Thread: State legislators need to deal with immigration

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State legislators need to deal with immigration

June 27, 2006

It may have appeared to be an act of pure, craven politics, but State Sen. Jim Bryson successfully made illegal immigration an issue in this year’s gubernatorial race.

Bryson stood on Monday in Legislative Plaza with Heather Lynn Steffek, daughter of Sean and Donna Wilson, who were killed in an automobile accident last month. The driver that allegedly hit them was Gustavo Reyes Garcia, an illegal alien with a laundry list of DUI arrests and traffic violations in Metro dating back to Bredesen’s time as Nashville mayor.

Our newspaper’s reporting revealed Garcia was allowed to walk time and time again despite serious charges that even included assaulting a police officer.

The message was clear from the Bryson campaign, that state government should get involved in fighting illegal immigration.

Democrats, including spokespersons for Bredesen’s campaign, were dismissive of the very idea state government should get involved in the illegal immigration problem. The excuse, of course, was that it is a federal government issue.

The governor and his campaign should be wary of acting as if state government addressing illegal immigration is ridiculous. It is an issue that cuts across party, generational and racial lines. It is also an issue that is having a real impact here in Tennessee.

Certainly, being drunk, disorderly and dangerous is not something only an illegal immigrant can do. However, Garcia was in this country based on an illegal premise. Had he been deported as he should have been after an initial offense, perhaps the Wilsons would still be alive today.

Instead, Garcia slipped through the cracks of a state court system that by law is not empowered to even show a passing interest in his illegal status. Instead, he was churned through the system and put back on the street more than a dozen times.

Of course, Bryson’s own Republican Party is not without blame on this very same issue. A GOP-dominated state Senate failed to pass a bill to empower state troopers to enforce immigration law.

State level politicians should realize the days of sticking their collective heads in the sand over illegal immigration is over. It is an issue Tennesseans of all walks of life expect them to deal with. Passing the buck to the feds won’t solve problems at home. Neither will election year platitudes without legislative action to back it up.


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