Posts

On Immigration, Trump and Dolan Are Both Wrong

/1 Comment/in , /by

A few days ago, New York’s Timothy Cardinal Dolan went after Donald Trump on immigration, using not a scalpel but a sledgehammer, lumping all opposition to mass, unskilled immigration into a big, sticky ball of anti-Catholic “nativism,” which is linked to the Ku Klux Klan. Dolan seemed to imply that Americans who worry about undisciplined immigration policy are not exercising responsible citizenship, but are part of an “organized, white, Protestant antagonism toward the Catholic immigrant.”

There’s no good defense for Donald Trump’s record or rhetoric on immigration; he has flip-flopped on this issue as on every other — four years ago calling Mitt Romney “maniacal” for opposing mass amnesty, this year tarnishing the cause of border control through overheated, cringe-worthy rants.

But Dolan’s approach to the issue risks going to the other extreme, even pitting Catholics against other Christians, when the issues involved are far more complicated and serious. If it’s unfair for immigration opponents to dismiss Catholic bishops’ opinions because of the many millions of dollars in federal contracts that church agencies rake in for processing immigrants, then it’s equally unfair to write off as “bigotry” the realistic concerns of millions of patriotic Americans — many of whom themselves are Catholic descendants of immigrants. I am profoundly grateful to America for accepting my grandfather as a legal immigrant from Austria-Hungary — grateful enough to look out for my country’s best interests today, in very different circumstances.

Though Cardinal Dolan did not claim there was a simple Catholic “position” on the right number of immigrants the U.S. ought to admit or the kind of public benefits such immigrants should be offered, some prominent Catholics have tried hard to create that impression. This imaginary Catholic doctrine is invariably presented as coinciding with the policies favored by the left wing of the Democratic party — just as throughout the 1980s, the U.S. bishops produced one policy statement after another endorsing larger government, higher welfare payments, more regulation of business, and a decrease of U.S. defense spending.

None of the bishops’ quixotic policies were implemented, but their statements gave political cover to putatively Catholic politicians like Mario Cuomo, Edward Kennedy, Geraldine Ferraro, and (later) Nancy Pelosi. How many hundreds of times have pro-lifers who criticized someone like Pelosi heard the claim, “Well, I may differ with the Church on just one narrow issue — women’s reproductive choice. But you Republicans dissent from the Church on poverty, peace, health care and social justice. We’re truer Catholics than you.”

Another side effect of bishops’ ventures into legislative politics was to damage and divide the coalition of pro-family voters. Well-meaning Protestants who supported the Church in trying to halt the gross crime of abortion were flummoxed by the time and money that churchmen spent helping liberal Democrats on every other issue. Just so, the most vocal pro-life Protestants (and many of the Catholics) in the current Congress oppose the proposed amnesty bill for illegal immigrants, wondering why the Church has thrown its weight behind a policy so eagerly favored by the vote-hungry and pro-abortion Left.

The political impact of the U.S. bishops conference was so worrying to the Vatican that Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger made public statements — for instance, in The Ratzinger Report — clarifying the level of theological authority held by national bishops conferences: They have none. Zip. Zero. A bishop can teach with authority in his diocese if he faithfully reflects what is taught by Rome, but no intermediate doctrinal body exists.

There is a Catholic teaching on immigration. It offers a brief and sane criterion for principled policy, which it codifies in the Catechism of the Catholic Church:

The more prosperous nations are obliged, to the extent they are able, to welcome the foreigner in search of the security and the means of livelihood which he cannot find in his country of origin. …

And:

Immigrants are obliged to respect with gratitude the material and spiritual heritage of the country that receives them, to obey its laws and to assist in carrying civic burdens (2241).

Within the bounds of these two statements, Catholic laymen are free — indeed, we’re obliged — to argue about the proper application of this teaching in our own country and context. In the same way, we apply “just war” teaching to particular conflicts our nation faces. While we listen to the advice of popes and bishops, we know that they can be wrong, as some medieval popes were wrong to call crusades against Christian heretics or to wage war on neighboring cities.

