I’m not sure exactly where I stand on this illegal
deportation hold executive order released by the current administration in D.C.
The strict conservative in me says: ”Hold up there; is this right?” The kind
hearted soul that I am says: “They didn’t cause this mess; cut them some
slack!”
But here’s the rub.
The other day there was a report in the New York Times stating that “More than 82,000 illegal immigrants
have applied for a two-year reprieve from deportation in the first 30 working
days of an Obama administration program, and 29 (thousand) have been approved,
officials from the Department of Homeland Security said on Friday.” http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/15/us/us-cites-fast-pace-on-reprieves-for-young-illegal-immigrants.html?_r=1
That’s a little over 35% claim clearing efficiency.
Additionally “63,000 applicants had already been scheduled to have fingerprints
and photographs taken for a criminal background check, the second step in the
process.”
What’s more, “Officials had
originally predicted it could take several months after they
began receiving applications on Aug. 15 for the first immigrants to be
approved.
Only several months to get these claims cleared? Just where
did this efficiency come from?
On the other hand, I find this report from the same New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/13/us/13backlog.html?pagewanted=all&_moc.semityn.www
“Nearly 18 months
went by before the Department of
Veterans Affairs granted his claim late last month”
and
“the vast majority of the 82,000 claims the department received
each month were not from veterans returning from the current wars. “We’re still
getting a lot of Vietnam
vets,”
But the stated VA Goal is “is to process all disability
claims within 125 days, at a 98 percent accuracy level, and eliminate the
claims backlog in 2015” and
“All 56 VBA regional offices will be operating under the new organizational
model by the end of 2013”
Then there’s the report in USA Today http://www.usatoday.com/news/military/story/2012-07-17/veterans-disability-claims-backlog/56282042/1
that states:
"Despite unprecedented (Veterans Benefits
Administration) claims production — completing over 1 million claims each year
for the last two years — VA's backlog has grown,"
“As of mid-June, the VA had 870,000 pending cases; and 66%
had been pending more than 125 days, according to a special analysis of data
cited by Hickey. At the same time last year, the VA was dealing with more than
836,000 claims, with 59% pending more than 125 days, according to data on the
VA's website. The VA has set a goal of processing all claims in fewer than 125
days by 2015.”
Now I ask you; just where is the disconnect between the
Current Administration’s handling of these two important topics? Is one more
important than the other? Regardless of how you sympathize with the immigration
issue; don’t we owe some priority to those who have fought and served us in the
past as well as being ready to support those currently serving and fighting for
us currently?
It seems that the current administration feels that helping
the illegal issue is more important than providing for our Vets—sure seems that
way to me.
Compare the 35% claim efficiency rate established above;
just since 15 August—36+ days back—and the expected finish date of only several
months—let’s say 90 days.
Extrapolating the same claim efficiency rate to the number
of backlogged Veteran cases, the VA could clear some 304,500 claims in the same
period. That’s more than 300 thousand vets better off by the turn of the
year—not sometime in 2015.
How ‘bout we put the effort where it’s deserved or as a
minimum get these claims people working one Vet case for every one immigrant
case? Fair is fair!
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