Some Weeks are Like That.
How many of them have ever been to a deportation hearing? How many of them have attended a naturalization ceremony? Ever taught English to immigrants? How many have shared their homes with immigrants or helped legal immigrants to become citizens? Listened to the stories of those who struggled, sacrificed, and waited to become a citizen? How many have actually dealt with our frustrating immigration laws first hand? Cared for the children caught in the middle? They are the ones that should be listened to. And I’m one of those.
I’m not an expert, but I am a parent. And what parent doesn’t know that rewarding errant behavior is a bad idea? That is what our current law does, it rewards the law breakers.
My first experience at a deportation hearing was an eye-opener. The large courtroom was filled with immigrants who had entered our country illegally. The hearings last all day. Every single illegal immigrant had had a run-in with the law, beating up a girlfriend, stealing hub caps, threatening a landlord, shoplifting, that sort of thing. Some had had more than one conviction! By lunch time I was so angry, I could hardly speak civilly to the attorney. I remember spouting loudly, “Do we not have enough thugs of our own, we have to import more? I don’t get this! Why is this allowed?” The patient lawyer explained that every illegal, and their abettor, knows that the best way to get to stay in this country is to enter the legal system. They commit some petty crime to get themselves arrested, and voila, they are now in the legal system and they get due process. They have free board and room, courtesy of taxpayers, for at least two years until their case gets heard. You have to be processed before you can be deported.” WHAT!? Now I was really steamed. Why do illegals even get due process? I was stunned to learn that due process is not part of citizenship. That's uique to this country.
Who doesn’t understand that entering the country illegally is breaking the law? As soon as an illegal is discovered he should be deported within the hour. (Before having time to deliberately break another law!) Every one of us knows there are consequences to breaking the law, and that usually involves being separated from our families. How many law breakers in our prisons have been “wrenched” from the arms of their families? How many children are “lost” in foster care because their parents are in prison? And whose fault is that? The judge? A political party? The President? No. It’s the fault of the parents who chose to break the law and jeopardize their children’s well-being. They and their families must pay the consequence. (Some of those children were fostered in our home.) Why are people outraged when this happens to illegals who chose to break the law and involve their families in their crime when it goes unnoticed to families of our own citizenry every day? It’s the way it works! Those who aid and abet should also be punished, as they are in all other violations.
Where is reason and rationale in this? If they don’t want to be separated from their families, deport the family together. If being with their family is a priority for them, they shouldn’t have put that at risk by breaking the law in the first place. The blame is on them, not on a president trying to enforce the law. Illegals trying to shield themselves behind children are to be blamed, and need to be sent home, families intact. I read one post that said, ‘this isn’t the same country that welcomed me when I first came here.’ Yes, it is. This country has always, and still does, welcome those who come here legally with the proper intent. We have always punished law breakers, and yes, that means separating them from their families, whether they are immigrants or citizens. It's the consequence for breaking any law.
You want to live here? Get in line. Wait your turn. Do it right. Obey our laws. There must be consequences for disregarding the law, or we become a lawless society. Rewarding disregard is not the way to stop it. And blaming the President is nonsense.