Ridge Is Wrong

I couldn’t disagree more.

The Sun-Sentinel reports that Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge told a Miami audience Tuesday that the country should legalize millions of undocumented immigrants.

The bottom line is, as a country we have to come to grips with the presence of 8 to 12 million illegals, afford them some kind of legal status some way, but also as a country decide what our immigration policy is and then enforce it.

Ridge is wrong because we have an immigration policy. What we don’t have, and haven’t had, is anyone willing to enforce it. We won’t control our borders. State governments encourage the provision of government services to illegal aliens. Local governments enact “sanctuary” programs for illegal aliens, preventing their employees from reporting an illegal alien’s status.

I’m not against immigration. We are, after all, a nation of immigrants. Immigration is one of the factors that provides the ambition and drive behind the U.S.’s strong entrepreneurial spirit. I understand that certain industries are heavily dependent on immigration. None of the multitude of reasons proving the benefits of immigration justify the illegal immigration.

There is a movement afoot to grant amnesty to illegal aliens who have demonstrated a willingness to live and work peacefully and productively in the United States. Dick Gephardt, calls this "earned legalization." This movement had gained adherents several years ago but was sidetracked by 9-11.

We tried amnesty once before. The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, made nearly 4 million illegals eligible for legal residency. That policy was an obvious failure because now Ridge tells us there are between 8 and 12 million illegals to be considered for amnesty. If amnesty is now given to these millions, then we should only expect that fifteen years from now we will have to consider amnesty for 20 million.

We need to control immigration. Our immigrants need to play by the rules.

Comments

[john s bolton]

That's right, these legalizations only intensify the problem of having millions of foreign criminals running loose in the country, which is a gross dereliction of the primary public responsibilities. Mass attacks by foreigners on our people and territory occur, and officials just cower before the threat of some media or academic commentators to call them racist, as if they won't do that regardless of what policies are in effect. Why don't our officials see that these critics are traitorous types who want damage to come to the country, and whose approval is worse than worthless.