If/Then: Illegal Migration….

 If the government is going to prosecute illegal migration, then congress needs to change willful illegal migration from a civil infraction, which is how it is designated currently, to a felony.

Key word: willful.  I’m not referring to someone who, for reasons beyond their control, overstayed because of a bureaucratic visa issue, I refer to individuals who knowingly and with intent overstay visas or cross our borders illegally.

There is no deterrent value in our current laws.  Currently, illegal entry in most instances doesn’t rise to the level of a felony unless an illegal re-enters the country after being deported.  That needs to change.  Congress needs to finally get down to the business of reworking our immigration laws and system.

VP Biden: "Undocumented aliens are already Americans"

March 28, 2014

Vice President Joe Biden
The White House
Washington, DC

Mr. Vice President:

You recently took a phrase out of Pres. Theodore Roosevelt's remarkable editorial, "True Americanism," "Americanism is not a question of birthplace or creed or a line of descent. It’s a question of principles, idealism and character…,” as if to imply that Pres. Roosevelt would have agreed with your position. 

With all due respect, you need to read Pres. Roosevelt's editorial in its entirety. Pres. Roosevelt also said, 

"The third sense in which the word “Americanism” may be employed is with reference to the Americanizing of the newcomers to our shores. We must Americanize them in every way, in speech, in political ideas and principles, and in their way of looking at the relations between Church and State. We welcome the German or the Irishman who becomes an American. We have no use for the German or Irishman who remains such. We do not wish German-Americans and Irish-Americans who figure as such in our social and political life; we want only Americans, and, provided they are such, we do not care whether they are of native or of Irish or of German ancestry. WE HAVE NO ROOM IN ANY HEALTHY AMERICAN COMMUNITY FOR A GERMAN-AMERICAN VOTE OR AN IRISH-AMERICAN VOTE, AND IT IS CONTEMPTIBLE DEMAGOGY TO PUT PLANKS INTO ANY PARTY PLATFORM WITH THE PURPOSE OF CATCHING SUCH A VOTE. We have no room for any people who do not act and vote simply as Americans, and as nothing else… 

BUT WHERE IMMIGRANTS, OR THE SONS OF IMMIGRANTS, DO NOT HEARTILY AND IN GOOD FAITH THROW IN THEIR LOT WITH US, BUT CLING TO THE SPEECH, THE CUSTOMS, THE WAYS OF LIFE, AND THE HABITS OF THOUGHT OF THE OLD WORLD WHICH THEY HAVE LEFT, THEY THEREBY HARM BOTH THEMSELVES AND US. IF THEY REMAIN ALIEN ELEMENTS, UNASSIMILATED, AND WITH INTERESTS SEPARATE FROM OURS, THEY ARE MERE OBSTRUCTIONS TO THE CURRENT OF OUR NATIONAL LIFE, AND, MOREOVER, CAN GET NO GOOD FROM IT THEMSELVES. In fact, though we ourselves also suffer from their perversity, it is they who really suffer most. It is an immense benefit to the European immigrant to change him into an American citizen. To bear the name of American is to bear the most honorable titles; and whoever does not so believe has no business to bear the name at all, and, if he comes from Europe, the sooner he goes back there the better. Besides, the man who does not become Americanized nevertheless fails to remain a European, and becomes nothing at all. The immigrant cannot possibly remain what he was, or continue to be a member of the Old-World society. If he tries to retain his old language, in a few generations it becomes a barbarous jargon; if he tries to retain his old customs and ways of life, in a few generations he becomes an uncouth boor. He has cut himself off from the Old World, and cannot retain his connection with it; and if he wishes ever to amount to anything he must throw himself heart and soul, and without reservation, into the new life to which he has come. IT IS URGENTLY NECESSARY TO CHECK AND REGULATE OUR IMMIGRATION, BY MUCH MORE DRASTIC LAWS THAN NOW EXIST; AND THIS SHOULD BE DONE... TO KEEP OUT LABORERS WHO TEND TO DEPRESS THE LABOR MARKET… 

