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08-23-2010, 05:27 PM #1
Alberto Gonzales: Changing the 14th solve immigration crisis
Alberto Gonzales: Changing the 14th Amendment won't solve our immigration crisis
Washington Post
By Alberto R. Gonzales
Like most Americans, I am a descendant of immigrants and a grateful beneficiary of the opportunities available to our nation's citizens. My grandparents emigrated from Mexico in the early 20th century seeking a better life, and they found it working in the fields and dairy farms of Texas. Diversity is one of the great strengths of the United States -- diversity fueled by the migration of ethnicities, cultures and ideas.
Today, however, there is virtually universal agreement that our immigration process is broken. While security on our southern border has improved in the past decade, it remains inadequate in a post-9/11 world. Many employers hire undocumented workers with little concern about prosecution. Thousands of people cross our borders illegally believing they will not be arrested, expecting instead to receive benefits and, eventually, amnesty.
Based on what I have observed, most illegal immigrants come to America to provide for their families, and by most accounts, they contribute to our economy. Nevertheless, we are a nation of laws. When people break the law with impunity, it encourages further disobedience and breeds further disrespect for the rule of law.
Obama administration officials went to court recently to stop Arizona from enforcing federal immigration laws through a newly enacted state law, arguing that the Constitution gives them sole authority in this arena. How the courts will ultimately decide this question is unclear, but with the federal government's claim of authority comes responsibility -- and so far, our national leaders have failed us.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... 01794.html
President George W. Bush pushed for comprehensive immigration reform, but Republican members of Congress refused to join him. Although President Obama and the present congressional leadership have used their majority to enact sweeping health-care and financial reform, they seem to lack the will to try to pass comprehensive immigration legislation. Even my apolitical and saintly 78-year-old mother wonders whether the Democrats are keeping this issue on the table for political reasons, hoping that Republicans will propose enforcement measures that alienate Hispanic voters.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... 00963.html
Most recently, some politicians and concerned citizens have expressed a desire to amend the 14th Amendment of our Constitution, which says in Section 1, "All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside." Proponents want to discourage undocumented mothers from crossing our borders to give birth to children derogatorily referred to as "anchor babies," who by law are American citizens. Such a change is difficult to carry out, as it should be, requiring a new amendment ratified by three-quarters of the states.
I do not support such an amendment. Based on principles from my tenure as a judge, I think constitutional amendments should be reserved for extraordinary circumstances that we cannot address effectively through legislation or regulation. Because most undocumented workers come here to provide for themselves and their families, a constitutional amendment will not solve our immigration crisis. People will certainly continue to cross our borders to find a better life, irrespective of the possibilities of U.S. citizenship.
As the nation's former chief law enforcement officer and a citizen who believes in the rule of law, I cannot condone anyone coming into this country illegally. However, as a father who wants the best for my own children, I understand why these parents risk coming to America -- especially when there is little fear of prosecution. If we want to stop this practice, we should pass and enforce comprehensive immigration legislation rather than amend our Constitution.
We need a new immigration policy that complements our national security policy as well as our economic policy. In a post-9/11 world, we must know who is coming into this country and why -- we cannot have true security if we do not secure our borders. Our policy should reinforce respect for the law through effective enforcement that includes a streamlined deportation process and tougher penalties on employers that hire undocumented workers.
Our immigration policy should also promote commerce and strengthen our economy. The reality is that there are jobs Americans do not want, and there are skilled jobs for which Americans are not available. Our policy should include a more robust temporary-worker program (without more bureaucracy) that attracts both skilled and unskilled workers to sustain our economy.
Finally, our immigration policy must be practical, enforceable and capable of effective implementation without enormous delays or many mistakes. It must also be fair to those who follow the rules.
As our nation's first Hispanic attorney general, I have seen both the beauty of our tradition of immigration as well as the threats that come with a broken system. We need to fix the process. This work will be complicated, because the best solution will surely affect families, foreign policy, national security, our economy -- and will touch upon the very essence of who we are as a country. It will take courage to pass meaningful legislation, but to do less or to take shortcuts places our security at risk. Americans expect and deserve better of their leaders in Washington.
arg@argonzales.com
Alberto R. Gonzales served as White House counsel and U.S. attorney general in the George W. Bush administration. He is a visiting professor of political science at Texas Tech University.
For more opinions on the 14th Amendment debate, read Michael Gerson's Republicans are ramping up the birthright battle, E.J. Dionne's Is the GOP shedding a birthright?, Harold Meyerson's Why the GOP really wants to alter the 14th Amendment, and Michael Gerson's Lindsey Graham abandons principle.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... 04783.htmlLast edited by HAPPY2BME; 02-03-2012 at 05:54 AM.
