As President Obama announces the details of his executive action to grant legal status to millions of people in the United States illegally, acclaimed documentary filmmaker Dennis Michael Lynch says this is the one Obama policy that will permanently damage America, and he says the only way to save the country is through steps no Republicans seem willing to take.
Lynch is the creator of the border documentaries “They Come to America” and “They Come to America II”. In response to reports that Obama will grant legal status to some five to six million illegal immigrants (and possibly many more), Lynch says he’s devastated that this day has come but not at all surprised.
“It’s one of those things where you always knew it was coming. You just never thought it would arrive. It’s sort of disheartening knowing that it’s here. It’s disheartening because I know that the impact of this is going to be far greater than any sound bite can explain,” said Lynch.
Nonetheless, Lynch tried to put into words what Obama’s actions will mean for the U.S. in the near and long term.
“Americans are screwed. I mean we are screwed with what’s going on right now,” he said, suggesting the implementation of what he considers amnesty has a far different impact than even Obama’s signature legislative accomplishment.
“Obamacare can be repealed. You’re watching it break down. I knew this would happen a year ago that it wouldnever last. It was just a house of cards waiting for a big gust of wind and the wind is coming. But you cannot repeal 30 million people. You can’t repeal 20 million people. You can deport them…You can’t repeal them. You can’t give them amnesty and then take the amnesty away. It’s literally impossible and that’s what fundamentally transforms a country,” said Lynch.
Lynch also believes this priority dwarfs all others from Obama’s perspective.
“This is the one thing that stains America and you can’t get the stain out. To him, this puts his face on Mount Rushmore, so he’s going to fight to the death for this. This is his baby,” said Lynch. “He doesn’t give a damn what happened in the election two weeks ago. You think he gives a damn? He doesn’t give a damn at all. He doesn’t care if this hurts Hillary in 2016. He doesn’t care about anybody but himself.”
For Lynch, the permanent damage to the country comes in two major ways, far worse job opportunities for Americans and much weaker national security. He says an already sluggish job market for American citizens will get far more depressing.
“If that (illegal immigrant) was hanging sheet rock illegally and now they’ve got a work permit, they could start going for the jobs they otherwise were not able to get last time, ones that need a driver’s license, one where you have to be on a payroll correctly. They’re going to start applying for jobs like UPS and the postal service and security guards and at the TSA. You name it, they’re going to start going for those jobs, and they’re going to get them,” said Lynch, who says that trend will only lead to many more American citizens relying on government assistance because they cannot find work.
As for his national security concerns, Lynch says he is stunned at how soon the lessons of 9/11 have been forgotten.
“This is devastating. It totally ignores everything written in the 9/11 Commission report. It’s as if the president took a match to it and just lit up the 9/11 Commission report as if there was no report and as if there was no 9/11. We’re going to be giving legal documentation to illegal aliens in this country. And it’s not going to be five million by the way. It’s going to be far more than that,” said Lynch.
While Lynch is thoroughly exasperated with Obama, he also has little patience for most Republicans. He believes the full-throated opposition of the GOP to Obama’s executive orders is an example of “too little, too late”.
“They’re half the problem. They were closing their eyes for years and years and years as they were taking campaign donations from big lobbyists who were supporting big businesses. They too were in it for the cheap labor. They’re just as guilty as anybody else,” said Lynch.
The filmmaker is livid with both mainstream Republicans and staunch conservatives. Lynch savaged Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) for appearing on the Fox News Channel Wednesday night and vowing to use every constitutional tool available to stop Obama actions. While Cruz voted against the 2013 Gang of Eight bill in the Senate, Lynch says the senator offered an amendment that would have increased the number of hi-tech work visas by 500 percent.
Lynch says there are only two things Republicans can do to slow the impact of the executive orders, but he admits even those would have limited impact. The first is the much-discussed strategy to defund government effort’s to enforce the new orders.
“They will have to fight him through the purse and even that is not going to completely do it because Obama has already planned for this. He knows what steps they’re going to take and he obviously has his counter plan to that. You don’t go on national television. You don’t make this sort of move like he’s making if you don’t have a full script written out,” he said.
The most effective tool, he says, would be electing a president fully committed to uprooting these executive orders upon taking office. Still, he says that won’t erase all the damage.
“The next president would have to override his amnesty. Even then, if you override his amnesty, you’re still never going to be able to put all the sand back in the bottle,” said Lynch.
He also says this approach requires a Republican nominee who understands the severity of the issue.
“It’s such a Herculean effort that it would take an amazing, amazing human being to stay the course and be able to do that,” he said. “None of the guys in the GOP have the guts to do it. Half the guys in the GOP want to give amnesty. You think Jeb Bush, if he gets in, he’s going to say, ‘Yeah, I’m going to reverse the amnesty?’ He’s going to say, ‘It’s an act of love. Let’s give out more work permits,'” said Lynch.
Lynch himself has publicly stated he’s considering a presidential bid in 2016, mentioning the idea just weeks ago to Fox News Channel host Megyn Kelly. Does this new scenario push him into the race?
“After today, I’m almost ready to call up Megyn Kelly and say I’m doing it,” he said.
Lynch believes his candidacy would be a long shot due to the GOP and the media being disinterested in him. He says a massive grassroots army would be needed to make such a bid worthwhile.
