So Why Can't We Solve the Immigration Problem?

So Why Can't We Solve the Immigration Problem?


By Bob Haran;
American Conservative Republican

President Barack Obama says our immigration system is broken.

The Arizona Chamber of Commerce in a statement they recently issued pointed out that the federal failure to enact immigration reform has thrust Arizona into a "divisive, emotionally charged environment that is tearing at the fabric of Arizona's sense of community and threatening the essence of our historically diverse culture."

The Arizona Republic in an editorial today said, "Arizona has to be more than the sum of our frustrations," and that "Yes, federal policies made our state the nation's busiest crossing point for illegal immigration and drug smuggling." The Republic then concludes that the "ultimate solution" has to come from Congress.

The Republic further claims that, "The state's soul is at risk," and that "saving it means calling out the bullies."

Of course, those of us demanding a secure border and the enforcement of our immigration laws are the bullies of which the Republic speaks. The assumption being that all who want immigration laws enforced must certainly be the bullies and racist of our society and those opposed to enforcement and advocating a "comprehensive solution" and "immigration reform" are the open minded, tolerant and good people in American society.

Interestingly, all their "comprehensive reform solutions," always include a path to citizenship for the millions illegally residing in America as an important element in solving our nations illegal immigration problem.

President Obama has endorsed a proposal by Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., that would require illegal immigrants to admit they broke the law, pay a fine and any back taxes and perform community service to obtain legal status.

What these good, tolerant and open minded people will never admit, is that every path to legalization and citizenship for those who are in our country illegally is an amnesty for violating our immigration laws.

The true path to legalization and citizenship for those here illegally would be to return to their own countries and enter the United States legally by the front door, after getting permission to enter, then apply for citizenship and take the oath that millions of our ancestors have proudly taken.

The assumption that those demanding a secure border and enforcement of our laws are racist is just ignorance.

The assumption that we somehow hate Latino's or Mexicans or any other group of people is ignorant.

The fact is that America is a nation of immigrants and we welcome those who come here legally and earn American citizenship. All we ask is that you come in the front door and let us know who you are before entering our homeland.

Trying to solve the problem of illegal immigration by making the "illegal" alien a "legal" alien is like trying to solve a speeding problem on the highway by increasing the speed limit. You wont have less speeders but less people will be breaking the speed limit.

The solution to the illegal immigration problem is not that complex, fist look at what caused the problem.

Having a unsecured border that anyone could walk or even drive across was a major cause on illegal immigration. It's the same as keeping your back door wide open and then wondering why people keep coming in your house that way.

Securing the border is just common sense.

As President Obama said however, "the problem cannot be solved only with fences and border patrols."

The greatest magnet to illegal immigration are jobs, jobs that greedy business people give to those here illegally because they profit from the low cost of the illegal immigrant's labor. Of course these employers are the good people of the Chamber of Commerce and certainly not racist, just as the plantation owners who profited from slave labor were good people and pillars of the community.

But wait a minute, we have laws against hiring undocumented workers, why are these people being hired if it's illegal to hire them? The answer is that the law is not being enforced.

Obama said that business should face consequences for knowingly employing illegal immigrants. Well Mr. President, that is the responsibility of the executive branch of government, the branch you are in charge of, you don't need a new law from Congress, just enforce the laws we already have against hiring undocumented workers and call it a "comprehensive solution."

If the president, the Chamber of Commerce and, the Arizona Republic are all that concerned with illegal immigration and what it is doing to our country and state, then they should help solve the problem, secure the border, prosecute those who knowingly hire undocumented workers, and yes, when someone is found to be in the United States illegally, do what the law prescribes, deport them.

Maybe the real problem is that the president and the Republic are afraid of today's plantation owners who must have their cheap labor regardless of the cost to the state or nation.

Randy Pullen on The Price of Border Insecurity

The Price of Border Insecurity

By Randy Pullen;

The murder of rancher Robert Krenz this last week on his ranch in southern Arizona, by a suspected Mexican drug dealer or human trafficker (Coyote) tracked back to the nearby Mexican border, was a tragedy in the making for 10 years. Many of us who have been directly involved with attempting to bring illegal immigration under control along the southern border feared this day would come.

Mr. Krentz and his family are well known along the border as hard-working, God-fearing Americans with hearts of gold. Their property has constantly felt the pressure of tens of thousands of illegal aliens crossing in their migration north. Yet they had continued to act as good Samaritans, helping those who were in distress with food and water.

The pro-illegal immigration crowd would have us believe Mr. Krentz’s murder is merely the result of increased border violence. They refuse to see any connection to the tens of millions of illegal aliens who have crossed our southern border in the recent past. But for those who live along the border, and for those who have taken the time to visit, the truth is plainly obvious: Our southern border has been under attack for years. The fact that we have avoided such a tragedy until now is shear luck.

As the Chairman of Prop 200 in Arizona, the citizens’ initiative requiring proof of citizenship to vote and to receive welfare benefits, I have been on the frontlines of Arizona’s and America’s immigration debate, and this is not the first time I’ve seen the open-borders, pro-Amnesty special interests attempt to deflect attention from the debate at hand. I, myself, and many others have been subjected to personal attacks and racial slurs in our efforts to enforce the rule of law along our border as well as in our state, and such tactics are not likely to end soon.

Prop 200 easily passed on Election Day in 2004, with a majority of Arizona’s Latinos voting yes. They believed then, as they do now, in the rule of law, and understand as we all do – Democrats, Independents and Republicans – that an unsecured, open border and millions of illegals entering our country each year is a formula for disaster. Latinos and legal immigrants support our conservative values on this issue. It is their leadership who are out of touch with America.

What makes the Krentz murder so incredibly tragic is that it was avoidable. Securing our borders is a federal problem that was, and is, solvable. Unfortunately, the will to act in Congress and at the White House is simply not there. The best illustration of our federal government’s commitment to inaction on border security, despite the risks it poses for American citizens, comes from President Obama’s Secretary of Homeland Security, who would remark during her days as governor of Arizona, “Show me a 50-foot fence and I will show you a 51-foot ladder.”

But my response to such ill-conceived logic remains the same today as it was back in 2004: “Show me a guy carrying a 51-foot ladder and I will show you one lonely, tired hombre.”

Now, after the fact as far as Mr. Krenz is concerned, we are beginning to hear calls from congressional leaders to put troops on our southern border. It is my hope these calls will not fall again on deaf ears in Congress and at the White House, nor be used merely as election-year tools of political gamesmanship. When our National Guard has been sent to the border previously, they were deprived of a clear mission, actual authority to enforce the law, and the ammunition needed for their success.

In the past two years, drug and gang violence has soared along America’s southern border. Let us honor the memory of Mr. Krentz by doing all we can to assure this tragedy is never repeated.

(Randy Pullen is the Chairman of the Arizona Republican Party)