From his own standpoint, IT IS BEYOND ALL QUESTION THE WISE THING FOR THE IMMIGRANT TO BECOME THOROUGHLY AMERICANIZED. MOREOVER, FROM OUR STANDPOINT, WE HAVE A RIGHT TO DEMAND IT. WE FREELY EXTEND THE HAND OF WELCOME AND OF GOOD-FELLOWSHIP TO EVERY MAN, NO MATTER WHAT HIS CREED OR BIRTHPLACE, WHO COMES HERE HONESTLY INTENT ON BECOMING A GOOD UNITED STATES CITIZEN LIKE THE REST OF US; BUT WE HAVE A RIGHT, AND IT IS OUR DUTY, TO DEMAND THAT HE SHALL INDEED BECOME SO and shall not confuse the issues with which we are struggling by introducing among us Old-World quarrels and prejudices. There are certain ideas which he must give up. For instance, he must learn that American life is incompatible with the existence of any form of anarchy, or of any secret society having murder for its aim, whether at home or abroad; and he must learn that we exact full religious toleration and the complete separation of Church and State. Moreover, he must not bring in his Old-World religious race and national antipathies, but must merge them into love for our common country, and must take pride in the things which we can all take pride in. HE MUST REVERE ONLY OUR FLAG; NOT ONLY MUST IT COME FIRST, BUT NO OTHER FLAG SHOULD EVEN COME SECOND... ," True Americanism, Theodore Roosevelt.

Pres. Roosevelt would NOT have agreed with your stance, or that of the administration.  In point of fact, his essay is a repudiation of this administration’s immigration policy.  His essay is based on 1) the premise that such individuals come to our country in accordance with our laws, and 2) that they fully integrate themselves into American society.  What you offer is a caricature of True Americanism.

Sincerely,

Open Letter To Senators Levin, Stabenow, re: S.744 Vote...

June 27, 2013

Senator Carl Levin
Senator Debbie Stabenow

Senators,

You still have 20 million unemployed CITIZENS to take care of before you even THINK about throwing the border open in yet another de-facto amnesty program.  I have objected to amnesties under ALL of the preceding administrations - Democrat and Republican - and I object to this one as well.

I am urging you to vote NO on S.744, the Schumer-Rubio Amnesty Bill.  Any attempt to throw our doors open to 12 million plus illegals is a slap in the face to the 20 million citizens - nearly 2 million of whom are YOUR CONSTITUENTS - who have been pushed out of the workforce in favor of illegals who will work for illegal wages with no benefits, as well as the 4 million immigrants who are patiently complying with our immigration laws.

Proponents of the bill claim it will bring unprecedented resources to border security.  They leave out, however, that the Corker-Hoeven Amendment to S. 744 also places sole authority for the deployment of security measures into the hands of Sec. Napolitano, who has already declared, “We are confident that the border is as secure as it has ever been…”   The following quote is directly from the Corker-Hoeven Amendment:

"...nothing in this subsection shall require the secretary to install fencing, or infrastructure that directly results from the installation of such fencing, in a particular location along the southern border, if the secretary determines that the use of placement of such resources is not the most appropriate means to achieve and maintain effective control over the southern border at such location." 

In addition, S.744 guarantees that illegal immigrants who are amnestied will be eligible to work, but will not be eligible for ObamaCare. Employers who would be required to pay as much as a $3,000 penalty for most employees who receive an ObamaCare healthcare “exchange” subsidy, WOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY THE PENALTY IF THEY HIRE AMNESTIED IMMIGRANTS. 

CONSEQUENTLY, EMPLOYERS WOULD HAVE A SIGNIFICANT INCENTIVE TO HIRE OR RETAIN AMNESTIED IMMIGRANTS, RATHER THAN CURRENT CITIZENS, INCLUDING THOSE WHO HAVE RECENTLY ACHIEVED CITIZENSHIP VIA THE CURRENT NATURALIZATION PROCESS."

Your oath of office is to defend the US Constitution and uphold the laws of this land - ALL OF THEM, not to impose a new social order on us. 

