[JackFTwist]

I’ve also posted this in the topic about the size of the crowd at Trump's inaugural, but it seems appropriate here, too.  It’s by controversial author Micah Wright from a series of posters he did soon after the 2003 US invasion of Iraq.  They're based on World War II propaganda posters from both the Allies and the Nazis.  (Sorry about the small dimensions, but they’re typical of the file sizes and bandwidth of the early 2000s.)  The source's filename “FAUXnews.jpg” seems apropos, besides the obvious play on words.

“We Distort — You Comply!” seems quite appropriate to the times, too.

 

Edited January 28, 2017 by JackFTwist

[Doug]

As reported on the BBC today.

Donald Trump has fired the acting US attorney general after she questioned the legality of his immigration ban.

Sally Yates, who was appointed by Barack Obama, ordered justice department lawyers not to enforce the president's executive order.
A White House statement accused Ms Yates of "betraying" the justice department and being "weak on borders".
Mr Trump replaced her with Dana Boente, US attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia.
Mr Boente said he was "honoured to serve President Trump" and immediately directed his department to enforce the controversial order.
Mr Trump also replaced the acting director of the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Daniel Ragsdale, who has been in the post since 20 January. He is the former deputy director.
No reason was given for Mr Ragsdale's sacking. He has been replaced by Thomas Homan, the executive associate director of enforcement and removal.
Mr Trump's order temporarily banned nationals from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the US, and sparked street protests in the US and abroad.

Ms Yates, a career prosecutor who served as deputy attorney general under Barack Obama, said in a letter that she was "not convinced" that the president's order was lawful.
"As long as I am the acting attorney general, the department of justice will not present arguments in defence of the Executive Order," she said.

 

Dougie's comment Why do I keep getting the feeling that this sounds like a Dictator in the making?   I guess he wants to surround himself with yes men!''

Edited January 31, 2017 by Doug
corrections.

[Nicolas]

7 minutes ago, Doug said:

As reported on the BBC today.

Donald Trump has fired the acting US attorney general after she questioned the legality of his immigration ban.

Sally Yates, who was appointed by Barack Obama, ordered justice department lawyers not to enforce the president's executive order.
A White House statement accused Ms Yates of "betraying" the justice department and being "weak on borders".
Mr Trump replaced her with Dana Boente, US attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia.
Mr Boente said he was "honoured to serve President Trump" and immediately directed his department to enforce the controversial order.
Mr Trump also replaced the acting director of the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Daniel Ragsdale, who has been in the post since 20 January. He is the former deputy director.
No reason was given for Mr Ragsdale's sacking. He has been replaced by Thomas Homan, the executive associate director of enforcement and removal.
Mr Trump's order temporarily banned nationals from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the US, and sparked street protests in the US and abroad.
Thousands join anti-Trump protests
Diplomats' dissent falls on deaf ears
Amateur hour at the White House?
Ms Yates, a career prosecutor who served as deputy attorney general under Barack Obama, said in a letter that she was "not convinced" that the president's order was lawful.
"As long as I am the acting attorney general, the department of justice will not present arguments in defence of the Executive Order," she said.

 

Why do I keep getting the feeling that this sounds like a Dictator in the making?

I guess he wants to surround himself with yes men!''