Posted on 11/12/2007 9:19:33 AM PST by radar101
Mayor-elect Jack Wilson deserves kudos for convening his ex-officio task force on immigration this past week even before he takes office.
At least it's a recognition of how serious the problem is.
All of the usual suspects showed up with all of the usual comments, to wit:
• City Attorney Gary Kidd said anything the city does to fight illegal immigration likely will elicit a federal or civil libertarian legal challenge. He's right, but that's exactly why the city should push. For the past 50 years, the Washington establishment has done nothing about the problem while zealously claiming exclusive jurisdiction. Both parties benefit from continued illegal immigration - the Democrats from another dependent class that will translate into Democrat votes at the ballot box (especially if they can fast-track the 13 million illegal immigrants already here to citizenship) and the Republicans from campaign contributions from factions that benefit from cheap labor. The Washington insiders really think this will blow over and they can do it for another 50 years.
• Mel Oliverson of the Minutemen Civil Defense Corps, which wants the city to keep pushing with local initiatives to build pressure on the federal government to do its job.
• Deputy City Manager Laurie Hadley, who says resolving the situation with aggressive day laborers at Grove and Lincoln presents a legal quandary because any ordinance that applies to loitering there must apply everywhere in the city.
• Brenda Chavez Bobinsky, a teacher representing the Hispanic community who argued for more tolerance.
• Ligia Umana of the Aztlan Center at Prescott College who recommended placing portable trash cans and portable toilets at Grove and Lincoln. That's a little like offering bank robbers free carryout bags. It facilitates continued illegal behavior.
• Attorney Gil Shaw, who moderated the meeting, said a mouthful at its conclusion with the words, "This is where the heavy lifting starts."
The federal government first and foremost needs to get control of both our northern and southern borders. That means that no one enters this country except through legal means that allow this country to keep track of them and kick them out if they commit crimes or otherwise wear out their welcome.
Only after we have proper control of the border the federal government must establish a guest worker program for those who want to come here and work but don't seek citizenship. It also must provide a path to citizenship for the longtime illegal residents that does not amount to a face-slap to people who already are on the path to legal citizenship.
Until that happens, regardless of federal law and federal inaction, local government subdivisions have an inherent right to protect themselves.
The City of Prescott, Yavapai County and other local governments need to start doing that, and the federal government needs either to start doing its job or get over it.
I think a government of the people, by the people, for the people would wholeheartedly support local governments stepping up in defense of the nation’s borders. I also think a government of the people, by the people, for the people would support grassroots organizations like the Minutemen and possibly train them (to have consistency with the Border Patrol) as an all volunteer auxillary to the Border Patrol, give them arrest powers and rather then criticize them and what not, hold them up as an example of the people taking hold of an issue and trying to make it better.
What’s next - a sign on the edge of town
“No deje el sol fijar en usted en esta ciudad”
***It also must provide a path to citizenship for the longtime illegal residents that does not amount to a face-slap to people who already are on the path to legal citizenship.***
Still no
The original Minutemen carried arms.
I see it would only be right for our present-day Minutemen to carry arms.
You’re absolutely right.
Why, I wonder? Why must they have a path to citizenship? Legal residency should be plenty good enough. The right to vote must never be the reward of an illegal act.
Longtime illegal residents, huh? In other words the longer they have broken the law, the greater the reward.
No we don't have to do any of that nor should we.
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