Those of us who, after serious reflection, come up with our own answer about the optimum number of migrants for our country to admit while remaining consistent with the common good ought not to be falsely branded as “dissenters” or “apostates” or “nativists,” or charged with any of a long list of other made-up hate crimes that are routinely adduced by leftist activists and well-meaning but addled Catholics who have internalized leftist arguments.

Now let’s parse the points made by the Catechism, and see how the implications of Church teaching can be discussed in a civil manner.

“To the extent they are able …”

This statement is broad enough that we could argue over it indefinitely. Theoretically, the entire population of the world could fit in the state of Texas, with several feet of wiggle room to spare. Does that mean that the U.S. is “able” to accept the entire world? Clearly not, because there are countless economic, environmental, cultural, fiscal and other factors that determine what we are actually “able” to do. All those points are things we must determine by rational argument and setting our national priorities by democratic vote. There is no secret “Catholic answer” to these questions; however, natural law principles can and should be invoked in our discussions of the matter. Such arguments are prudential, and the Church does not pretend to have the competence to answer them; if it did, we should simply ask Pope Francis to use his infallible authority to draw up the U.S. budget every year.

We can discuss this question using a cost/benefit analysis, looking both at the common good and (in light of the Church’s correct emphasis on a ‘preferential option for the poor’) at how a given policy affects not just the poor from elsewhere but the poorest American citizens.

Why do I say that? Isn’t it “xenophobic” and “discriminatory” to privilege poor Americans over poor Iraqis or Somalis? Aren’t those “foreigners” equally made in the image and likeness of God?

Of course they are. But just as we owe family members more than we owe strangers, we owe more to fellow citizens — whose ancestors paid taxes to build our roads and fought in our country’s wars, who may even have been American slaves — than we do to foreign residents.

In some ways, a country is like a club where members pay dues and take on certain duties in return for certain privileges. To flood such a club with non-members and offer them every privilege members have earned is simply unjust to the other members. It is up to the members to vote on whom they will admit and how many. And one of our key criteria must be, “How does this influx affect the American poor?” Given the U.S. birth dearth and the collapse of public schools (in part under the weight of mandatory bilingualism), we must also ask: “How does it affect working families who are striving to educate their children?”

“Immigrants are obliged to respect with gratitude the material and spiritual heritage of the country that receives them.”

We could argue for years about what this means. But surely fulfilling this obligation of immigrants includes a certain degree of assimilation: namely, learning the English language and switching their loyalty from their nation of origin to the U.S. When tens of thousands of recent immigrants, both legal and illegal, march through the streets chanting foreign slogans and waving foreign flags, that raises legitimate fears among Americans that not all immigrants are willing to keep up their side of the bargain. It doesn’t help when immigrants go to their former nations’ consulates to vote in their elections, or when they vote as ethnic blocs in our elections for larger government programs to tax the wealth of native-born citizens to fund programs from which the immigrants disproportionately benefit.

“… To obey its laws and to assist in carrying civic burdens.”

Right there, we see that those who have not obeyed U.S. immigration laws have forfeited any strict claim in justice to remain on American soil. Simply the fact that a law is poorly enforced does not mean that we are free to violate it, demand that the state later give us amnesty, and sign up for social programs we barely paid taxes to support. By saying this, do I mean that I favor the mass deportation of illegal immigrants? No. But when we search for a prudent policy for dealing with the ill-effects of poor law enforcement — the presence of more than 10 million illegal residents — we must make sure that such poor enforcement does not happen again. That is all that opponents of the current immigrant amnesty are arguing; in return for this mass act of mercy toward those who have broken our laws, all we ask is a real and solid guarantee that this will not happen again. Elites are fighting, tooth and nail, every truly effective policy for securing our country’s borders, demanding amnesty first and enforcement later. Forgive us for not believing empty promises; Our Lord did tell us to be “wise as serpents.”

These are the issues at stake in the immigration debate. It is useless — and frankly uncharitable — for either side to assume the lowest, foulest motives of its opponents. So let’s make a deal: You don’t call me an apostate or a nativist and I won’t call you a traitor. Instead, “let us reason together” (Isaiah 1:18) about what policies ensure the common good and help our poorest fellow citizens. (Re-posted with permission from the author, “On Immigration, Trump and Dolan Are Both Wrong”, originally appeared HERE)

Listen to this recent interview with the author:

Follow Joe Miller on Twitter HERE and Facebook HERE.