Senator McCain - Enforce Our Immigration Laws...

June 24, 2013

Sen. John McCain

Senator,

There was a time when I supported you.  I was one of those who voted for you when you ran for the office of President.  But upon seeing what you have come to espouse in the years that have passed since then, you have lost my support.  You have defended the actions of a president and his administration that are, by all objective, CONSTITUTIONAL standards, indefensible.

And now you have joined the open borders crowd in complete disregard for your own Arizona constituents, and for the rest of us as well.  To make matters worse, you have evidently instructed your staff to ignore all incoming phone calls from constituents who have the temerity to question you and the rest of the so-called “Gang of Eight” oligarchs who have decided that you alone know what is best for this country with regard to enforcing our immigration laws and strengthening our borders.

We believe in enforcing our laws.  We have seen from previous amnesties what transpires.  We have over 20 MILLION CITIZENS who have been been pushed out of the workforce in favor of illegals who will work for illegal wages with no benefits; your first responsibility is to THOSE CITIZENS, not the 12 million plus illegals who CHOSE to live in the shadows.  You have no obligation to bring them out of the shadows - unless it is for the purpose of enforcing our immigration laws.  Your proposed “immigration reform” is a slap in the faces of the 4 million immigrants who are patiently complying with our immigration laws to become productive CITIZENS of this nation, and placing all power to strengthen our borders solely into the hands of Sec. Napolitano, who has already declared that our borders are sufficiently strong for the purposes of the administration, does nothing to strengthen the language of your proposed legislation.

Enough is enough.

Enforce our laws as your oath of office requires you to do - or step down to make room for someone who will.

A Constitutional Constructionist for National Sovereignty.

Open Letter to Senators Levin & Stabenow: Corker-Hoeven Amendment and S. 744, the Schumer-Rubio Amnesty Bill

June 24, 2013

Senator Carl Levin
Senator Debbie Stabenow

Senators,

You still have 20 million unemployed CITIZENS to take care of before you even THINK about throwing the border open in yet another de-facto amnesty program.  I have objected to amnesties under ALL of the preceding administrations - Democrat and Republican - and I object to this one as well.

I am urging you to vote NO on both the Corker-Hoeven Amnesty Amendment that is scheduled for a vote at 5:30 today, as well as S.744, the Schumer-Rubio Amnesty Bill, as a whole.  Any attempt to throw our doors open to 12 million plus illegals is a slap in the face to the 20 million citizens - nearly 2 million of whom are YOUR CONSTITUENTS - who have been pushed out of the workforce in favor of illegals who will work for illegal wages with no benefits, as well as the 4 million immigrants who are patiently complying with our immigration laws.

Your oath of office is to defend the US Constitution and uphold the laws of this land - ALL OF THEM, not to impose a new social order on us. 

Romeike Family Amnesty Resolution, Michigan House of Representatives....

The following resolution in support of the Romeike family was introduced in the Michigan House of Representatives today by Rep. Tom Hooker, along with 16 co-sponsors; it was sent to the Committee on Gov't Operations, or as Rep Hooker termed it, the place where bills go to die:

Rep. Hooker offered the following resolution:

House Resolution No. 159.

A resolution to call upon the U.S. Attorney General and the U.S. Department of Justice to cease and desist forthwith the prosecution of the Romeike family and to make permanent the grant of asylum in which they were initially vested.

Whereas, In our nation's past, we have celebrated immigrants who came to this country in order to escape the persecution that was brought against them. Furthermore, the United States Department of Justice, led by Attorney General Eric Holder, has stated that "...creating a pathway to earned citizenship for the eleven million unauthorized immigrants in this country...is a matter of civil and human rights"; and

Whereas, The Romeike family, which consists of Uwe, Hannelore, and their six children, have deeply held religious beliefs and convictions regarding how their children should be educated. Over the course of time the Romeikes came to believe that the state school system in Germany, which does not permit homeschooling as an alternative to the public school system, was educating their children in ways that were at odds with their beliefs. Upon making their decision to pull their children out of the state education system, they were heavily fined, their children were taken to school under police escort, and they faced litigation from the state; and

