That was weak. The US Consitution allows Congress to set immigration and naturalization procedures. It has, though the .gov has ignored it. What we are demanding is that it be followed. We allow millions into this counrty legally every year, and we should, and allow them the opportunity to become citizens. THAT is American exceptionalism.
If Congress issues another amnesty, We the People will have a problem with it. And it is our duty to vote the bastards out of office. Again, American exceptionalism.
The problem of the presence of illegales never loomed large enough before in America for it to be seriously considered that born Americans carry around passports. America wasn’t France, it wasn’t Switzerland, it wasn’t China, it wasn’t any of those places which were habitually overrun enough that everyone had to “show papers, please.”
Presumably a state could import all sorts of people to populate the place, yet they could never become citizens except according to standard rules established by the federal government.
The 14th amendment modified the citizenship rule, but it didn't touch the immigration rule ~ which remained in the state domain.
The USSC has, for rather minor purposes in a variety of decisions, seemed to rule that the federal government ALSO has some authority over immigration.
I think there's enough Constitutional opportunity for states to exercise control over immigration that it's surprising they haven't done it heretofore.
Could be we didn't have a feeling of "fullness" back when we had only 100 million or so people. With more than 300 million around maybe it's time for the states to set up some controls!