Obama not trustworthy on immigration

Long before illegal immigration captured the national attention, I voiced strong reservation over the influx of millions of illegals into our country.

Back when the focus was on the disaster of Obamacare and the growth of ISIS, the daily avalanche of illegals was garnering much less attention, except in the border states where the impact was immediate.

Fast forward and the national focus remains largely unchanged.

The headlines this week speak of premium increases in Obamacare that are three times what were promised, and ISIS continues its march across the Mideast with reckless abandon. The terrorist group even claims responsibility for the downing of a Russian airliner over the weekend.

Yet immigration, meanwhile, has the potential to do more harm to this nation than Obamacare and ISIS combined.

Incoming House Speaker Paul Ryan understands the issue more than most. And perhaps that is why in his first statement as speaker, he announced that Congress will not work with President Obama on immigration reform because -- in Ryan's words -- the president is untrustworthy on the issue.

Untrustworthy? Those are powerful words and the ultimate insult in the world of politics.

But Ryan, the GOP and the nation have ample reason to believe this president cannot be trusted on the topic of immigration. President Obama has used murky "executive orders" to skirt both the law and the views of most Americans.

Let's assume for a moment that those who illegally cross our borders are not members of the criminal element. Let's also assume that those arriving here illegally are not members of any terrorist organization.

But how do we as a nation address the massive crush of humanity arriving here with no language skills, no means of support, and yet they expect American taxpayers to pay for their illegal arrival?

Ryan's words should be a reminder of the unilateral and highly questionable tactics this administration has had concerning immigration.

I wrote in this column space many weeks ago that the issue of trust is a sacred touchstone in the world of politics. You can disagree with someone on the other side of the aisle, but when you lose trust in that individual, any movements toward compromise will always be viewed in that context.

It's not uncommon for presidents facing their final year in office to be nudged out of the headlines. The presidential campaign currently underway captures all of our attention -- as well it should -- and the current resident of the White House sometimes falls into the shadows.

But that is highly unlikely for this president. His agenda remains unfinished. Rest assured, he will not revisit Obamacare despite its shortfalls and he will not address ISIS short of some cosmetic actions to stall even longer.

But the one massive issue that remains is Obama's obsessive quest to flood this nation with newcomers. Once this invasion is complete, he'll leave it to future administrations to address.

Ryan has one exceptional reason to call this president untrustworthy.

It's a fact bolstered by ample evidence.