Whereas, The Romeike family immigrated to the United States in 2008 and in 2010 were granted initial asylum by immigration Judge Lawrence O. Burman. In 2012, the U.S. Board of Immigration Appeals overruled this decision and denied asylum. In 2013, the Sixth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected the family's appeal; and

Whereas, Our society has held for the better part of the last two hundred and twenty-four years that, as expressed by Albert Gallatin, "[T]he whole Bill [of Rights] is a declaration of the right of the people at large or considered as individuals...It establishes some rights of the individual as unalienable and which consequently, no majority have the right to deprive them of"; and

Whereas, The ruling against the permanent grant of asylum to the Romeike family will have the effect of establishing a legal precedent of divesting certain parents of the fundamental right to direct the education of their children by choosing homeschooling, thus limiting their ability to practice their freedom of religion. The First Amendment of the United States Constitution, the supreme law of the land, explicitly states:  "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances;" and

Whereas, The youngest daughter of Uwe and Hannelore Romeike is entitled to all of the rights and protections afforded to all citizens of our country under the United States Constitution. She was born within the United States and is a United States citizen. Section 1 of the Fourteenth Amendment explicitly states:  "All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws;" now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we call upon the U.S. Attorney General and the U.S. Department of Justice to cease and desist forthwith the prosecution of the Romeike family and to make permanent the grant of asylum in which they were initially vested; and be it further

Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the Attorney General of the United States and the members of the Michigan congressional delegation.

Becoming an "American"

Letter from former Pres. Teddy Roosevelt to the president of the American Defense Society, written on January 3, 1919. It was read aloud at a concert sponsored by the ADS on January 6, 1919; Roosevelt died three days later. It speaks to divisions among the American people, and what he believed to be the obligations of those who would become American citizens.

"I cannot be with you and so all I can do is to wish you God speed. There must be no sagging back in the fight for Americanism merely because the war is over.

There are plenty of persons who have already made the assertion that they believe the American people have a short memory and that they intend to revive all the foreign associations which more directly interfere with the complete Americanization of our people. Our principle in this matter should be absolutely simple.

In the first place we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here does in good faith become an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace or origin. But this is predicated upon the man’s becoming in very fact an American and nothing but an American.

If he tries to keep segregated with men of his own origin and separated from the rest of America, then he isn't doing his part as an American.

There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American but something else also, isn’t an American at all. 

We have room for but one flag, the American flag, and this excludes the red flag which symbolizes all wars against liberty and civilization just as much as it excludes any foreign flag of a nation to which we are hostile. We have room for but one language here and that is the English language, for we intend to see that the crucible turns our people out as Americans, and American nationality, and not as dwellers in a polyglot boarding house; and we have room for but one soul loyalty, and that is loyalty to the American people."

A copy of the original letter can be seen at this link: Pres. Teddy Roosevelt letter

Amnesty Rebuttal...

Any scheme that provides special pathways to citizenship to illegals or their children amounts to amnesty.

It is unethical - immoral - to provide the children of illegals with options not extended to the children of our own citizens.  We have been force-fed a steady stream of the argument that because the children of illegals had no say in their parents' decision, it is immoral to force the breakup of families, that we owe them their own special pathway to citizenship, free education through college, and preferential consideration in employment. 

And yet, the same people who make these arguments conveniently ignore the plight of the children of incarcerated citizens who live in single parent homes, with relatives, or in foster care because their parents engaged in illegal activities.  They also had no choice in the matter, and in many cases their parents engaged in illegal activity to try provide a better life for them (sound familiar?). No one argues the morality of breaking up these families, offers them free education through college, or preference in employment. This is just a consequence with which they must learn to live.

This is the double standard being forced on us. If it is just, albeit regrettable, that the children of our own citizens suffer as a consequence of the decisions of their parents, then it is likewise just that the children of illegals experience similar consequences.

In the end, it is our children who must live with the consequences of our decisions.