Now, this will be a hot topic.
One side says we need to show compassion and take care of the Illegals. I believe in being compassionate. But, I also believe that we need to enforce our laws. If, at any time, we decide that it's ok to make "illegals" legal, then we have a problem. Next step: let's reduce the crime rate. It's easy. Just make a lot of the crimes "legal". Instant crime reduction.
One of those e-mails making the rounds points out that Missouri has had a strictly enforced law dealing with illegals for several years. They're "illegal". Enough said. State police check the status of those they arrest for any crime. And, if their status is "illegal", then action is taken. And, says the spreading e-mail, there are fewer illegals in Missouri.
North Carolina, according to at least one source, is number five in the nation, per capita, for illegal aliens. Many North Carolina industries say they cannot produce their products unless they can hire cheap labor. I don't buy that, not for a second. If North Carolina, and other states, did not have to support, via welfare, education, public housing, and the like, ILLEGALS...supported by tax dollars...then perhaps these companies could actually afford to pay LEGAL wages to LEGAL workers. Their taxes wouldn't be so high.
I had occasion to be around a construction project about five years ago, off and on for several weeks. The sub-contractor on that project had a half dozen or so foreign nationals working for him. One was a foreman, and he was "legal". None of the others spoke English, and all, admitted the foreman, were illegals. They were paid, in cash, each week. No tax dollars were taken out. No paperwork was filed. No insurance was paid. The foreman candidly admitted that the illegals made bi-monthly trips back to Mexico, and took the majority of their earnings with them, leaving their hard-earned cash with their families. While working in the U.S., they rented one small, modest house. All lived there, quietly, so as not to attract any attention.
It is indeed sad that Mexico and other countries cannot support their citizens. It's sad that these hardworking individuals risk capture, and worse, to sneak across the US-Mexican border in order to make what is to them "good money".
However. It's pretty irritating that employers in this country, the US, continue to seek out cheap labor so they can compete in this dog-eat-dog world. And, when some local and state government lawmakers decide that enough is enough, and adopt policies to strictly enforce the laws ALREADY ON THE BOOKS, our supreme government in Washington decides to step in and say "you can't do that". Wonder why that is. Is it political? Well, duh. Likely. Someone certainly has something to gain when any agency looks the other way when it's time to enforce the laws.
Reminds me of a former sheriff in a southeastern NC county. He not only turned his back on drug smuggling operations (for a fee, of course), he ordered his deputies NOT to enforce smuggling laws. He claimed that was up to the Feds. Well, as it turned out, some of his men went behind his back. They were waiting when a load of dope was smuggled into this coastal area. And, they did not call the sheriff. They called the media...me. In the middle of the night, I notified DEA of the bust. And, you can just imagine the firestorm that ensued. The sheriff, along with several other lawmen (all on the take) were nailed. They ended up in prison, making little rocks out of big ones.
What is the difference today? If local, state or federal cops fail to enforce the immigration laws, why are they any different than the sheriff of that NC county? Crooked is as crooked does. If local sheriffs or police chiefs can decide what laws to enforce, and which laws to ignore, then we have a problem. Even if their likes and dislikes are based soley on their personal feelings, we have a problem. There is, of course, "officer discretion". But, that's on an individual, case by case basis. That is not to be used to decide that the laws are not right. That is not the job of lawmen.
Until the immigration laws are changed, it is ILLEGAL to sneak into this country, it is ILLEGAL to employ those who do, and it is up to the law enforcement community and the courts to take the proper action to stop ILLEGAL activity. Or, it's time for them to step aside and let someone else, with guts and integrity, to get the job done.
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