For it is by grace you have been saved...

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Which Part of Illegal Do You Not Understand?

It’s been awhile since I wrote a completely political post in this space. Now’s as good at time as any.

I’ve struggled for some time about the debate over “illegal” immigrants. Now, here me very clearly here. My beef is not with the “immigrant” part, but with the “illegal” part. Illegal, as in “prohibited by law; against the law.”

The latest move by the President to provide “amnesty” to hundreds of thousands of illegal aliens has really brought the issue to the front of my mind. This is crazy. I mean, why are we even having this debate? If it’s illegal, it’s illegal and should be stopped. Period, right? Why are we fighting for the “rights” of illegal aliens, and why are we giving government benefits to illegal aliens. They aren’t here legally, and shouldn’t be supported by tax payer dollars.

I know it sounds harsh, but change the wording a bit and you see how ridiculous it is. How about this: The government should provide illegal drug users with amnesty. Of course no one would go for that. Or how about: The government should give amnesty to illegal embezzlers, giving them permission to continue working here. Not on your life.

My favorite part of the whole thing is that the President’s policy speaks of “illegal aliens who don’t have a criminal record.” What? Illegal aliens with no criminal records? I know we want to jump up and say, “but these people aren’t criminals” and I’ll be quick to admit that it’s not like we’re talking about ax murderers here. But they have already broken the law; they are illegal aliens!

To further show that the administration has no concept of what “illegal” means, the entire policy is a violation of the US Constitution. Article I, section 8, clause 4 of the United States Constitution plainly gives Congress the power to establish a “uniform rule of naturalization.” In short, Congress is charged with making rules concerning citizenship, not the Executive Branch. The President’s policy is illegal.

Furthermore, the policy will reverse standing federal law in the case of some 300,000 illegal immigrants currently facing possible deportation. Reverse; as in violate standing law by a branch of government that doesn’t have the Constitutional right to do so. Talk about illegal.

To top it off, by offering “work visas” to 300, 000 people who are in the country illegally, this also has the potential to affect that same number of jobs for current American citizens in an economy that is already struggling with unemployment. That may not be illegal, but it is certainly unwise and unethical.

Now, here me again. I’m not passing judgment on any particular individual in the “illegal alien” camp. I know folks are often escaping hardship, etc. I'm not trying to be just heartless and cruel. But there are legal ways of entering the country; legal ways of applying for citizenship; legal groups set up to help with these things; all legal. All constitutionally approved. But then again, who really cares about the Constitution anyway, right?

(For the record, lots of people care about the Constitution. Find out more about them at the National Constitution Party website!)

1 comment:

John Willis said...

Well said. I've thought the same thing but never made the word substitution connection.