Editorial - 02 May 2010
Border Security Must Come Before Immigration Reform
L
eonard Pitts' column (Baltimore Sun - 01May10) "Arizona’s shame" was long on platitudes but short on ideas.
Like many of the elites far removed from the problem, Mr. Pitts lacks a fundamental understanding of where
we currently are, what needs to be done, what the sentiments of the nation are, and what the impact of
illegal immigration is.
Comprehensive immigration reform while not having control of our borders is nonsensical and meaningless.
We can't grasp why so many people have a difficult time understanding this. It's as if Mr. Pitts and others believe
that a person could sufficiently address the problem of flies in their home while the front door and
all of the windows were still open. It's a ridiculous concept, and indicates not only a fundamental
lack of understanding of this issue, but the logic that must go into solving any problem.
Secondly, Mr. Pitts and other's like to point out that many of those who oppose comprehensive
immigration reform believe that "we could round up and bus an estimated 11 million people to the border".
That's not true. Nobody but right-wing extremists would believe this to be a viable solution. But many people
do believe that if we had national id cards, if we enforced our existing labor laws and if we had border
security the problem would very much solve itself. You wouldn't have to deport 11 million people if they
had no jobs and no social welfare or hospital systems to exploit. They'd leave.
There's nothing wrong with calling for border security or enforcement of existing laws.
In fact, it's the only long-term solution to this problem. Without a secure border, it doesn't
make sense to comprehensively address any of the large issues we face that are exasperated by
illegal immigration: health care, prison reform, school reform, entitlement program reform or immigration policy.
Securing the border must be the first thing we do. Everything else must follow.
That's why it's so disappointing that President Obama has gone back on his campaign promise to do just that,
and that media outlets far removed from the problem are content to let politicians from both political parties
campaign on the issue of border security but doing nothing about it once in office. One need look no further
than the two faces of Janet Napolitano, one while serving as Governor of Arizona and one while serving as
Homeland Security Director in the Obama Administration to recognize just how corrupt and removed the DC beltway elite quickly become once in power.
Editor - bethesite.com