Mexico Cracks Down on Illegal Alien American Fishermen – Immediate Deportations

/0 Comments/in , /by

By Sandra Dibble. Without a fence to mark the international boundary, crossing by boat from San Diego into Mexico might seem deceptively easy. But San Diego sport fishermen and others drawn to the waters off Baja California should take heed: Mexico’s federal government has been stepping up inspections, checking for passports, tourist permits, fishing permits and other documents.

Until now, violators have been issued warnings and told to turn around. But this week, the Mexican government announced its intention to crack down on violators. That could mean boats being towed to Ensenada for an administrative process and immediate deportation of the crew and passengers.

Although violators won’t face charges, “it will be an inconvenience,” said María de los Remedios Gómez Arnau, head of the Mexican Consulate in San Diego.

The warning is being issued through Mexican consulates across California, and as far as western Canada and Arizona, and states that the “Mexican Navy and immigration authorities are strengthening their presence in Mexican waters.”

According to Mexico’s federal government, 40,000 to 50,000 tourist vessels cross into Mexico each year, many for fishing but others for other activities such as racing or cruising. (Read more from “Mexico Cracks Down on Illegal Alien American Fishermen – Immediate Deportations” HERE)

__________________________________________________________________

Illegal Aliens Outnumber Unemployed Americans

By Ali Meyer. The number of illegal immigrants in the United States totaled 11.3 million in 2014, outnumbering the 9.6 million Americans who were unemployed in the same year, according to data from Pew Research Center and the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

“An estimated 11.3 million unauthorized immigrants lived in the U.S. in 2014,” says a Pew report. “The new unauthorized immigrant total includes people who cross the border illegally as well as those who arrive with legal visas and remain in the U.S. after their visas expire.”

Of those 11.3 illegal immigrants, 8.1 million are participating in the labor force. “Unauthorized immigrants make up 5.1% of the U.S. labor force,” Pew says. “In the U.S. labor force, there were 8.1 million unauthorized immigrants either working or looking for work in 2012.” (Read more from this story HERE)

Follow Joe Miller on Twitter HERE and Facebook HERE.

New California: Mass Immigration Turning Virginia Blue

/0 Comments/in , /by

The birthplace and final resting place of George Washington, James Madison, Thomas Jefferson—and once one of the most reliably-red of red states—is being rapidly turned into a progressive stronghold.

These changes are not the result of an inside agency, or a natural evolution in political thinking, but rather the result of one of the most impactful yet least-discussed policies of the federal government.

Each year the federal government prints millions of visas and distributes these admission tickets to the poorest and least-developed nations in the world.

A middle-aged person living in parts of Virginia today will have witnessed more demographic change in the span of her life than many societies have experienced in millennia.

A census study entitled “Immigrants in Virginia,” released by University of Virginia (UVA) researchers, documented the phenomenon: “Until 1970, only 1 in 100 Virginians was born outside of the United States; by 2012, 1 in every 9 Virginians is foreign-born.” (Read more from “New California: Mass Immigration Turning Virginia Blue” HERE)

Follow Joe Miller on Twitter HERE and Facebook HERE.

Denmark Will Take out Adverts in Foreign Newspapers Telling Refugees: ‘Don’t Come Here’

/0 Comments/in , /by

The Danish government is to take out adverts in newspapers in targeted countries to tell would-be illegals to stay at home.

The move is going ahead despite rubbishing a similar plan only weeks ago by a rival political party.

Denmark’s ruling Venestre party called plans by the Danish People’s Party (Dansk Folkpartei, DF), the largest party in Danish politics, to create a video campaign targeted at potential illegal migrants abroad ‘un-Danish’. In the intervening days the case for taking more radical steps to limit migration to the nation has grown, and now the integration minister has announced the newspaper campaign.

Remarking that “There is something strange about the fact that a refugee would travel through several countries before ending up in Denmark”, fiery Inger Støjberg now seems to be making her job just as much about discouraging migration to Denmark as it is about integrating people after they have arrived. (Read more from “Denmark Will Take out Adverts in Foreign Newspapers Telling Refugees: ‘Don’t Come Here'” HERE)

Follow Joe Miller on Twitter HERE and Facebook HERE.