Join our FIGHT AGAINST illegal immigration & to secure US borders by joining our E-mail Alerts at http://eepurl.com/cktGTn
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08-23-2010, 05:30 PM #2
Re: Alberto Gonzales: Changing the 14th solve immigration cr
Originally Posted by HAPPY2BMEJoin our FIGHT AGAINST illegal immigration & to secure US borders by joining our E-mail Alerts at http://eepurl.com/cktGTn
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08-23-2010, 05:33 PM #3
Re: Alberto Gonzales: Changing the 14th solve immigration cr
Originally Posted by HAPPY2BME
History records there were more illegal aliens pouring into the United States from Mexico during the GOP-Controlled 106th and 107th Congress and the eight year presidency of GOP George W. Bush than any other time.Join our FIGHT AGAINST illegal immigration & to secure US borders by joining our E-mail Alerts at http://eepurl.com/cktGTn
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08-23-2010, 05:47 PM #4
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This pig is a straight up reconquista and always has been
How Bush could pick this moron for his AG is beyond me
But then of course that idiot Bush was the prime neo con A hole
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08-23-2010, 05:56 PM #5Originally Posted by Justthefacts
The proof of that lies in how Bush and Gonzales imprisoned Border Patrol Agents Ramos and Compean and let a known Mexican drug cartel dope dealer go SCOTT FREE - WHILE CAUGHT IN THE ACT and in possession of a million dollars worth of cartel narcotics.Join our FIGHT AGAINST illegal immigration & to secure US borders by joining our E-mail Alerts at http://eepurl.com/cktGTn
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08-23-2010, 06:19 PM #6
Re: Alberto Gonzales: Changing the 14th solve immigration cr
Originally Posted by HAPPY2BME
Just Change the 14 Amendment Close the Border AZ the need Help
don't the American have some say in this we all vote for you In the wh
& this is what we get a kick In the //// we are sick of thisLast edited by HAPPY2BME; 03-13-2012 at 03:32 PM.
Join our efforts to Secure America's Borders and End Illegal Immigration by Joining ALIPAC's E-Mail Alerts network (CLICK HERE)
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08-23-2010, 06:19 PM #7
Re: Alberto Gonzales: Changing the 14th solve immigration cr
Originally Posted by HAPPY2BME
Just Change the 14 Amendment Close the Border AZ the need Help
don't the American have some say in this we all vote for you In the wh
& this is what we get a kick In the //// we are sick of thisJoin our efforts to Secure America's Borders and End Illegal Immigration by Joining ALIPAC's E-Mail Alerts network (CLICK HERE)
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08-23-2010, 06:19 PM #8
Re: Alberto Gonzales: Changing the 14th solve immigration cr
Originally Posted by HAPPY2BME
Just Change the 14 Amendment Close the Border AZ the need Help
don't the American have some say in this we all vote for you In the wh
& this is what we get a kick In the //// we are sick of thisJoin our efforts to Secure America's Borders and End Illegal Immigration by Joining ALIPAC's E-Mail Alerts network (CLICK HERE)
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08-23-2010, 06:21 PM #9
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All these politicians who keep advocating comprehensive immigration reform. Why don't they step aside of the politically correct verbiage they all use and say what they mean "amnesty".
Also, they all preach we need to "secure our borders" as one of the steps in their immigration reform plan.
The secure our borders part of their plan comes after the amnesty part and not before.
First off, if we can't seem to secure our borders now what will magically happened after amnesty that now all of a suddent gives us the ability to truly secure our borders?
If all these amnesty politicians know what it would take to secure our borders then why are they not secure today?
Has congress done any official studies to see how we can effectively secure our borders? I have a suggestion on a few countries they could visit to see how they do it.
I won't ever try and sneak into Iran because I read in the newspaper and saw on TV what happens to you. I belive a few other countries have similar views and consequences for their borders as well.
Bottom line is if you truly want to secure something you will find the means and capability to do so. You will divert the necessary resources to accomplish that task. After all, the Whitehouse, Pentagon, CIA headquarters, ect. They seem to have those secured pretty good. Well almost, I do remember the couple who was able to sneak in to the whitehouse for that reception function.
Our border is not secure now and won't be in the future as the politicians do not have the political will to want to do so. They know doing so will cost them votes so in the game of chess for votes it is an ongoing saga of appeasement.
You watch, after the midterm elections are over it will be business as usual for the politicians until the 2012 elections. Its an neverending cycle.
When I was in the military assigned to base police I was given a .45 and a 12 gage shotgun and placed on a secure radar facility that was a triple layer fence with signs every 5 feet warning you it was an authorized use of deadly force zone. I was on the interior side and trained and instructed anybody on this side that was not authorized you shoot. Period. End of story.
Never had to shoot anybody because nobody tried to enter. Now I would call that secure.
Mexico does not want or desire a secure border on their side due to their exports. They export illegal alien labor and import proceeds to stimulate their economy. What does 10 US Dollars get you in Mexico? What does that same 10 Dollars get you in the US? Its huge for Mexico and huge for big business in the US to not have a secure border since labor is usually the biggest expense factor of most businesses.
Politicians don't want a secure border-they want a secure seat in their comfortable high paying benefit heavy office instead.
Democrats want illegal aliens for the vote factor-Republicans want illegal aliens for the cheap labor factor. Its a never ending tug-a-war between both parties. Working Americans just want a reasonably secure future and a reasonable tax bill.
How many people actually cared about how secure our border was with Mexico when the economy was moving along at a good pace and America was enjoying a time of low unemployment and the neverending surplus of easy to get credit. Now, its a different story.
During the good times when America didn't care we allowed millions of people to sneak in. Now in the bad times we are seeing the consequences of not paying attention and for many Americans not even caring.
So, when a politican tells you we need to secure our border you better be ready to challenge that politician by having them answer what their "secure the border" plan actually entails. Most won't be able to answer that other then to say we just need to do a better job securiing it and that is a red flag indicator that it really isn't a top priority to them and they really have not put any real thought to it including coming up with an action plan.
Remember that for your primary elections and the November elections. I know I will. McLame is not getting my vote tomorrow."Where is our democracy if the federal government can break the laws written and enacted by our congress on behalf of the people?"
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08-23-2010, 06:29 PM #10
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Re: Alberto Gonzales: Changing the 14th solve immigration cr
Originally Posted by southBronx"Where is our democracy if the federal government can break the laws written and enacted by our congress on behalf of the people?"
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