The Biden Administration’s lawlessness, especially concerning illegal immigration, knows no bounds. Last week, the Department of Homeland Security promulgated a “new” policy that allows the government to “parole” illegal immigrants into the United States without even issuing a notice that they are required to appear before an immigration judge. Rather than give them a court date to appear before they are released, as was previously done (which is itself a violation of federal law), the new policy simply asks that illegal immigrants provide a mailing address and a promise to appear at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility within 60 days to ask for a date in an immigration court.
That’s absurd, and a federal judge put a stop to the new policy before it went into effect.
Yet the Biden Administration decided to continue allowing illegal immigrants to be released into the country via “parole.” That is a direct violation of the federal court order. Thankfully, at least one federal judge – T. Kent Wetherell II, of the northern district of Florida – is willing to stand up to hold Biden and his cronies to account.
The Biden Administration’s refusal to follow the law has significant real-world consequences.
New York City officials estimate the city will spend more than $4 billion dealing with the illegal immigrants who have flooded the city as a result of Biden’s illegal immigration crisis.
And New York’s experience is multiplied all over the country, as local, state, and federal government officials make decisions to deploy taxpayer resources to support the needs of illegal immigrants instead of American citizens.
That’s wrong. And what’s really infuriating about it is that it is the direct and predictable result of the Biden Administration’s refusal to follow the law.
Enter Judge Wetherell, who, in an earlier case filed by the state of Florida against the Biden Administration, demonstrated his willingness to stand firmly for the rule of law against the Biden Administration’s refusal to do so. In that case, Wetherell ruled that the Biden Administration had to stop its “Parole+ATD” – that is, “Parole plus Alternatives to Detention” – because it violated the law.
Last week, in a new case brought by the state of Florida against the Biden Administration, Judge Wetherell issued an order denying the Border Patrol the ability to release illegal immigrants into the country via “parole,” saying the “new” Biden Administration policy was “materially indistinguishable” from the “Parole+ATD”policy he had rejected two months earlier.
“Like the Parole+ATD policy, the Parole with Conditions policy is a ‘processing pathway’ designed to relieve overcrowding at Border Patrol facilities and release large numbers of aliens into the country on ‘parole’ without even initiating immigration proceedings,” Judge Wetherell wrote in Monday’s decision. “The Parole with Conditions policy operates in precisely the same manner as the Parole+ATD policy – by allowing immigration officials to ‘parole’ arriving aliens into the country on the condition that they schedule an appointment at Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility (or check-in online) within a specified period to be placed in an immigration proceeding.”
Wetherell’s ruling last week put the new policy on hold for two weeks, to give the Biden Administration time to file an appeal. Department of Justice lawyers asked for a two-week stay of the judge’s order, which he promptly denied.
Then came Friday, and – according to a report in The Washington Times – the Biden Administration continued to allow illegal immigrants into the country, “paroling” some 2,500 of them even after the judge’s order blocking the policy had gone into effect.
Judge Wetherell was not happy. Even as he acknowledged he had “a healthy degree of skepticism” about the news report, he showed his mood: “However,” he wrote, “the Court takes allegations of noncompliance with its orders very seriously, irrespective of the source of the allegations.” Wetherell ordered the Biden Administration’s lawyers to explain its continued use of the new policy he had blocked.
Here’s the problem: The Biden Administration simply does not wish to follow the law. It doesn’t make a difference how it cloaks the policy – whether one calls it “Parole+ATD” or “Parole with Conditions,” as Judge Wetherell says, it’s essentially the same policy, and it’s a policy that violates the law. And the result is the catastrophe we see on the southern border … and everywhere illegal immigrants get to in the interior of the country.
The solution to the problem is not rocket science: To end the lawlessness of the Biden Administration, we must end the Biden Administration and replace it with an administration committed to following and enforcing the law. It’s just that simple.
Jenny Beth Martin is Honorary Chairman of Tea Party Patriots Action. The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and do not reflect the official position of the Daily Caller News Foundation.
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Five Things New “Preppers” Forget When Getting Ready for Bad Times Ahead
The preparedness community is growing faster than it has in decades. Even during peak times such as Y2K, the economic downturn of 2008, and Covid, the vast majority of Americans made sure they had plenty of toilet paper but didn’t really stockpile anything else.
Things have changed. There’s a growing anxiety in this presidential election year that has prompted more Americans to get prepared for crazy events in the future. Some of it is being driven by fearmongers, but there are valid concerns with the economy, food supply, pharmaceuticals, the energy grid, and mass rioting that have pushed average Americans into “prepper” mode.
There are degrees of preparedness. One does not have to be a full-blown “doomsday prepper” living off-grid in a secure Montana bunker in order to be ahead of the curve. In many ways, preparedness isn’t about being able to perfectly handle every conceivable situation. It’s about being less dependent on government for as long as possible. Those who have proper “preps” will not be waiting for FEMA to distribute emergency supplies to the desperate masses.
Below are five things people new to preparedness (and sometimes even those with experience) often forget as they get ready. All five are common sense notions that do not rely on doomsday in order to be useful. It may be nice to own a tank during the apocalypse but there’s not much you can do with it until things get really crazy. The recommendations below can have places in the lives of average Americans whether doomsday comes or not.
Note: The information provided by this publication or any related communications is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial advice. We do not provide personalized investment, financial, or legal advice.
