Napolitano Needs to Go

            Some Republican congressmen have suggested that Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano should resign. It probably won’t happen, but one can certainly hope.

            As governor of Arizona Napolitano was decidedly against immigration law enforcement. When she endorsed some enforcement measures, it was only grudgingly, in response to intense public pressure. Now that she’s in charge of Homeland Security, her pro-illegal alien bias is plain for all to see.

            In point of fact, Napolitano is not even sure that illegal immigration is exactly illegal. Said the secretary, “crossing the border is not a crime per se. It is civil.” Actually it is a crime, a misdemeanor the first time according, to 8 U.S.C. 1325, and a felony for every crossing thereafter. Document fraud, which most illegals commit, is a felony.

            In another instance of apparent indifference to immigration law, Napolitano publicly criticized the arrest of illegal aliens in Bellingham, Washington. She decided to give them work permits.   

            Amazingly, Napolitano seems to think that the Canadian border is just as much a problem as the Mexican border. She claimed that “We shouldn’t go light on one and heavy on the other.” Does she imagine that hordes of Canadians are trying to cross the northern border and that violence from Canadian drug cartels is spilling across into the U.S.? In response to this and related comments, Canada’s National Post asked, “Can someone please tell us how U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano got her job?” A growing number of Americans are wondering the same thing.

            Adding even more concern about Napolitano’s performance in office was her endorsement of a Homeland Security document sent to law enforcement agencies. Profiling so-called “right-wing extremists” for the agencies to keep an eye on, it managed to include Americans with mainstream and legitimate concerns—including opposition to illegal immigration.

            As Congressman John Boehner (R-OH) observed, I think Secretary Napolitano has an awful lot of explaining to do. When you look at this report, on right-wing extremists, it includes . . . about two-thirds of Americans. . . . This is . . . bizarre.”

            Truly bizarre and cause for concern is that we have a high ranking government official who ignores law violations by foreigners in the U.S. while directing law enforcement against American citizens who exercise their constitutional right to express their views. Napolitano has no business being where she is. She needs to go.

Is Obama Aiming for a Fall Amnesty?

            Will the Obama administration cast caution to the wind and go for broke to push amnesty for 12 million or more illegal aliens this year? The tea leaves are not particularly clear, but they do suggest that something is coming, and perhaps soon.

            The latest indication was the recent article in The New York Times (4/9/09) by reporter Julia Preston. The article quoted Cecilia Munoz, President Obama’s deputy assistant and White House director and the White House director of intergovernmental affairs. Before joining the Obama administration, Munoz was a vice president of the National Council of La Raza, a Latino advocacy group that supports amnesty and generally opposes effective measures to stop illegal immigration.

            “He [Obama] intends to start debate [on amnesty] this year,” said Munoz. The article added that “Mr. Obama plans to speak publicly about the issue in May, administration officials said, and over the summer he will convene working groups, including lawmakers from both parties and a range of immigration groups, to begin discussing possible legislation for as early as this fall.”

            Significantly, just last month, the Los Angeles Times 3/27/09 reported that a number of wealthy pro-illegal alien foundations, including one founded by billionaire George Soros, were planning a grass-roots and media campaign for amnesty this fall costing $18 million.

            According to the New York Times article, the administration plans to claim that amnesty will not harm American workers because it will not add new workers to the work force. A more misleading claim is hard to imagine. With amnesty, American workers—now facing an unemployment rate moving toward ten percent—will have no hope of getting jobs now illegally occupied by foreigners. Furthermore, with amnesty we will throw out the welcome mat for more people to come and take our jobs and public  services. It’s happened every time in the past when we’ve rewarded lawbreaking with amnesty.

            As the Obama Administration prepares to pander illegal alien lobbies when so many American citizens are hurting, it’s time for citizens to prepare to vent their outrage—just as they did against the amnesty bills of 2006 and 2007. A good place to start is to call the offices of your House member and senators by dialing the Capitol Hill switchboard at (202) 224-3121. Make the message sweet and simple: No amnesty for illegal aliens. 

