Thread: Navarette:Workplace Raids, Pelosi, and Me

Workplace Raids, Pelosi, and Me

Enforcing immigration laws and holding people accountable for their actions is the American way. Or at least it should be.
March 29, 2009 - by Ruben Navarrette Jr.


Support Pajamas Media; Visit Our Advertisers

When they’re in the throes of an immigration debate, liberals claim they accept the premise that ours is a country of laws and that it’s reasonable to enforce those laws, but they don’t really mean it. Case in point: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who is not keen on workplace raids as a means of enforcing federal immigration law. Pelosi recently drove home that point in a couple of speeches that have immigration restrictionists buzzing.

Ironically, I’m probably more in line with Pelosi on the larger issue of immigration reform than I am with the restrictionists who blast her. She and I agree on a lot. Like the fact that nativism and racism are fueling the anxieties of many Americans; they did 100 years ago when people like Pelosi’s Italian immigrant grandparents were derided, and they do today with immigrants from Mexico being the cultural interlopers. We also both agree that comprehensive immigration reform — a combination of enforcement and earned legalization for the undocumented — is the way to proceed, as opposed to the lazy and discredited enforcement-only approach.

But Pelosi and I part company when it comes to immigration raids. Maybe that’s because while her father was a congressman, mine is a retired cop. Pelosi started bashing raids at a mostly Hispanic gathering at St. Anthony’s Church in San Francisco on March 7. The event was organized by Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-IL), who is conducting a 17-city, cross-country tour called “United Families.â€

What kind of a country has a law that says it's unlawfull to follow the law??? I need medication!!!

Just think of how much better this country would be if they didn't let Pelosi's father in!!! Kick him and her to the curb.....

Is this really from Navarette? He has issues with Gutierrez and Pelosi?
But one counterpoint: undoubtedly Pelosi's immigrant relatives came here legally, whatever the laws were at the time. You cannot compare laws and regulations 100 years ago with those that have been refined today, and the violation of those laws, whether legal (overstaying the visa) or illegal entry is still a violation of the laws on the books today.
I don't think it is as much prejudice against the nationality of the "interlopers" as it is the continual violation of our laws and the continual screaming for us to ignore those laws for no one else's benefit but theirs.

Originally Posted by vortex

Is this really from Navarette? He has issues with Gutierrez and Pelosi?

this is the same thing i was wondering

and there is nothing on the san diego paper website under his commentary's showing this one

He doesn't usually sound this reasonable.