Secured Wealth
Whether in the bank or held in a retirement account, most Americans feel that their life’s savings is relatively secure. At least they did until the last couple of years when de-banking, geopolitical turmoil, and the threat of Central Bank Digital Currencies reared their ugly heads.
It behooves Americans to diversify their holdings. If there’s a triggering event or series of events that cripple the financial systems or devalue the U.S. Dollar, wealth can evaporate quickly. To hedge against potential turmoil, many Americans are looking in two directions: Crypto and physical precious metals.
There are huge advantages to cryptocurrencies, but there are also inherent risks because “virtual” money can become challenging to spend. Add in the push by central banks and governments to regulate or even replace cryptocurrencies with their own versions they control and the risks amplify. There’s nothing wrong with cryptocurrencies today but things can change rapidly.
As for physical precious metals, many Americans pay cash to keep plenty on hand in their safe. Rolling over or transferring retirement accounts into self-directed IRAs is also a popular option, but there are caveats. It can often take weeks or even months to get the gold and silver shipped if the owner chooses to close their account. This is why Genesis Gold Group stands out. Their relationship with the depositories allows for rapid closure and shipping, often in less than 10 days from the time the account holder makes their move. This can come in handy if things appear to be heading south.
Lots of Potable Water
One of the biggest shocks that hit new preppers is understanding how much potable water they need in order to survive. Experts claim one gallon of water per person per day is necessary. Even the most conservative estimates put it at over half-a-gallon. That means that for a family of four, they’ll need around 120 gallons of water to survive for a month if the taps turn off and the stores empty out.
Being near a fresh water source, whether it’s a river, lake, or well, is a best practice among experienced preppers. It’s necessary to have a water filter as well, even if the taps are still working. Many refuse to drink tap water even when there is no emergency. Berkey was our previous favorite but they’re under attack from regulators so the Alexapure systems are solid replacements.
For those in the city or away from fresh water sources, storage is the best option. This can be challenging because proper water storage containers take up a lot of room and are difficult to move if the need arises. For “bug in” situations, having a larger container that stores hundreds or even thousands of gallons is better than stacking 1-5 gallon containers. Unfortunately, they won’t be easily transportable and they can cost a lot to install.
Water is critical. If chaos erupts and water infrastructure is compromised, having a large backup supply can be lifesaving.
Pharmaceuticals and Medical Supplies
There are multiple threats specific to the medical supply chain. With Chinese and Indian imports accounting for over 90% of pharmaceutical ingredients in the United States, deteriorating relations could make it impossible to get the medicines and antibiotics many of us need.
Stocking up many prescription medications can be hard. Doctors generally do not like to prescribe large batches of drugs even if they are shelf-stable for extended periods of time. It is a best practice to ask your doctor if they can prescribe a larger amount. Today, some are sympathetic to concerns about pharmacies running out or becoming inaccessible. Tell them your concerns. It’s worth a shot. The worst they can do is say no.
If your doctor is unwilling to help you stock up on medicines, then Jase Medical is a good alternative. Through telehealth, they can prescribe daily meds or antibiotics that are shipped to your door. As proponents of medical freedom, they empathize with those who want to have enough medical supplies on hand in case things go wrong.
Energy Sources
The vast majority of Americans are locked into the grid. This has proven to be a massive liability when the grid goes down. Unfortunately, there are no inexpensive remedies.
Those living off-grid had to either spend a lot of money or effort (or both) to get their alternative energy sources like solar set up. For those who do not want to go so far, it’s still a best practice to have backup power sources. Diesel generators and portable solar panels are the two most popular, and while they’re not inexpensive they are not out of reach of most Americans who are concerned about being without power for extended periods of time.
Natural gas is another necessity for many, but that’s far more challenging to replace. Having alternatives for heating and cooking that can be powered if gas and electric grids go down is important. Have a backup for items that require power such as manual can openers. If you’re stuck eating canned foods for a while and all you have is an electric opener, you’ll have problems.
Don’t Forget the Protein
When most think about “prepping,” they think about their food supply. More Americans are turning to gardening and homesteading as ways to produce their own food. Others are working with local farmers and ranchers to purchase directly from the sources. This is a good idea whether doomsday comes or not, but it’s particularly important if the food supply chain is broken.
Most grocery stores have about one to two weeks worth of food, as do most American households. Grocers rely heavily on truckers to receive their ongoing shipments. In a crisis, the current process can fail. It behooves Americans for multiple reasons to localize their food purchases as much as possible.
Long-term storage is another popular option. Canned foods, MREs, and freeze dried meals are selling out quickly even as prices rise. But one component that is conspicuously absent in shelf-stable food is high-quality protein. Most survival food companies offer low quality “protein buckets” or cans of meat, but they are often barely edible.
Prepper All-Naturals offers premium cuts of steak that have been cooked sous vide and freeze dried to give them a 25-year shelf life. They offer Ribeye, NY Strip, and Tenderloin among others.
Having buckets of beans and rice is a good start, but keeping a solid supply of high-quality protein isn’t just healthier. It can help a family maintain normalcy through crises.
Prepare Without Fear
With all the challenges we face as Americans today, it can be emotionally draining. Citizens are scared and there’s nothing irrational about their concerns. Being prepared and making lifestyle changes to secure necessities can go a long way toward overcoming the fears that plague us. We should hope and pray for the best but prepare for the worst. And if the worst does come, then knowing we did what we could to be ready for it will help us face those challenges with confidence.