Mass Immigration Puts Freedom at Risk

            With its influence on our culture and values, immigration will determine what kind of America we will have in the future. Also, it will determine if we even have a country recognizable as America at all.

            Anti-American Americans view immigration as a battering ram to destroy the traditional America they have always hated. These radical leftists, who style themselves “progressives,” embrace mass immigration as a means to replace traditional “Middle-Americans” with an electorate more to their liking. A leading strategist of the “progressives” is Robert Cramer who explicitly advocates this displacement strategy.

            In his advice to the Democratic Party, Creamer advocates a push to legalize illegal aliens and make them citizens. He concludes that, “If Democrats continue to stand firmly for immigrant rights . . . we . . . [will have] a gigantic block of progressive voters will enter the electorate over the next 15 years—a block that could be decisive in the battle for the future.”

            Between now and then “progressives” hope to silence debate on immigration to prevent exposure of their plans. This they will do with their standard tactics of name-calling and distorted reporting by their allies in the media. Also, they are not adverse to threats of outright violence to silence opponents.

            A good example was the recent near riot at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to prevent former Congressman Tom Tancredo from explaining why our country needs to enforce its immigration laws. As Tancredo tried to express his views, protestors from Hispanic groups and campus radicals, including at least one professor, shouted insults. Then they held a banner in front of Tancredo and smashed a window to his side. At that point, campus police had to escort the former congressman away.

            Afterwards these freedom haters chanted, “We shut him down; no racists in our town” and “Yes, racists, we will fight, we know where you sleep at night.”

            Freedom of expression, protected by our First Amendment, is what America is all about. But our “progressives,” clearly aim for a society where only their viewpoints are permitted. And if they can import enough people from countries with no tradition of freedom and tolerance, they may succeed.

            If we Americans value our freedoms, we must raise our voices, and keep raising them, so that no one will have the power to shout them down. Freedom isn’t free; its price, at minimum, is personal commitment and action to uphold our way of life.        

Stop the 'Dream Act'

            The “Dream Act” amnesty is back before Congress again. It would give legal status and the pathway to citizenship to possibly 500,000 illegal aliens who came to the U.S. before the age of 16. But it is not a benefit offered “to children,” as some of its supporters claim. Applicants can be as old as 35.

            Dream Act proponents say it isn’t fair to deny legal status to people who first entered the U.S. with their parents and did not break our laws at that time by their own choosing. But after becoming adults they are responsible for breaking our laws by choosing to remain here. Those over 21 who get legal status and citizenship through the Dream Act can petition to get legal residence for their lawbreaking parents other relatives.

            Among its provisions, Dream Act will allow those who apply for it to enjoy in-state tuition for colleges and universities. This would give them an advantage over American citizens from other states who would have to pay out-of-state tuition. Talk about unfairness.

            Critics of the legislation, H.R. 1751 in the House and S. 729 in the Senate, say that the Department of Homeland Security probably doesn’t have the resources to prevent ineligible illegal aliens from taking advantage of the Act, or the resources to monitor those who are eligible to make sure they comply with its provisions, such as not becoming a public charge.

            In any case, the Dream Act will certainly do what all amnesties will do. By rewarding illegal behavior, they will encourage more of it. This not the message we need to be sending now. With more than 11 million Americans out of work and unemployment moving toward ten percent, we don’t need to increase competition for scarce jobs—particularly at the expense of our lower-income citizens.

            Some Washington observers believe that the amnesty lobbies are advancing the Dream Act as a means of testing how far they can go. If successful with this legislation, they may feel they have a green light to move toward their ultimate objective: mass amnesty for the 12 or more illegal aliens now residing in the United States.

            Immigration reformers need to stop this train before it leaves the station by making it known to Washington that the Dream Act is unacceptable. Call the offices of your representative and senators and tell them to oppose H.R. 1751 and S. 729. To reach those offices call the Capitol Hill Switch Board at (202) 224-3121.