The Quote Below—More Misinformation from the Media
“Four years ago this winter, Immigration and Customs Enforcement started an intensive campaign targeting local undocumented immigrants. Both at the time and now, this manhunt appeared to be a vindictive and nearly pointless effort to make an example of hardworking people whose only sin, in most cases, was seeking better economic opportunities for their families. . . .
“There have been calls in these preceding four years to disband ICE. We would not go so far. In this day and age of climate disruption and civil strife in Central America, the U.S. cannot afford to take in everyone who wants to come. Border security shouldn’t be a partisan issue. . . .
“President Joe Biden has begun a process of outlining a tough but fair path toward normalizing the status of the millions who currently live here without legal documents. This is obviously necessary. . . .
“[T]he concerns of immigration skeptics shouldn’t be completely disregarded. When we create a path toward eventual legal citizenship for people who didn’t follow the rules, we may invite future transgressions by others hoping for the same courtesy. Reforms must be cautiously crafted to avoid incentivizing illegal border crossings. . . .
“Level-headed Republican and Democratic U.S. senators developed such a compromise years ago — a path to normalization for immigrants who are committed to decent, long-term lives here. It’s time for the nation’s business leaders to press all our leaders to recognize the reality of this situation. We must find ways to address labor needs while making sure we know and control who enters the country. . . .” – Rational Immigration Reform Is Long Overdue, Editorial. Chinook Observer, 1/25/21 [Link]Top of FormBottom of Form
Fact Check on Quote Above: Unlike most pro-immigration articles, this one at least concedes that there might be downsides to lax enforcement of immigration law. Fortunately, they “would not go so far” as to abolish ICE. Yet they will go so far as to advocate mass amnesty for millions of illegal aliens, claiming that this is “obviously necessary.” Actually it isn’t. Mass amnesty sends the message abroad that we aren’t serious about protecting our border and maintaining our national sovereignty.
It also undermines the worth and value of our citizenship. Giving it as a reward to people with who have broken our laws implies that our citizenship isn’t that significant. Like so many pro-immigration writers, the author of this editorial suggests that a mere lack of documents is all that really separates citizens and illegal resident non-citizens. This ignores the key issues of national loyalty, respect for law, and personal character.
A very practical problem with rewarding lawlessness is that it encourages more lawlessness. The editorialist acknowledges to this concern by noting that with amnesty “we may invite future transgressions.” Nevertheless, that acknowledgement sounds more like lip service than anything else. The editorial fails to propose any improvements of enforcement which might help to offset the negatives of amnesty.
The editorial writer suggests that it is “vindictive” to enforce most immigration laws, and that the “only sin” of illegal immigrants is working hard to improve their economic situations. But illegal immigration is not a victimless crime. It harms law-abiding American citizens in many ways.
This article approves of the “compromise” bill that the Senate passed in 2013. In fact it was no compromise at all, but a complete capitulation to interests of mass immigration. It offered amnesty, with few effective provisions for enforcement, and proposed to increase legal immigration. Calling these proposals rational is pretty irrational.