More Misinformation from the Media:
[T]he president and his surrogates have ramped up their draconian rhetoric and harsh policy proposals in hopes of scaring people into the shadows or out of the country altogether. Fear, a central component of Trump’s campaign, has now become a governing tool. On the campaign trail, he scapegoated immigrants to rally support for a political agenda based on a supposed white, Christian, law-abiding, U.S.-citizen “us” and a non-white, Muslim, Mexican and Central American criminal immigrant “them.”
Levels of fear have run high in immigrant communities. Organizations have canceled cultural events to avoid the possibility of an immigration raid; people have sought sanctuary in churches; and some have decided to leave the country, or “self-deport.” . . .
Despite the limited effectiveness of self-deportation campaigns in pushing people out of the country, they remain an essential component of the deportation machine, as . . . Trump’s incessant anti-immigrant fearmongering make clear. – The Core of Donald Trump’s Immigration Policy? Fear, The Washington Post, by Adam Goodman, 8/24/17
Fact Check: This writer seems to think it’s outrageous that lawbreakers should fear law enforcement. What’s wrong with that? How is it harsh or draconian? Fear is not necessarily a bad thing. Indeed, in proper measure, it can be a good thing if it restrains bad behavior.
This writer, one can reasonably deduce, does not think that breaking our immigration laws—and other laws illegal aliens commonly break—is bad behavior. Furthermore, he doesn’t seem to think that there is much difference between citizens (us) and non-citizens (them), and that pointing to such a difference is “scapegoating.” Actually Trump didn’t say anything about citizens being only white and Christian. He just said citizens, but this writer, as is typical of so many immigration advocates, cannot resist the temptation to indulge in race baiting.
If illegal alien advocates don’t believe in the significance of citizenship, then it follows that they also don’t believe in the significance of countries, particularly our country. That being the case, it would be most helpful for public understanding if they would plainly admit that they have no national loyalty or patriotism. Most, however, will not do so for the sake of expediency. Such an admission certainly would repel most Americans.
Much of this article argues against self-deportation, the view that if illegal aliens fear immigration law enforcement they will go home on their own over a period of time. Nevertheless, the author provides few reasons as to why it wouldn’t work. Self-deportation is the answer to the claim that dealing with the huge illegal alien population in the U.S. would require immediate mass round-ups which would be costly and socially disruptive. Illegal alien advocates may talk about fear all they like, but one fear they seem to have is that self-deportation would work.