ICIE founder: Obama immigration plan 'reckless,' will harm more families

President Barack Obama's recent executive order deferring deportations for up to five million foreign nationals drew mixed reviews from immigration activists, with some praising the effort, and others feeling it didn't address the core problems inherent in the system.

ICIE founder Ralph Isenberg has a number of issues with the executive order. "I'm highly critical of Obama's initiative, but my criticism is confined to the two areas of expertise our organization specializes in: extreme family separation and Constitutional issues. He has been reckless with this executive order."

We will explore Isenberg's thoughts on those two issues in future posts, but he believes the biggest effect of Obama's executive order is being overlooked by many. It stems from the law enforcement imperative Obama directed to ICE. "The executive order allows ICE to expedite the removal process against foreign nationals," he said. "It essentially destroys other forms of relief, including the I-246 (a Stay if Deportation or Removal application), prosecutorial discretion, or any stay of removal. ICE will expand the groups it will target for deportation. Raids and deportations in the night will continue. Guns being drawn on parents and placed in handcuffs in front of their children will continue."

For this reason, Isenberg recommends to foreign nationals not to apply for the new program outlined in the executive order, anf seeks alternative forms of relief instead.