The Immigration Bill - An Epilogue

If you have not heard by now, the much-touted bipartisan Immigration Bill died a second ignominious death on the Senate Floor. With bated breath, I kept tabs on those keeping tabs with C-SPAN and yes, I rejoiced when the Bill met its demise by a vote of 46-53. The defeat of the Bill restored my faith in the democratic law-making processes our forefathers put in place.

Don't get me wrong, I understand that politics is pretty much giving up 50% of what you want to get 50% of what you need passed. And on any given day, I welcome the opportunity to extend our borders to those who are able to legally enter them. The key word is legally.

My biggest objection to the whole proceeding was the attempt to pass a law to essentially protect lawbreakers. Illegal immigrants, regardless of the country of origin, are lawbreakers and unless they fully understand - and experience, the extent of the consequences of their actions, then there is no reason for the American Government and our elected officials to aid and abet in the process. Why then not extend the same "courtesies" to drug dealers and heck while you're at it how about ousted dictators - oh but wait, we already have that - it's called Asylum. Oh well.


Let us never forget that this country, whose laws are founded on Godly principles, is first and foremost made up of the people - our elected officials are supposed to come from the communities, cities and states they represent, unless you're Hillary Clinton; governed by the people - not dictators, monarchs, the elite (or the misinformed) with deep pockets, corporations with deep pockets or special interest groups; and for the people meaning the legal, accountable and productive CITIZENS and RESIDENTS, of this great society period. Did I mention legal?

I'm not smart enough to parse nor patient enough to pour through the hundreds of pages of amendments, counter amendments, codicils and whatever else that encompassed this attempt at passing a bad law. But I do know that what we already have on the books as law are not being enforced or are being circumvented outright. If we are to "fix" this problem let's start by shoring up the front lines. Build the danged fence along the Mexican border and reinforce border security on both sides. Make our border agents care about their duties. Heck make our overseas Immigration Officials care. After all it has to start somewhere. Folks, it's not just a job. There's a reason it's called Homeland Security and it's not all just about lawn mowers, janitors, dishwashers or lettuce pickers either.

As a legal immigrant who waited my turn and jumped through all the hoops to attain my precious citizenship, my point is there is a standard by which everyone is held against and there is a due process that everyone, without exception, must go through. The United States of America is the great melting pot of the planet, but this great country did not get to where it is today by lowering its standards or by creating shortcuts.