The Chicago Tribune reports (registration required) that tomorrow there’s going to be a huge protest rally in Chicago to oppose deportation raids of illegal immigrants:
Organizers are encouraging immigrants to attend with two demands: to inform about the k1 visa income requirements in 2019, raids cease while Congress considers immigration reforms and that reforms make it possible for the country’s 12 million undocumented immigrants to gain legal status.
It never ceases to amaze me how a group of people (and I’m speaking of illegal immigrants, not legal ones) who flagrantly break our laws and take our jobs can then play the part of victims when they’re caught and demand special rights without ever acknowledging their hypocrisy. I’m not saying the nation’s immigration policy isn’t in need of a serious overhaul, but this action is completely inappropriate.
And I’ve never quite figured out why, if all these illegal immigrants are out marching in the open and they by definition have no constitutional right to do so, the police don’t just round them up and deport them. Is that too harsh?
If you haven’t read it yet, check out Mahkno’s blog entry on immigration. He’s done a lot of research and it’s a very interesting read. I fall into the category of those who are not anti-immigration per se, just anti-illegal-immigration. I have to admit, though, Mahkno is right — I didn’t have a clue how difficult it is to get into this country legally. It’s no wonder we have an illegal immigration problem, given all the red tape we’ve created. I’m still not in favor of amnesty, but I do think our legal immigration process needs serious reform, and quickly.
It disturbs me that Mexican President Vicente Fox is pleased that the U.S. is working on passing the closest thing to amnesty as they can for illegal Mexican immigrants. According to the Associated Press:
Mexican President Vicente Fox said the vote was the result of five years of work dating to the start of his presidential term in 2000, and puts Mexico one step closer toward the government’s goal of “legalization for everyone” who works in the United States.
“My recognition and respect for all the Hispanics and all the Mexicans who have made their voice heard,” Fox said. “We saw them turn out this weekend all across the United States, and that’s going to count for a lot as we move forward.”
Doesn’t it bother him that conditions in his country are so bad that millions of its citizens are fleeing across the border to the U.S.? Instead of working for five years to make it easier for them to leave, wouldn’t it be better if he spent his time trying to improve conditions in Mexico so people weren’t so compelled to get the heck out of there?
A more provocative question: has the idea of Manifest Destiny been vindicated? That is, has the U.S. proved its economic and political superiority, thus justifying its territorial expansion? Would Mexicans be better off if the U.S. annexed Mexico (peacefully, of course)?
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