Illegal 1) adj. in violation of statute, regulation or ordinance, which may be criminal or merely not in conformity. Thus, an armed robbery is illegal, and so is an access road which is narrower than the county allows, but the violation is not criminal. 2) status of a person residing in a country of which he/she is not a citizen and who has no official permission to be there. (Dictionary law.com)
CHICAGO, February 9, 2012— President Obama is an attorney. He graduated from Harvard Law School, one of the preeminent law schools in the nation. The president edited the putatively eminent Harvard Law Review. President Obama taught at the University of Chicago Law School, another prominent legal institution. He even dabbled in the practice of law for a time.
In some rarified circles, the president is considered an intellectual and the smartest guy the world.
One would think that this attorney, a trained, intellectual, and legal scholar, would know the difference between two simple words- legal and illegal. Even the most illiterate know the difference.
Under some convoluted logic, the administration appointed a public advocate for illegal immigrants and their lobbyists. The Department of Homeland Security, which oversees U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, touted the appointment as a positive move for the “stakeholders.”
Andrew Lorenzen-Strait was appointed as the public advocate to handle questions and issues regarding the “stakeholder community involved in immigration policy and enforcement… Engaging stakeholders and building partnerships to facilitate communication, foster collaboration and solicit input on immigration enforcement initiatives and operations.” (ICE press release)
The “stakeholder community” who entered the country or reside here illegally now have their very own public advocate. The agency that is supposed to enforce the laws of the land against them gave the stakeholder community an ombudsman.
Maybe the government should have public advocates for other “stakeholder communities” such as organized crime, drug cartels, major street gangs, biker gangs, and other organized perpetrators of illegal activity.
They are all “stakeholders” who have real interests and valid concerns about the policies of law enforcement agencies.
Aren’t other illegal “stakeholder” communities entitled to partnerships to facilitate and foster communication, collaboration, and to solicit input? Doesn’t any stakeholder community that willingly violates the law deserve its own ombudsman?
Since when does our government lobby on behalf of illegal activities? “Advocate” is just a palatable word for lobbyist. Advocates work on Main Street instead of K Street, or in the case of ombudsmen, in bureaucracies.
By the way, immigrants, legal and illegal, already have public advocates and ombudsmen. They are the consulates and embassies of their native lands.
For too many decades advocates, on both sides of the political spectrum, have been pushing for an immigration policy. We do not need another new policy, transformational or not. We already have a policy.
The policy is the federal statutes, also known as laws. It is the legal system, which enforces, prosecutes, and adjudicates laws. What we need to do is utilize the system we already have in place.
The United States is turning into a nation of politically palatable policy debates instead of a nation of laws.
Laws are supposed to be enforced by the government. Illegal immigrants, who cross our borders, overstay their visas, or come here under false pretenses, know they are committing illegal acts. They are well aware they are violating our laws. They do so willingly and sometimes cheerfully.
The people who hire them also violate the law willingly and cheerfully, while feigning ignorance with a wink and a nod
Many illegal immigrants break more of our laws by obtaining fake Social Security numbers through identity thieves or other means, so they can work, open bank accounts, and obtain credit.
When illegal aliens are caught, they demand mercy, pity, and amnesty for themselves and their families. Their extenuating circumstances, excuses, and cries for social or moral justice must be considered. They are entitled to solicitude.
There is no such thing as social, economic, or moral justice except in ethical or philosophical debates. We do not have systems with those appellations. There is only the legal system of criminal and civil justice. Giving voice or an advocate to people who break our laws threatens the very foundation of our legal system.
It is a foot in the door for any illegal group to seek redress from the government instead of enforcement and punishment.
This administration will pander to any group in return for adulation, votes, and campaign contributions. They will always put politics before the country. They create more useless government jobs to appease more voting blocs.
The Obama administration merrily does whatever it wants. They just don’t care. If they can squeeze a vote or a dollar out of the lowest common denominator, they will do it.
Illegal immigrants and their lobbyists do not need a government public advocate. They did not play by the rules, obey the laws, and earn entitlements. They broke the rules, disobeyed the laws, and should suffer whatever consequences befall them.
They are illegal immigrants. They are not undocumented workers, families, children, or undocumented Democrats.
Appointing an advocate for the stakeholders of an illegal group sets a bad precedent and is poor public policy. It is good politics. That is all this administration really cares about.
Peter V. Bella is a retired Chicago Police Officer, freelance writer and photographer, cook, and raconteur. He likes to be the sharp stick that pokes, prods, and annoys. His opinions are his and his alone.
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