Weekly Opinion Editorial
ILLEGAL IS ILLEGAL
by Steve Fair
On Saturday, President Donald Trump signed an executive memorandum deploying 2,000 National Guard troops in California in response to protests in Los Angeles over the enforcement of illegal immigration. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the action is being done to support federal law enforcement in Los Angeles. Hegseth said if violence continued, active-duty Marines stationed at Camp Pendleton could also be mobilized.
The protests came after federal Immigration
and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers raided multiple workplaces in L.A.’s
fashion district and detained hundreds of illegal immigrates (those who enter
and usually become established).
California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a
Democrat, claims Trump’s action was a move to, “take over” the California
National Guard (Trump’s right as Commander-in Chief). Newsom says deploying the
National Guard is “purposefully inflammatory and will only escalate tensions.”
Trump has threatened to cut federal funding to the Golden State for ignoring
enforcement of his executive orders regarding illegal immigrates. Newsom has said he would retaliate by
withholding federal tax collected in the state.
“California pays the bills for the federal government,” Newsom said.
California is a donor state in
regard to taxation. They pay over $80 billion more each year than they receive
from the feds. It remains unclear if Trump and Newsom can legally withhold
funding from the other. No one wins in a stalemate and it remains to be seen
who will blink first.
Three observations:
First, the immigration issue is about votes. The Democratic Party has openly
advocated for allowing illegal immigrates to be granted the right to vote.
States with high levels of illegals affect the census, congressional
apportionment and electoral college votes. If political power is shifted to
states with high levels of illegal immigrates, America becomes bluer. That’s
why Biden kept borders open. It is why Newsom encourages protests: it helps the
Democratic Party cause.
Second, the immigration issue is
about security. During Biden’s administration, the U.S. endured a large-scale
invasion. Millions of illegal aliens from nations and regions around the world
entered the U.S. Who knows how many potential terrorists, foreign spies, cartel
members or other criminals are living here? A country with no border is not a
country at all. Trump has closed the border and deporting illegal immigrants
should be a nonpartisan issue, but it remains one of the most divisive debates
of the day.
Third, the immigration issue is
about the rule of law. The United States has clear immigration laws regarding
how a person enters, stays and potentially becomes an American citizen. The
inconsistency and unpredictability in enforcement by various administrations
has been the challenge. Immigration enforcement should be applied fairly and
consistently; it should not be ambiguous, inconclusive or obscure. The
executive branch is charged with enforcing the law, not just the ones they
like.
Americans want border security. A
recent Gallup poll found more than 55% of Americans believe immigration law
enforcement should be a priority for the federal government. Those same
citizens support building more border walls and an increase in Border Patrol
agents. Politically, illegal immigration is an issue that cuts across party
affiliation. A majority of Democrats want a secure border. Most Americans
support legal immigration, but not illegal immigration.
Newsom is considered a potential
2028 Democrat nominee for president. If he continues his mishandling of this
situation, he will authenticate Trump’s nickname for him—Newscum—and dash his
hopes to occupy the White House. After all, illegal is illegal.
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