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Illegal Immigrant Protests: How Not to Win Friends or Influence People
Townhall.com ^ | 5 February A.D. 2025 | Guy Benson

Posted on 02/05/2025 2:59:32 PM PST by lightman

You may have witnessed some of the scenes playing out in recent days, in which large groups of illegal immigrants and their allies have gathered to protest the Trump administration's mass deportations. We have freedom of assembly and speech in this country. I have no quarrel with that. In terms of public relations and optics, I do take great issue with foreign nationals -- especially those who aren't legally present in the United States -- demanding anything, let alone the 'right' to face no consequences for violating our immigration laws. I think it's particularly detrimental to their cause to be engaging in such entitled (absent actual, legal entitlement) agitations while the current enforcement actions are prioritizing national security and public safety threats, convicted criminals, and people with standing deportation orders against them. Pouring into our streets with an apparent message of 'let them stay' is not exactly a winner.

Given what just happened in our recent elections, illegal immigrants wishing to somehow remain in the US might be best served to adhere to the absolute letter of the law -- beyond their existing violation -- and keep their heads down. Read the room, in other words. People's tolerance for this lawnessness has dropped dramatically, guys. This...is not reading the room:

NOW: Anti-ICE protesters are blocking both sides of the 101 Freeway near the Alameda Street exit in DTLA. The CHP has since closed that portion of the freeway. Read more: https://t.co/K60ImdzmDi pic.twitter.com/iO5ARSTyTL — KTLA (@KTLA) February 2, 2025

Round em up and ask for proof of citizenship. Deport all illegals. https://t.co/TyUUEFpOyn — Joey Jones (@Johnny_Joey) February 3, 2025

Again, the sense of entitlement is deeply off-putting. I saw one sign reading 'we are not criminals' at a rally that was blocking traffic, which is illegal, just as entering the country in violation of our laws is illegal. Intentional disruptions of traffic -- impacting American citizens trying to get to work, interfering with emergency services routes, preventing people from living their lives normally, etc. -- are yet more illegal acts. That's not "speech." Violators should be arrested, and where applicable, deported. It's hard to capture just how counter-productive these spectacles are. And this one might taken the cake:

BREAKING: Migrants burn an American flag while waving foreign flags during a protest against the deportations in Oxnard, CA: pic.twitter.com/Mkpt3EvoNQ — End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) February 2, 2025

All the Mexican and other foreign flags are also a bad look in this context, for reasons that should be obvious. Waving foreign flags, while burning our flag, while demanding that we let them stay here, in the country whose flag they're burning: That's quite a choice. I'd guess many, many Americans, from across the spectrum, would look at that footage and say, round 'em up and ship 'em out. I don't know who or what they think they're "helping." And if it's citizens or legal residents doing the burning, they're profoundly hurting the cause they may believe they're supporting. It's as if they've been taking notes from the cartoonishly-alienating pro-Hamas crowd. Videos like this will push public support for ICE raids and mass deportations higher. Of course, you need American officials who are willing to actually enforce laws to do what's necessary. Unlike this:

Hearing that LAPD rank and file who were down there are not happy about this apparent stand down order. "Same old crap." "Chasing these guys around all day for nothing." https://t.co/gzsHPrMP2P — Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) February 3, 2025

Big city gov’ts , you shouldn’t let people do this to your cities bc ppl pay you a lot of $ to live in these cities & have roadways, and I know you’re really into calling everything that’s not speech speech and protecting it accordingly but you should protect basics for citizens. https://t.co/H4OY3eBdlD — Mary Katharine Ham (@mkhammer) February 3, 2025

At least the federal government is now once again serious about enforcement and deterrence. On that note, I'll leave you with this:

Wheels Down with @RealTomHoman visiting @fortblisstexas! Looking forward to meeting our great warriors and seeing the hard work they are doing securing our southern border. We will continue to deliver on this vital mission. pic.twitter.com/wnq2C4ZuqO — Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth (@SecDef) February 3, 2025

Our American felons have to remain in domestic prisons, but illegal immigrants convicted of violent crimes here getting rewarded with one-way tickets to Salvadoran prisons? Sounds good to me. https://t.co/tgHtAlRPYk — Guy Benson (@guypbenson) February 4, 2025


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: california; illegalimmigrant; invasion

1 posted on 02/05/2025 2:59:32 PM PST by lightman
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To: lightman

I love it. I hope they keep it up and really make everyone hate them. Then one day ICE rolls up and loads them all up and straight to the border.


