Illegal Immigration

By Mike Hampton

We (American Citizens) have to be wondering why “illegal immigration” is such a complicated issue to our elected government officials, police departments and many of our fellow countrymen. One would assume that the words “illegal immigration” is fairly self-explanatory and indicates a situation where federal, state and local law enforcement agencies should work together by immediately enforcing the laws that regulate this crime. True, the Federal Government is responsible for the enforcement of these laws but it is apparent that it lacks the capability of protecting the American people from the vary laws that it created. Section 8 of the United States Constitution outlines the powers of Congress regarding this issue; “Congress shall…provide for the common Defense and the general Welfare… To establish a uniform Rule of Naturalization…To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers…”

In 1990 Congress made comprehensive changes to U.S. immigration law by passing the Immigration Act of 1990. The act established annual ceilings, quotas, and requirements for immigrants. In 1996 the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigration Responsibility Act was passed which provided for easier deportation of illegal aliens, income requirements for immigrants attempting to relocate their family to the U.S. and penalties that barred overstaying illegals from the country for up to 10 years.

Congress has failed miserably in executing the immigration laws which have been established and we just continue to let them get away with it! In a recent Gallup Poll asking Americans to name the top 10 priorities for the government and the most important problems facing the nation today; illegal immigration came in at number 5. This was preceded only by Iraq, terrorism, the economy and energy (fuel prices) which makes it obvious this matter is of extreme importance to the majority of us.

Considering all of this, it is amazing that President Barack Obama and Senator John McCain all but completely ignored this issue during their campaigns for the presidency. Could it be that Washington is full of politicians and not representatives for the common welfare of the people? A new definition for an American politician: one that remains politically correct, regardless of the issues, in order to gain the maximum amount of votes by all special interest groups and the general public for the purpose of re-election. Unfortunately this definition describes many of our elected officials today.

The original intent of this article was to provide a lot of statistics indicating the adverse effects that illegal immigration has and will have on this country. The truth of the matter, we are all tired of hearing about it and just want to see results. If you want to keep informed, I recommend visiting the Federation for American Immigration Reform website for accurate and unbiased information.

The bottom line, most of us have a pretty good idea of the billions of dollars that this has cost taxpayers. Not to mention the impact it has on the health care industry resulting in higher insurance premiums and medical costs. The idea of illegal immigrants having “anchor babies” (babies born to illegal immigrants on American soil that automatically receive citizenship) promotes illegal migration across our borders, drains the welfare system, skyrockets educational costs and needs to be immediately addressed by Congress. There is currently a bill being introduced to Congress (H.R.1868) by Congressman Nathan Deal(R-GA) that could put an end to the misrepresentation of our Constitution. The Fourteenth Amendment was not designed to grant citizenship to babies born to parents that are here illegally but was originally intended to grant citizenship to the black slaves born into this country and rightfully so!

Nathan Deal

It is time for the Supreme Court to clarify the historical significance and definition of this amendment and time for Congress to act and stop the ridiculous madness. Past administrations have granted amnesty to illegal aliens due to their inability to manage our borders and now we have Congressman Barney Franks and friends attempting the same nonsense for the estimated 13 to 20 plus million illegal immigrants in the United States today.

WTF? Barney Frank

Prior to becoming president, Barack Obama told the National Council of La Raza “we cannot and should not deport 12 million people…offer those who are willing to make amends a pathway to citizenship… That way, we can reconcile our values as both a nation of immigrants and a nation of laws.” Excuse me Mr. Obama, the laws already exist and we Americans do not have to reconcile our values! This absurd notion only justifies the lack of enforcement by the federal government and encourages future illegal migration. Americans, we cannot tolerate this any longer!

Most citizens of the United States welcome with open arms the immigrants that enter this country legally. This country is truly the land of opportunity. We should not allow social barriers to be erected that would impede the growth and success of newly acquired citizens. Controlling our borders is not an indication of prejudice but a legitimate concern for the welfare and prosperity of our nation. Our country is in one of the most severe financial crisis in history. Instead of bailing out poorly run financial institutions and funding jobs for “green technology”, this administration needs to promote additional jobs to facilitate responsible protection of our borders and stop the hemorrhaging of funds required to accommodate this illegal element.