No doubt, as our political leaders insist, there is a major immigration problem that requires an immigration amnesty law to be rushed through Congress. It’s a pity that we don’t care to enforce the laws already on the books, writes Mark Krikorian:
Let’s look at a few of the initiatives already on the books that have languished in bureaucratic or political purgatory rather than getting done:
First of all, of course, there’s the fence. Only two miles have been built on the southern border yet, and there are 370 miles scheduled to be built before the end of 2008.
There’s the issue of state and local police forces helping to arrest illegals. In 2002, the Justice Department issued an opinion that clarified the right of state and local law enforcement authorities to detain illegals, but the Bush Administration put it on ice, “keeping in effect a Clinton-era policy directive discouraging state and local use of immigration law.”
There’s the policy of the Treasury Department that has told banks that it’s ok to offer bank accounts to people with Mexican “matricula consular.” And the IRS allows illegals to use a Tax Identification Number (i.e., a Social Security number in all but name).
Obviously, when the government makes it difficult to arrest illegals and makes it easy to live as an illegal in the United States, then people will come.
That’s fine, as long as it is the official policy of the United States.
Last time I looked, it wasn’t.
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