An Immigration Solution that Puts Americans First

/0 Comments/in , /by

Speaking before a crowd of newly-arrived immigrants on October 16, 1924, President Calvin Coolidge declared, “as a nation, our first duty must be those who are already our inhabitants, whether native or immigrants.”

This principle of “Americans first” was a bedrock value shared by both political parties until this past generation. While there were always sharp disagreements on domestic policies concerning Americans, everyone understood that Americans should be the first priority of any policy decision. Now we have a president and entire class of ruling elite – from the politicians and the media to the non-government agencies, to the corporate chiefs and the courts – who not only place the priorities of those already here last, they jeopardize their security and fiscal stability in order to appease a growing population of illegal immigrants.

Rather than acquiring inspiration from the testimonies of those families who lost loved-ones at the hands of illegal aliens – like that of Laura Wilkerson’s – this president and his servile friends in the media completely ignored them. Then, the very next day, he announced a new amnesty, by expanding an already abused waiver program exempting broad categories of inadmissible aliens from deportation, which will likely lead to eventual green cards for millions of illegals. On the very same day, it was revealed that Obama’s Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will allow new immigrants becoming citizens to omit the portion of the Oath of Allegiance affirming their commitment to bear arms in defense of this nation, even for “non-combat service.”

The priorities of our ruling class have never been more inverted and downright hostile to the values of America.

It’s time for supporters of sovereignty, rule of law, and putting Americans first to come out of the shadows and demand true “comprehensive immigration reform,” – one that reflects the values and needs of their constituents. It’s time to seize the moment when people are finally attentive to this issue and demand that the politicians move beyond the hollow platitudes about the need to secure the border when pressured to address the issue. It means committing to the specific common sense solutions that have been proven effective time and again.

For anyone who truly cares about Americans, they would start by pushing the items from the following list:

Defund DAPA and DACA, Finish the Fence, Implement Entry-Exit System

Immediately defund both DAPA and DACA amnesty programs (the latter was not enjoined by the courts) in this year’s budget bill, including work permits, Social Security cards, and refundable tax credits

Build the 700-mile double-layered fence of which only 36 miles have been completed. This type of fence worked in San Diego, Yuma, and Israel and it is the only asset that cannot be manipulated and disarmed by a contemptuous administration.

Finally implement the biometric entry-exit system at all sea, land, and air ports

Strong Interior Enforcement

Immediately restore and expand the 287(g) state-federal training program for law enforcement

Immediately restore the Secure Communities program for state and local law enforcement to share information with ICE

Cut off all DOJ grants and highway funds to sanctuary cities

Explicitly deputize states to enforce federal law and enable them to cut off state benefits to illegal aliens

Cut off Benefits and Magnets

End birthright citizenship and birth tourism by clarifying the authentic meaning of the 14th Amendment. Harry Reid declared in 1993 that “no sane country” would offer such an enticement and reward for illegal immigration.

Close the loophole that allows illegal aliens to receive refundable child tax credits

Cut off all taxpayer funds to NGOs such as La Raza and Casa de Maryland that promote illegal immigration

Implement E-verify

Hold Foreign Governments Accountable

Cut off visas to those countries that refuse to repatriate their illegal aliens, as mandated by existing law

Cut off foreign aid to countries that fail to take steps to respect our sovereignty

Judicial Reform

Strip courts of ability to strike down federal and state enforcement laws. All of the enforcement efforts will be moot if unelected judges continue to confer rights and privileges on illegal immigrants.

Criminalize Overstaying of Visas

With more illegal immigrants coming from visa-overstays, it’s important to make such an act a felony instead of a misdemeanor.

Zero Tolerance for Re-entrants

Bar all those who re-enter the U.S. illegally from ever obtaining legal entry for the rest of their lives and/ or require mandatory minimum prison time

Fix Loopholes in Refugee, Asylum and Parole System

Fix the asylum loophole that has been exploited to grant legal status to entire categories of individuals from impoverished countries, even though they don’t have a “credible fear” of ethnic or religious persecution

Fix the loophole that has allowed Obama to abuse the parole and temporary protective status for carte blanche amnesty

End the UN’s authority to direct refugees to this country. This will enable us to weed out our security risks

(Published with permission from the author, “Cruz Shuts Down CODEPINK Outside White House”, originally appeared HERE)

Follow Joe Miller on Twitter HERE and Facebook HERE.

