Thread: CA State Senator says Enforce Laws on the Books

http://www.montereyherald.com/opinion/ci_6269259

Enforce laws on the books

TOM McCLINTOCK
Article Last Updated: 06/30/2007 01:47:22 AM PDT

As the Senate immigration bill faltered, Sen. Dianne Feinstein complained that the status quo is de facto amnesty because the mass deportation of millions of illegal immigrants is logistically, politically and socially impractical.
Feinstein and her cohorts seem oblivious that it is this attitude that discredits any promises that a new, tougher law will somehow be enforced when an amnesty is granted. Sorry: been there, done that.

And they have yet to explain what is wrong with current immigration law — except that it's not being enforced. Indeed, if the self-described "grand bargainers" want to enact future immigration laws, they need to demonstrate a grand determination to enforce current ones. In so doing, they may find that we can secure our borders without mass deportations and without making the presence of 12 to 20 million illegal immigrants within our borders permanent and irreversible.

They can start by expediting completion of the 854 miles of the border fence that Congress authorized in October, and that the Bush administration has dawdled on ever since. According to Rep. Duncan Hunter, who coauthored the "Secure Fence Act," 10 miles of security fencing in San Diego reduced the county's crime rate dramatically.

Second, hundreds of armed incursions by Mexican military units in support of drug runners have been documented in recent years, and beefing up our military presence on the border is warranted.

Third, the government must at least demonstrate a determined, sustained effort to deport the illegal immigrants it encounters through law enforcement or social service agencies. No immigration law is going to be taken seriously if an illegal immigrant can receive government-funded benefits while the government cheerfully ignores that he is not legally entitled to be here.

Fourth, sanctions against employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrants need to be as rigorously enforced as other labor laws. There is no excuse for those who violate our nation's sovereignty.

This modest effort to enforce existing law would not only stop the immediate demand on services that is overwhelming our schools, hospitals and our prisons, it would produce the voluntary departure of that portion of the illegal population drawn here by public handouts or the underground economy.

Citizenship should be reserved for those who obey our laws as millions of legal immigrants are doing right now to fulfill their dream of becoming loyal Americans. Genuine amnesty for illegal immigrants means forgiving their past violation of our laws — not sanctioning their continued violation. It means leaving, being forgiven and then re-entering legally.

Together, these steps would preserve our nation as a melting pot for many future generations of legal immigrants from around the world who sincerely seek to become Americans and "to secure the blessings of liberty" to themselves and their posterity.


State Sen. Tom McClintock represents the 19th District in Sacramento.

Second, hundreds of armed incursions by Mexican military units in support of drug runners have been documented in recent years, and beefing up our military presence on the border is warranted.

This Senator means business! We should put the military on the border and get respect back for our nation and our borders!

OUTSTANDING!!!

GO TOM MCCLINTOCK!!

GO CALIFORNIA!!

Lets Get R Done!!

I love it how she says the status quo is defacto amnesty. How bout enforcing our existing laws. Now THAT is a novel idea!