Border Crisis: Obama, Congress Closer To Deal On Central American Children, Illegal Immigrants

Border crisis… we’ve been hearing that phrase a lot lately, usually in relation to the multitudes of Central American children who have entered the United States illegally in recent months. To say that the Obama Administration, Congressional Republicans and Texas Governor Rick Perry have been at odds over how to handle the Central American children and the border crisis would be like saying the Cleveland Cavaliers would kind of like to sign LeBron James again.

A related Inquisitr report describes the situation in a rural Michigan town that is preparing to host many of the illegal immigrant children.

The border crisis issue has become so divisive that Republican Governor Rick Perry — who has publicly questioned Obama’s concern for the Central American children — refused to meet the president at the tarmac — normally a standard political courtesy — when Obama visited the state, suggesting that the president ought to focus less on raising funds for Democratic congressional candidates and visit the Texas-Mexico border to see the border crisis caused by the influx of unaccompanied Central American children for himself.

President Obama wasn’t amenable to seeing the Central American children for himself. A Reuters report quotes him saying:

“This isn’t theater. This is a problem. I’m not interested in photo ops. I’m interested in solving a problem… There’s nothing that is taking place down there that I am not intimately aware of and briefed on.”

Ironically, then-Senator Obama had sharp criticism when his predecessor, George W. Bush, chose to rely on briefings instead of personally getting in the way of relief efforts during his crisis with Hurricane Katrina.

Although Governor Perry couldn’t convince the president to meet him near the site of the border crisis, the two did agree to meet to discuss the handling and possible deportation of illegal immigrants, and especially the Central American children. Governor Perry is on the record demanding the deployment of National Guard troops and additional U.S. Border Patrol agents to address the situation.

Somewhat surprisingly, President Obama said:

“The bottom line actually is there is nothing the governor indicated that he’d like to see that I have a philosophical objection to.”

As this is happening, a deal appears to be getting closer. Key Democrats have suggested they would be willing to include swifter deportations in the aid bill that would give the president $3.7 to $4.3 billion to help deal with the border crisis caused by the influx of illegal immigrants from Central America.

A Fox News report quotes that the congressional working group tasked with considering the President’s request for aid to deal with the border crisis, chaired by Rep. Kay Granger of Texas, said:

“We will review the facts and continue to gather on-the-ground information in order to develop a series of recommendations regarding actions the administration can take within its authority as well as legislative solutions for the Congress to consider to address this crisis.”

Meanwhile, even Nancy Pelosi has indicated a willingness to bend to get a deal done to get aid for the Central American children. If her snakiness doesn’t endanger the negotiations, Congress and the President may actually be able to make headway on the border crisis. According to the Reuters report, House Minority Leader Pelosi said of the quicker deportations Republicans are demanding before making a deal on the border crisis:

“It’s not a deal-breaker. Let them have their face-saver. But let us have the resources to do what we have to do.”

What do you think? How should President Obama, Governor Perry and Congress deal with Central American children involved int he border crisis?