Time to Strip Lower Courts of Jurisdiction Over Immigration

/1 Comment/in , /by

If pigs could fly conservatives would take back the White House and the legislative branch of government with solid constitutionalists in one election cycle. But even that tantalizing fairy tale would be rendered moot if nothing is done to immediately reform the federal judiciary and stave the coming tide of judicial tyranny. Nowhere is this more evident than with the Court’s unconstitutional doctrine of conferring super rights on illegal aliens.

A Constitutional Crisis in the Courts

As I noted following the Supreme Court’s bloodless coup on our constitutional form of government, as bad as 5-6 SCOTUS justices seem to be, they are on the level of James Madison when compared to some of the lower court judges. There are solid post-constitutional majorities on 9 of the 13 circuit courts as well as a majority of district courts. Obama has filled 53 of the 179 appellate judgeships in the federal circuits and over 250 of the 673 on a district level. These are people who believe that the Constitution is unconstitutional and that illegal aliens have the right to come here and demand services.

Why should we tolerate this for one more day?

Ponder this absurdity for a moment: Arizona is beleaguered by an endless flow of illegal immigrants and drug violence that have caused incalculable damage to the state’s schools, hospitals, security, criminal justice system, and public services. Even their elections and congressional apportionment are radically altered by those who lack the legal standing to be in their state. Yet, every time they attempt to pass laws protecting their state, they are sued by the bottomless money pit of left-wing legal defense groups. One after another, the courts have tossed out their common sense laws that have merely echoed the spirit of congressional laws.

Instead of protecting states like Arizona from this invasion on their border, as required by Article IV Section 4 of the Constitution, this Administration has joined in the law suits. All the while, they blithely ignore the sanctuary cities that thwart federal law.

Arizona is particularly flummoxed by the court system because they are within the jurisdiction of the 9th Circuit Court, the most radical circuit in the country. Democrat appointees maintain a 20-9 majority over GOP-appointees among active judges in the 9th Circuit. This court has overturned their common sense laws to deny bail to illegal aliens, require proof of citizenship to vote, and of course S.B. 1070 which allowed local law enforcement to simply enforce federal laws.

Another common sense Arizona immigration law tossed out by the 9th Circuit is their refusal to grant driver’s licenses to recipients of Obama’s “DACA” amnesty. Instead of following the Constitution, Judge Harry Pregerson accused Arizona of being racist. The LA Times reports that Pregerson, a Carter appointee, could not fathom why Arizona would do such a thing:

Arizona has incurred no ill effects because of the new, legal Dreamer drivers, said Judge Harry Pregerson. “Nothing horrible has happened on the highways of Arizona,” said Pregerson, who was appointed to the 9th Circuit in 1979 by President Carter. Pregerson asked why Arizona continued to try to deny benefits to Dreamers. “Does it come down to racism? Does it come down to discrimination against these people? What else does it come down to?” he asked.

Well, if Judge Pregerson wants to focus on political arguments instead of constitutional arguments, maybe he ought to speak to the mom of Brandon Mendoza, a promising young police sergeant, who was killed by a drunk-driving illegal alien who was travelling the wrong way on the highway. Or what about Tricia Bracho and her children who were injured on July 4 when an illegal alien high on drugs (over 74% of all those who received federal sentences for “simple possession” of drugs in 2014 were illegal aliens) slammed into their car head on?

Maybe the judge ought to check out the data showing how almost 30,000 driving offenses have been committed just by the 30,558 criminal aliens Obama released in fiscal year 2014. Yes, it must be racism. That’s the only reason a state would care about clamping down on illegal immigration.

