I've mentioned before (most recently here) the use of Temporary Protected Status as a way for the president to unilaterally give what amounts to permanent amnesty to illegal aliens, granting them work authorization and Social Security numbers. I'd never seen any group demand TPS for all illegals, though, until I saw this, which lists the many ways the president could amnesty some or all illegal aliens on his own authority. TPS is for illegals who can't be deported because of emergency conditions — a hurricane destroyed their country's airport or a volcano buried their island in ash. But a spokesman for the group making the demand, the Southern California Immigration Coalition, justified TPS in an interview by saying that:
To deport all these people to Mexico would create an emergency crisis in their own economy. And that's the crisis we would have in Mexico. Coupled with the drug wars that are going on, the problem that we have with the virus, the flu, it would just create great havoc for Mexico in its economy.
Mark my words — as it becomes increasingly clear that no amnesty will be forthcoming from Congress this year, expect a rising chorus of demands from both the Left and the rope-selling Right that the president circumvent Congress and use his popularity to "fix" the immigration problem this way.
If you enjoyed this blog on TPS, check out Mark Krikorian's detailed look at TPS, Here to Stay, or Jessica Vaughan's Immigrant Gangster Charged in DC Double Murder.
