The potential political fallout from President Biden's two executive actions on immigration
President Biden unveils his second executive action on immigration in two weeks. A look at the potential political fallout and how it could impact the presidential race. Senator Ted Cruz introduces a bill to combat a growing problem: non-consensual deepfake sexually explicit images. A North Texas teenage victim and her mother speak out about the problem. With four days until the first big debate between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump, an expert tells explains how these candidates could win the debate even though the polls show most people have already made up their minds about who they will support on Election Day.
Jack Fink covers these stories and more in the latest edition of Eye on Politics (original air date: June 23).
New Protections
The Biden administration is offering new protections to about half a million people who are in the U.S. illegally and who are married to American citizens.
The program will offer a streamlined path to permanent residency and eventually citizenship.
Candidates must have lived in the U.S. for at least ten years as of Monday, June 17.
Those who qualify for the program will be able to stay in the U.S. during the application process which will shield them from being deported and allow them to obtain work permits.
President Biden said, "The Statue of Liberty is not some relic of American history. It still stands for who we are. I also refuse to believe that for us to continue to be an America that embraces immigration, we have to give up securing our border. They're false choices."
Former President and presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump slammed the idea, and Mr. Biden, while campaigning in Wisconsin last week. ''He's going to formally grant a mass amnesty to millions of illegal aliens that came into our country,'' said Trump.
Other public reactions fell along party lines.
Republicans criticized the new program, while Democrats celebrated it.
U.S. Rep. Marc Veasey, D-Fort Worth, told CBS News Texas, "It's keeping families together and quite frankly it's just a continuation of the President doing work that Republicans should have done."
U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-TX said on the Senate floor, "This is what the Border Patrol calls a pull factor. It's like a magnet attracting people into the U.S. who know that if they wait long enough, President Biden will find some way to allow them to stay in the United States."
President Biden made the announcement at the White House 12 years after former President Barack Obama unveiled a program called DACA, which allowed about half a million people, "so-called Dreamers", who came to the U.S. as young children to stay and not face deportation.
Juan Carlos Cerda of Dallas was just three years old when he came to the U.S. with his parents. "As a DACA recipient myself, The 12th anniversary of DACA is very special," said Cerda. "Because DACA allowed me to legally work, to legally drive and to start a career, have a family and own a home."
The new program is based on a provision of existing immigration law called "parole in place."
Paul Hunker, former Chief Legal Counsel for ICE in Dallas, said there is a difference between this program and DACA. "This is more firmly grounded in the Immigration and Nationality Act. The President clearly has parole power. So, one of the problems with DACA, which we're seeing in court is court judges saying that the President, the administration, doesn't have authority to do what it did."
President Biden's announcement comes in an election year, and two weeks after he unveiled another executive order to reduce illegal immigration.
The order effectively shuts down asylum between the legal ports of entry, when the number of encounters with migrants on the southern border reaches a certain threshold.
Jack spoke with SMU Political Science Professor Matthew Wilson about the potential political fallout from the two executive actions.
Watch Jack's interview with SMU Political Science Professor Matthew Wilson below:
Fighting Back
Senator Ted Cruz, R-TX, introduced a bipartisan bill with Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, to crack down on deep fake revenge porn videos and photos.
The measure is called the "Take It Down Act".
It would make it a felony to create and distribute nonconsensual sexually explicit photos or videos.
If convicted, the penalty would be up to two years in prison if the victim is an adult and up to three years in prison if the victim is underage.
The bill also would require social media companies to take down the images within 48 hours after being notified by the victim.
It's a problem that directly impacted Elliston Berry, an Aledo High School student, who was victimized by a classmate.
Berry and her mother, Anna McAdams joined other victims at a news conference at the U.S. Capitol held by Senator Cruz to speak out about the problem.
Watch Jack's interview with Elliston Berry, Anna McAdams, and Senator Cruz below:
Facing Off
President Joe Biden and former President and presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump will square off in their first big debate on Thursday night.
It's the first time they'll be face-to-face in four years.
While all presidential debates are historic, this one will set itself apart for several reasons: it's the earliest debate, there won't be a studio audience, and the microphones will be cut off for the candidate who isn't speaking.
Jack spoke with Dr. Ben Voth, Director of Debate at SMU ahead of the debate.
Watch Jack's interview with Dr. Ben Voth, Director of Debate at SMU below: