Thread: Immigrants are asked simply to obey our laws

Immigrants are asked simply to obey our laws
By ABBY SCHMUCKER
Advisory Editorial Board
Wednesday, October 3, 2007

"Illegal alien," "illegal immigrant" or "undocumented person." Any of these terms would have worked in the Sept. 19 article about Avenamar Morales-Perez and his having allegedly run into a school bus. But instead, the article simply stated he was "a resident of Mexico."

That sentence stuck out like a sore thumb, and when I learned a paragraph later that Morales-Perez previously had been deported, everything became crystal clear.

Illegal immigration is a red-hot issue in our country, and I believe that the fact that we are faced with it in the Tri-State warrants more coverage than this paper affords us.

Granted, while the majority of illegal immigrants are working and staying out of trouble, there is a sizable number of criminal illegal aliens in this country, and apparently a few in our midst.

These types of stories are becoming all too common. In cities throughout the country, people are being killed by criminal illegal immigrants.

In Phoenix, five of the last seven deaths were caused by illegal immigrants. Two top reasons illegal immigrants are arrested are for drug trafficking and for driving under the influence.

We have two Border Patrol agents in prison for shooting a drug smuggler in the behind. The smuggler got immunity for testifying against the two agents. Oh, and he tried to sue the Border Patrol for violating his civil rights.

Some of the laws on the books are being twisted and used against citizens serving our country. And other laws — for example, those fining companies that hire illegal workers and the one for building that fence — are not being enforced.

The problem of illegal immigration is complex. There are no easy answers. That was made clear when the recent immigration bill was thwarted because of the outcry from American citizens.

The majority of Americans welcome immigrants, as our own ancestors were immigrants.

Many Americans enjoy and appreciate the richness of different cultures.

Americans are compassionate. This paper published a report a couple of months ago that stated Americans give more money to charity than any other nation.

To quote Opinion page columnist Jay Ambrose, "It's not just because we have more. We also give more as a percentage of gross domestic product."

There are numerous organizations worldwide whose sole purpose is to feed, clothe and educate those who are less fortunate. Of course, American citizens want people to have opportunities to better themselves, but Americans also want them to obey the laws of our land, and that begins the moment they step on American soil.

Abby Schmucker is a member of the Courier & Press Advisory Editorial Board.
http://www.courierpress.com/news/2007/o ... -our-laws/

Immigrants are asked simply to obey our laws

If they obeyed our laws they wouldn't be here.