Editorial: Immigration: Congress’s call
projo.com
01:00 AM EDT on Friday, August 26, 2011

Under the U.S. Constitution, Congress passes the laws, and the executive branch administers them. But in recent years, politicians from both parties — frustrated with the Founders’ vision of accountability, separation of powers and the rule of law, and wanting to avoid responsibility — have placed ever-greater power with unelected administrators, who make far-reaching decisions without a vote being taken, or an opportunity for citizens to influence such policies.

Those who favor strict enforcement of immigration laws recently got upset about one such case. The Obama administration said it was suspending 300,000 ongoing deportations of illegal aliens, and giving a pass to those it considers no real threat to the public.

This sounds like a good and pragmatic short-term idea — the system is overwhelmed with illegals, and it makes sense to give a high priority to getting rid of the most dangerous. The government can’t deport all of the millions of illegal aliens. As a stop-gap the administration’s plan may be acceptable –– but only as a stop gap.

But the plan runs counter to the actual immigration laws passed by Congress, which call for greater enforcement than that, and could represent a bid to provide amnesty in ways that politicians who must get elected to office would never permit. (Recent legislative efforts to provide limited amnesty to illegal aliens have run into strenuous opposition, and have failed in Congress.) Critics say the new policy sends a message to would-be illegal aliens that America now has more open borders, and that if you do not commit a serious crime (more serious than entering America illegally, that is), you can invade the country with impunity. Thus the new program’s implementation must be watched very carefully.

The problem is, members of Congress — fearful of alienating powerful interest groups, especially those representing some immigrant groups and businesses seeking cheap labor — refuse to come up with a broad new immigration plan that most Americans would support. And so, they punt the ball to the executive branch.

Americans support a significant amount of immigration, but they want it done with priority going to those who follow the rules, contribute financially rather than drain social services, and, all in all, strengthen the country. They want porous borders closed. They do not consider illegal immigration a victimless crime, since it pushes down pay and steals opportunities for those in the lower- and middle-income classes; imposes enormous social costs; subjects immigrants themselves to exploitation; breaks up families; opens the door to terrorist attacks; and makes communities less safe.

Citizens want some stronger signs that the government will enforce the laws that do get passed.

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