Arizona is Right - Blame the President and Congress

The Bismarck Tribune
June 27, 2010

Arizona has had to endure a lot of extra heat after passing tough laws on immigration.

These are rightful state laws aimed at dealing with issues that should have belonged in the hands of the federal government, but they are responsibilities the president and Congress have aggressively ignored. The major heat should be placed on all of those in Washington who are ignoring American citizens.

The idea is to give local law enforcement officers in Arizona the responsibility and authority to carry out federal illegal immigration statutes.

In other words, the state has said to the federal government, "If you refuse to do your job, we'll do it for you."

Arizona now has Washington's attention.

The U.S. Department of Justice says it will sue that state -- this is absolutely wrong.

A better solution might be for the federal government to address the complicated and difficult issues that surround illegal immigration and the maintenance of U.S. borders.

There's no consensus on the right solution, and it won't be easy.

To assume the Arizona response is solely about race fails to understand public frustration with illegal immigration.

It's about the economy, free and over-extended public services, culture and changing communities, and Mexico's oppressive government, too. It's also, in the eyes of citizens, about the value of law - federal law, constitutional law.

As a practical matter, if one state successfully stems the movement of illegal immigrants over its borders, the unfortunate result will be to increase problems for neighboring states.

In the long term, immigration solutions need to run the length of the U.S. border or, like water, illegal workers will flow down the path of least resistance into this country.

They come to work. It's the economy. Cut the jobs, force Mexico to address its oppressive government, solve the problem.

The declining numbers of illegal workers coming into the country during the recession proves that out.

The U.S. should have very stiff fines for all U.S. employers caught hiring illegal immigrants, and the federal government must be very aggressive in searching out that illegal employment.

There will be a price for enforcement - direct and indirect, and, possibly hefty.

Yet step by step, the U.S. must close its borders and then begin dealing with illegal immigrants living here.

It must require joint federal-state enforcement of current U.S. immigration laws not just in Arizona, but also in California, Texas and New Mexico.

However, the issue isn't confined to just the border states.

Recently, people in Fremont, Neb. voted to ban businesses from hiring illegal immigrants and bar landlords from renting to them.

The vote requires all renters buy a $5 occupancy license before they can rent.

The issue of illegal immigration developed over time and resolving it also will require time but needs to aggressively be acted upon by enforcement immediately. Washington must listen to American citizens and not those who pander to illegal immigrants and engage this issue.

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