2 posted on 02/05/2025 3:02:21 PM PST by packrat35 (Pureblood! No clot shot for me!)
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To: lightman

In Mexico it is ABSOLUTELY prohibited for foreign citizens to take to the streets and protest. They get rounded up and deported in 24 hours. I KNOW what I am talking about. I would plant ICE and the National Guard and do finger print, face recognition and start rounding up..violaters.


3 posted on 02/05/2025 3:16:51 PM PST by rovenstinez
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To: lightman

If Kamala has won ad we had another 4 years of millions of people streaming I , these riots could be much bigger and more violent. Trump may well have arrived at the last opportunity it’s to gain control of this situation


4 posted on 02/05/2025 3:20:56 PM PST by j.havenfarm (24 years on Free Republic, 12/10/24! More than 10,500 replies and still not shutting up!)
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To: lightman

What if they protested and ICE surrounded them checked ID’s and loaded them on a bus to flights out of the US depending on their original country. End of protest.


5 posted on 02/05/2025 3:21:25 PM PST by Equine1952
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To: lightman

The commies are trying to create martyrs. Act obnoxious, attack police, then cry victim when the news media arrives.


6 posted on 02/05/2025 3:39:02 PM PST by Kid Shelleen (Beat your plowshares into swords. Let the weak say I am strong)
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To: lightman

When they block the streets or highways bring tank trucks in and hose them down with cold water until they disburse.

What right do they have to inconvenience thousands of taxpaying citizens by shutting down public spaces?

Their “rights” to demonstrate does not supersede the rights of citizens to not be inconvenienced by a mob of whining lawbreakers.


7 posted on 02/05/2025 3:41:53 PM PST by Iron Munro (Unpredictable only to those who live in their own reality )
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To: Kid Shelleen

Deport the commies along with the illegal aliens.


8 posted on 02/05/2025 4:04:13 PM PST by No name given ( Anonymous is who you’ll know me as)
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To: null and void; aragorn; EnigmaticAnomaly; kalee; Kale; AZ .44 MAG; Baynative; bgill; bitt; ...

p


9 posted on 02/05/2025 4:17:22 PM PST by bitt (<img src=' 'width=40%>)
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To: Kid Shelleen

“The commies are trying to create martyrs.”

Agreed—classic lefty tactic.

That is why some of the lefty politicians are acting so crazy.

They want to be arrested.

The wise choice is to make the choice—do what needs to be done at a time and place of your choosing.

As for the politicians now that they have proven they support illegal activity they should be treated like criminals in an ongoing criminal investigation—with lengthy review of all details proving their criminal activities.

Only when the case is ready for court should the arrest be made.


10 posted on 02/05/2025 4:23:25 PM PST by cgbg (It is time to pull the Deep State out of the mass media--like ticks from a dog.)
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To: Iron Munro

Although I despise the woke anti-Americans I also know that the attitude of the American people has changed.
No more sympathy, kindness or giving a break to someone else.
Selfishness and ruthlessness are now part of the psyche from grade school onward. (Luigi is a hero. Too bad the Butler shooter didn’t practice his aim better. Storms killed people but they were in a Red state and supported Trump so it’s good.)

I am glad it is going to be directed against the Left.

I cannot remember where I read this.(sorry)
Someone was discussing society’s changing attitudes. He said when Ghandi and rows of others sat down nonviolently in the street as armed soldiers confronted them, the situation back then ended up being defused.

But, he said, if that happened today almost everyone would see the nonviolent protesters shot and killed by the soldiers and say “They were so stupid to sit down in front like that. How could they have done something that dumb?”


11 posted on 02/05/2025 5:01:23 PM PST by frank ballenger (There's a battle outside and it's raging. It'll soon shake your windows and rattle your walls. )
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To: lightman

What is now different, is that funding for the mob left is gone. So, the rent a mob doesn’t exist, meaning that they don’t have troops to muster for a fight in the streets. These protests by illegals are probably led by local hispanic activist groups and they are now going to have no funding. Goodbye illegales muchachos!


12 posted on 02/05/2025 5:07:37 PM PST by Professional ( )
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To: Equine1952

The article fails to state the obvious.

Freedom of assembly is protected, but illegal aliens’ presence in the US is not.

Set up a perimeter, get rid of the illegals. They are breaking the law.

End of protests.


13 posted on 02/06/2025 3:59:59 AM PST by MV=PY (The Magic Question: Who's paying for it?)
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