The refugees as political pawns?

Sombrero tip to Laura Carlsen:

Obama’s Immigration Independence Day (Major Garrett, National Journal, 3 July 2014).  National Journal is a conservative publication of some weight, covering the “inside baseball” of Washington politcs.  An interesting read on the political calculus going into decisions that not only affect the refugees now crossing into the United States, and undocumented residents in the U.S., but how the U.S. is going to work (or ignore) with the Central American nations to resolve the issues that led to this crisis.

Obama has aligned himself with congressional Republicans, even though they acknowledge it only rhetorically. Obama will soon ask Congress for more power to deport the unaccompanied minors, rankling Democrats like Sen. Robert Menendez, chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee. Menendez was displeased when briefed last week on Obama’s enforcement plans. House Republicans may prove receptive to the money and the deportation authority when it comes time to write a continuing resolution.

Either way, Obama’s now struck his own path on the larger issue of comprehensive immigration reform and unaccompanied minors on the border, pleasing no one completely in the process.