My Take on Illegal Immigration

There has been an awful lot of talk about immigration lately and I have been asked by several of you to weigh in on the matter. Right out of the gate I want to remind everyone that unless we are Native Americans, then immigration has played a role in our families coming to this great land. Legal Immigration has been and always will be healthy for this country.

It is illegal immigration that poses many problems. These problems are amplified by multiculturalism and political correctness. We are becoming a country with no real sense of itself or of what it is to be an American. Don't get me wrong--I am not against being proud of ones roots, but our political system and business world should not have to accommodate every cultural background. People come here for opportunities. This is a package deal. The opportunities are great because the country is great.

Cultural nostalgia is one thing, but let's not forget that there are existing cultural practices that actually encourage the poverty of nations that people may be fleeing from. One such practice would be India's sacred cows. Cows walk the street protected from slaughter even while there are people dying of starvation. Make no mistake about it--a country's successes are directly attached to its culture.

There has been a lot of negative press lately for Arizona. I for one am proud of Arizona for saying enough is enough. Our federal government is in charge of immigration policy and Arizona is simply a state that is trying to uphold that law. What we should be complaining about is the growing number of "sanctuary" cities who have adopted ordinances banning police from asking people about their immigration status. These cities include: Washington, D.C., New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, San Diego, Austin, Salt Lake City, Dallas, Detroit, Jersey City, Minneapolis, Miami, Denver, Aurora, Colorado, Baltimore, Seattle, Portland, Oregon, Portland, Maine, and Senath, Missouri. These cities are effecting their own immigration policies that are opposed to congress and are in violation of the U.S. Constitution which gives states and localities the freedom to pass laws in areas that are not express powers given to the federal government.

The largest problem is not the illegal immigrants themselves, but those behind their reason for coming. Businesses will pay a wage slightly higher than one can make for the same job in Mexico. Higher wages are the draw for illegals to enter the country. We need to spray some Round Up on this problem to get at its root. Businesses should be able to provide proof of legal status for all employees. When found to have hired an illegal immigrant the fine should be so large that the business would almost fold completely. After several businesses close others will see that cheap labor is not as inexpensive as it used to be. While we are at it, we can fine banks that give accounts and mortgages to illegal immigrants.

We must continue to realize that this is not a racial issue. This is a matter of law. This great social experiment called "America" will fail if not based on the rule of law. My hope for America is that we will continue to have people from all over the globe want to live here so much that they will follow proper legal channels to come here.