They’re basically recommending open borders. Perhaps they should look south towards Mexico, where illegals are treated harshly, or to most other countries in the world, which have strict immigration policies. Anyhow, here’s what the extremely white and male editorial board writes
Those who view fixing immigration as simply a matter of getting tougher on lawbreakers tend to overlook how tough the system already is, an ever-growing web of agents, cops, courts and prisons whose cruelty and deficiencies are appalling. Much attention has focused on the excesses of local law enforcement, exemplified by self-appointed immigration enforcers like Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Maricopa County, Ariz., whose department was found guilty in federal court on Friday of violating the constitutional rights of Latinos for years through racially biased crime sweeps, arrests, detention and harassment.
But the abuses of local officials like Sheriff Arpaio are well matched by the federal government, which is guilty of its own overreach in the hunt to prosecute illegal immigration. A new report from Human Rights Watch examines many of these problems in detail, with prescriptions lawmakers should not ignore.
While immigration enforcement used to be mainly a civil matter, the federal government has devoted vast criminal law-enforcement resources to immigration violators — particularly for the felony of illegal re-entry — ensnaring thousands of people who don’t fit any reasonable definition of “criminal.â€
Shorter editorial board: How dare the government prosecute law breakers! I mean, sheesh, devoting law enforcement to felonies? How gauche!
The federal government has said for years that its goal is to stop dangerous criminals at the border and deter migrants from trying to cross illegally. This would be understandable if the defendants were primarily a flood of dangerous criminals, but they aren’t. Many have minor criminal histories or none at all. Many are deportees trying to return to their families and jobs.
See? They’re just minor criminals, and we shouldn’t stop them from returning to families who shouldn’t be in the country and jobs that they aren’t legally entitled to have, reducing the jobs available for legal citizens and workers! You people want to stop them are big meanies!
The system needs to be recalibrated to spare noncriminal migrants the harshest consequences. The Human Rights Watch report recommends revising immigration law to impose only civil, not criminal, penalties, for illegal entry and re-entry. Or, at the very least, it says illegal entry should be punishable by two years in federal prison, not 20.
So we slap them with a fine and let them go on their way and provide them with a pathway to citizenship. It’s that easy. We provide them with high power lawyers and all sorts of constitutional protections and allow them to fight the charge of being here illegally for years and decades.
I guess it’s no big surprise that the Times, being the most important of Liberal newspapers in the US, would push for reducing border control and letting most illegals go on their way at this time, what with the debate set to start on the New Shamnesty bill coming in a few weeks to a month. Expect many Democrats to make the same arguments when debate starts, essentially creating a system where it is easier for illegals to cross the border and overstay their visas.
Crossed at Right Wing News and Stop The ACLU.
Well, I can see their point. I know it’s sure a drag to have to deal with Mexican law enforcement when I sneak into their country, after all.
50% of the “illegals” came here with a proper visa and are now out of status.
Many now have dependent children who are US citizens. Not so many people believe that deporting parents of young US citizens supports “family values”. And now of course many more people are also realizing that the Christian Bible speaks strongly and many times saying that we must treat foreigners just like ourselves
Leviticus 19:34
Poor john. At some point you just have to feel sorry for his ignorance.
The verse of which john speaks reads:
34 But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.
The word “stranger” is also translated as “sojourner” which by definition is one that stays temporarily in a place.
That is not the same thing as a person here in the country illegally who has illegally taken up residence.
That means john’s point is moot and has no bearing on the discussion.
However, if john wants to trot out the Bible, I would hope he would try and explain how in Romans, Paul says “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities.” (Romans 13:1)
This means that while the traveler may be welcome, they are also subject to the laws of the land.
If john can explain how someone here illegally is obeying the law, I would be willing to listen.
But he can’t.
Actually, that figure is closer to 40% or less, John. Be that as it may, they are breaking the law. It really is that simple. But, we know that liberals couldn’t care less about the law when they have elections to win and Big Government to enact.
If they chose to have children here that is their problem. They should have thought of the consequences before hand. If someone robs a convenience store, gets caught, and goes to jail, well, the family could be left without mom or dad. They should have thought of that part before engaging in criminal activity.
Try this, John: go down to Mexico and overstay your visa. See what happens when you’re caught.
Don’t get us started on a religious discussion john. You will regret it.
I’d almost expect them to say, “why, it’s unAmerican!”
I just love it when liberal commies push for the ignoring of laws and the Constitution. Like they believe in the foundational documents anyway.
They can’t quite grasp that if they want to have a no-borders country, there’s plenty of socialist\communist countries that would love to accept them as new residents. Instead of damning this nation, they should just leave.