Enforcing the Law

One problem with having full time lawmakers is that we end up with too many laws. It becomes impractical to enforce them all. Our executive department selects some laws that will not be enforced.

Two such laws are (1) that when a person enters the country, he must complete certain paperwork, and if he desires to remain permanently, he must apply for citizenship and fulfill certain citizenship requirements; and (2) that a business owner shall not hire an employee who is not a citizen and/or who does not have the proper documentation for temporary residence.

Our executive department, under President Bush and his recent predecessors, has decided to offer at best token enforcement of these laws. As a result we are dealing with 12 million illegal aliens in the country today. Their adverse impact on schools, health care, and other public services is well documented. But our president would rather line the pockets of his wealthy cronies with ill-gained profit than enforce the laws and reserve the public services for our citizens.

I don't oppose immigration. I'll say it again--I don't oppose immigration. Immigrants bring new ideas, new talent and much more to our nation. But immigration MUST be done in accordance with our laws.

At least two other presidents addressed immigration issues in the 20th century. President Eisenhower, having been made aware of in increase in illegal immigration, cracked down immediately. He sent thousands more agents to secure the borders, and they returned captured immigrants into their home countries, not just at the border, but hundreds of miles inland. He also prosecuted the employers of illegal immigrants. Within a few months the illegal crossings slowed to a trickle, and many illegals left the country voluntarily.

Theodore Roosevelt in retirement became aware of the increased immigration right after WWI. He firmly believed that those who come to America should become Americans. An excerpt from his letter written in 1919 to the American Defense Society has made the rounds on the internet:
"...In the first place we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here does in good faith become an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with every one else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed or birthplace or origin. But this is predicated upon the man’s becoming in very fact an American and nothing but an American. "If he tries to keep segregated with men of his own origin and separated from the rest of America, then he isn't doing his part as an American. "We have room for but one flag, the American flag, and this excludes the red flag which symbolizes all wars against liberty and civilization just as much as it excludes any foreign flag of a nation to which we are hostile. We have room for but one language here and that is the English language, for we intend to see that the crucible turns our people out as Americans, and American nationality, and not as dwellers in a polyglot boarding house; and we have room for but one soul [sic] loyalty, and that is loyalty to the American people."

Most of us know some illegal immigrants. The ones I have met are earnest, hard working, congenial people, and some have lived here for many years. If they want to become citizens, we should help them. If not, we should deport them.

First, however, we need to secure the border as President Eisenhower did. Second, we need to enforce the restraints on employers. Once the influx is stopped, we can work out a reasonable plan for the lawbreakers who are already here--citizenship and assimilation for some, deportation for others.
I call them lawbreakers because that is what they are, even though most may have broken only one law. We should not selectively obey our laws any more than we should selectively enforce them. And our elected officials should see that the laws are enforced.