Here’s a real dilemma for many conservatives: Which is a higher priority, states’ rights or illegal immigrants? Better choose carefully, Tea Partiers — and quickly — because it looks like one of those concerns will have to take a back seat. The Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) now says that beginning in 2013, states will not be allowed to opt out of the “Secure Communities” program. That’s the program that enlists local law enforcement in the federal hunt for illegal immigrants. ICE says it will no longer need a governor’s signature before it puts Secure Communities into practice in individual states — and that it plans to expand the program to states that have so far opposed taking part in the program.
Some states, such as New York, California, Illinois and Massachusetts, oppose the Secure Communities program because, they say, nearly 30,000 people have been deported who didn’t have criminal records. Evidently, ICE doesn’t give a damn what the states have to say about it, and is telling these state-government-level scofflaws that they’ll cooperate whether they like it or not. Sounds like more gummint interference in states’ rightful business, so I imagine conservatives will rally behind their belief in states’ rights. Right? Or, wait a minute, is it more important to rid the nation of the pestilence of brownish, Spanish-speaking people without proper papers? Since conservatives generally don’t respond well to ambiguities, much less paradoxes, it could get really interesting when they try to figure things out. Be careful around them, and watch out for flying pieces of right-wing brains when their heads start exploding.
This article appears in Aug 9-15, 2011.
My mind just exploded.
Seriously, I can’t believe we’ve been clamoring for a federal response to immigration reform and this is the crazy that’s been unloaded on us. ICE is out of control.
P.S- John, “undocumented”>”illegal”
Immigrants are necessary for the continued growth and economic vitality of this nation.
Hey Wes, when you see any signs of “growth and economic vitality” you let us know.
When you read a book, you let me know.
LEGAL immigrants are inclusive of now-stunted-growth-and-economic vitality of the U.S. Stop the back-door entries and moreover, condoning this illegal “practice.”
Chit. Politicians need to make a decision about this long-standing PROBLEM and STOP bull-chitting. No one has the “right to work” in the US unless he or she has legal documentation. And over 34 million ILLEGAL ALIENS do not. This is not just for Hispanics, it is for all ILLEGAL ALIENS: Go home and take your kids with you.
The stupid…it burns. This is not a state rights issue.
When you sneak into this country illegally, you are breaking federal laws. Just like states cannot declare war by themselves, they cannot overrule federal immigration laws. The States can do many things by themselves, according to their own laws, but there are some federal laws that they cannot supercede. I can’t believe I had to explain that to this blogger.
But don’t worry Grooms, the federal government has been paying lip service to immigration enforcement for decades. Your open borders cause is very safe.
My comment was censored because I disagreed with the blogger. Wow, stay classy Grooms
Uh, it doesn’t appear to be censored; it’s right above! Or was it too much effort to raise your eyes a smidgen?
Honestly, the feeble brain power of many who troll this website…
We certainly did not delete any comments by Frank/Jacob/Sarah that disagreed with Grooms, as evidenced by the inclusion of the one above. We can only assume that he has not mastered the complexities of the keyboard and accidentally deleted the message himself instead of posting it.