Worried that a Republican president will seal the borders, Central Americans are flooding the U.S. before that happens, according to political blogger Javier Manjarres.
"It has been happening for years, even through Reagan, through Clinton, through Bush, but more so now because they see this as their opportunity to come here before another, possibly Republican president, comes in who will be tougher on immigration and will enforce laws. Obama has shown not so much failed foreign policy, but failed immigration reform.
"(Obama) doesn't enforce the laws that exist," Manjarres said on
Newsmax TV's "America's Forum," citing the president's desire to help future Democrats win elections "because people suppose that immigrants that come here will vote Democrat down the road."
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Democratic strategist Bridget Todd said immigration has long been a sticky issue and that it's unfair to pin all the blame for the current situation on one policy or one president.
"I think a lot of the blame has to put Congress, who seems to be completely unwilling to act and to pass any kind of legislation that might affect," he said, adding that people need to stop focusing on whether the child migrants should be characterized as illegal aliens or refugees and instead remember that they are "kids fleeing very dangerous situations."
"It really does take really thinking about this issue the way it is and seeing it as not an issue to score political points or posturing, but really about these children who are fleeing very serious very dangerous circumstances," she said.
Manjarres disputed that position, suggesting that it is important to designate the migrants for what they are: "illegal aliens."
"Let's be very clear," he said. "The U.S. gives out resident alien cards. Resident alien cards, these are illegal aliens, bottom line. At the end of the day, we'll fix the immigration policy and disasters there may be if we enforce the laws. If we enforce the laws, there's no issues of immigration."
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