“We should honor every legal immigrant here, working hard to become a new citizen. But we are also a nation of laws.”- President Bill Clinton, State of the Union Address, January 23, 1996
Before I launch into my tirade, rant, mantra or whatever detractors will call it, let's review some history on the subject. Before I do, let me make this crystal clear: The United States has the largest mixture of immigrants than any other country in the world and was the vehicle that made it into what it is today. Without immigration, this country would never exist.
Illegal immigration started in the late nineteenth century when a federal law was passed in 1875 prohibiting entry of convicts and prostitutes. The distinction of being legal or illegal immigrant began when President Chester A. Arthur virtually denied all Chinese immigration to the United States and later denying paupers, criminals and the mentally ill from entering the country.
In 1892 Ellis Island opened and became the port of entry for newly arriving immigrants. When they arrived, they were required to prove their identity then answered a series of questions, find a friend or relative who could vouch for them and scanned for physical ailments; any immigrant who was thought to have an ailment was marked with chalk. If it turned out to be correct, they were placed in a cage. Ellis Island ended operations in 1954 and between the time of opening and closing 12 million immigrants were processed.
For a brief time line of US policy on immigration and naturalization, please visit The Flow of History.
Americans already know that it's illegal to enter the country without permission. What many Americans don't know that it's a misdemeanor on the first offense, due to the fact that they can be returned to their country of origin quickly. If it were a felony, then the offender would have to go through a trial. A second offense, however, is a felony.
Typically there are three ways someone becomes an illegal alien: Illegal entry, Visa overstay and Visa fraud. However, there are more statutes that fall under the umbrella of being an illegal alien:
Sec. 273. [8 U.S.C. 1323] - Unlawfully bringing aliens to US and unlawful harboring illegal aliens. Fine: $3,000 for each alien.
Sec. 274A. [8 U.S.C. 1324a] - Employing, Recruiting, or Referring Illegal Aliens for Jobs.
Sec. 274C. [8 U.S.C. 1324c] - Illegally Forging Documents for Illegal Immigrants or violate Identity Theft Laws.
Sec. 277. [8 U.S.C. 1327] - Aiding or Abetting Illegal Immigrants.
Sec. 312. [8 U.S.C. 1423] - Legal Immigrants Must Know English, US History, US Laws, and Principles.
Sec. 316. [8 U.S.C. 1427] - Legal Immigrants Must Display Moral Character and No Crime Record.
Sec. 335. [8 U.S.C. 1446] - Legal Immigrants Must Be Investigated and Screened for past crimes and terrorism links.
Sec. 232 [8 U.S.C. 1252] -It is Illegal For Illegal Aliens to Bypass Medical and Physical Exams for illnesses and infectious diseases.
Sec. 250. [8 U.S.C. 1260] -Illegal Aliens Deported are ineligible for readmission to US Under Current Laws.
[18 U.S.C. 922(g) and (n), 27 CFR 478.32] - It is Illegal for Illegal Immigrants to possess a firearm or ammunition.
Unfortunately, the federal government has been negligent enforcing some of the above mentioned statutes causing Phoenix to be the number two kidnap capital of the world. Moreover,with the drug wars going on just over the border, the fear of it spilling into Arizona is a justifiable concern for citizens and government officials.
Sheriff Clarence Dupnik says he'll refuse to enforce the law. Aside from calling it "racist", he also says, "We don't have the manpower for so many arrests, and it would cost taxpayers a lot of money in prosecutions."
Really? I suppose that he hasn't heard of the ICE 287(g) MOA.
Here's the problem. Politicians always make hollow promises in regards to immigration issues during their campaigns, yet never follow through when they get elected. With the crime rates spiraling out of control, the governor of Arizona did what she felt she had to do with 63% of her constituents support.
Why did the governor of Arizona pass SB1070? Because the federal government has done a less then dismal job at doing it themselves.
Let's see what Obama had to say about illegal aliens in 2006:
