Illegal means NOT legal.
I am in favor of documenting temporary immigrants within the auspices of a guest worker program. I also believe we should accelerate the green card and citizenship process and welcome those who wish to work.
But I do not favor amnesty for those who are here illegally.
Nor do I favor attempts to portray efforts to grant such amnesty as a push for 'immigrant' rights, as this lame editorial for the Journal Sentinel does.
Not criminals, just our neighborsMore than ever before, our borders need to be secure.
The crowd spilled over Zeidler Park into still thronged streets - an estimated 10,000 to 15,000.
The marchers shouted "Justicia! . . . Ahora!" Justice. Now. As a woman on stilts dressed as the Statue of Liberty walked gingerly among them, they carried signs proclaiming, "We're not criminals."
They were immigrants and descendants of immigrants, all hoping that their message in a huge "A Day Without Latinos" rally in Milwaukee Thursday would be heard in Washington.
Unfortunately, much of Congress, particularly the House, has been hard of hearing on this issue. That must change.
The marchers' message boiled down: Immigration is an issue that involves real people - people who work hard, who pay taxes and whose children and grandchildren will, as immigrant waves before them, provide the country's future teachers, doctors and, yes, patriots.
The marchers also were signaling that House legislation in particular that would label many of them felons is particularly pungent. It would build fences where there should be welcoming arms.
It is a matter of national security.
"Undocumented" means illegal.
Those in this country illegally have committed a crime and are therefore criminals.
It really is that simple.
5 Comments:
I understand the analysis. If they are not documented, its a crime and a crime is a crime. Period.
The fact is, we really don't beleve that about the law. We don't write blogs about how someone who drives 72 MPH has broken THE LAW. I am not comparing the two, I am just pointing out that this shrill "they are breaking the law!!!" stuff is really sloganeering and not thoughtful comment.
Why people come to the US looking for work from other countries is both obvious and understandable. Indded, the decision to come is almost always motivated by very good intent: the desire to work hard to feed one's family, etc. Since the beginning of time, people do what they have to - go where they have to - to put food on the table.
Talking about it as a crime is just not realistic and it blots out any meaningful discussion of very real and complex issues.
Illegal alien.
Not "undocumented immigrant."
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Actually, being in the US illegally is not currently a crime, but a civil offense. Sensenbrenner wants to make it a felony with a 5-year prison term. They'd still be in the US, but we'd be supporting them.
The law provides for many shades of transgression.
My brother-in-law has commited a traffic violation.
Illegal immigrants are guilty of a civil violation.
Steve Foti pleaded to a misdemeanor.
Chuck Chvala pleaded to a mixture of misdemeanors and felonies.
See the differences? It's that simple.
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