More importantly, why is a federal judge ignoring the Constitution and focusing on political arguments? Arizona is merely following federal law (8 U.S.C. § 1225) which requires ICE to place aliens who are not “clearly and beyond a doubt entitled to be admitted” to the United States into removal proceedings. If they must be deported, they certainly have no entitlement to driver’s licenses. On April 4, 2013, Judge Reed O’Connor of the Northern District of Texas ruled that the Obama administration’s DACA program was in clear violation of Section 1225(b)(2)(A) of the INA, which requires ICE agents to place all illegal aliens into removal proceedings. Although that case has been tied up over questions of standing, the initial ruling on the merits was never challenged. Moreover, the courts have already ruled that Obama’s similar DAPA program is unconstitutional.

Yet, the 9th Circuit is not an aberration. The truth is conservatives got lucky with the DAPA case and with Reed O’Conner by getting a hearing in front of Republican-appointed judges – the minority of whom actually believes in the Constitution as it was written. With a growing majority of anti-constitutionalist judges, including those appointed by Republicans, we face a judicial time bomb in the coming years. We face a reality of a court system that will invalidate every state or federal effort to clamp down on illegal immigration, even if we win at the ballot box and elect pro-sovereignty political figures. Judges who uphold the rule of law are the exception not the rule.

There is no way around this. Republican presidential candidates must put forth a judicial reform plan – one that will begin by stripping at least the lower courts of the power to overturn immigration enforcement laws. There is nothing more foundational than protecting our sovereignty and we cannot afford to have unelected judges who don’t believe in our Founding values grant “constitutional” rights to the world’s population. They should also consider dividing up some of the circuits. All of this is within Congress’ purview and can be accomplished through the legislative process – without constitutional amendments.

One of the items listed in the indictment of King George as part of the Declaration of Independence was the following:

“He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.”

With states like Arizona in mind, how can we tolerate the same sort of tyranny from unelected judges 239 after the adoption of our Founding document? (Posted with permission of the author, “Time to Strip Lower Courts of Jurisdiction Over Immigration”, originally appeared HERE)

Follow Joe Miller on Twitter HERE and Facebook HERE.

5,000 Illegal Alien Detainees in Arizona, Released by the Feds, Have Criminal Records

/2 Comments/in , /by

Nearly 5,000 Arizona immigrant detainees with criminal records were released from custody, a federal agency has acknowledged . . .

The National Review reported that the Department of Homeland Security said that the detainees charged with murder had been jailed and let out from 2010 to 2014.

A letter from the director of Immigrations and Customs, Sarah Saldana, to U.S. Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) and Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley was recently made public.

The senators asked asked for details surrounding the release of Valley resident Apolinar Altamirano, who was charged with the shooting death of a Mesa convenience store clerk in January. Altamirano was awaiting a deportation hearing.

Immigrations and Customs Enforcement had taken Altamirano into custody in January 2013 after he was convicted on burglary charges. (Read more from “Feds: 5K Immigrant Detainees in Arizona Have Criminal Records” HERE)

Follow Joe Miller on Twitter HERE and Facebook HERE.

Special Report: Three Shocking Immigration Trends [+video]

/5 Comments/in , /by

Pictures are worth a thousand words. Here are three charts that demonstrate just how absurd the elitist premise is as it relates to our immigration system. It is incontrovertibly clear that America has never seen anything close to the transformational degree of immigration we’ve had over the past couple of decades, and to an even larger extent, the projected trajectory of the next half-century.

Chart 1: Record Immigration on Top of Record Immigration

If one were to spend an entire lifetime in the sterile confines of Washington policy briefings, they would come away with the impression that this country admits very few immigrants. After all, everyone in Washington believes that immigration must be vastly increased across the board.

However, the reality cannot be further from the truth and is evident to anyone who steps outside the insular world of the political elites. For most Americans, stories like the Wichita, Kansas school district, where 81 languages are spoken as a result of the massive influx of immigrants and refugees, is not some anomalous hype; it is a reminder that America is no longer the melting pot that has made this country great.

One of the stalest of stale bromides among the political class is that “we are a nation of immigrants.” As Mark Levin recently clarified, “we are not a nation of immigrants, we are a nation of citizens.” Only a country in its initial stages is primarily a country of immigrants. Obviously, we welcome immigrants to become part of the melting pot and become citizens, but the notion that America was a nation of immigrants as an end to itself is simply not true.

At no point in our history did America even come close to accepting this many immigrants over such a short period of time. Over the 25-year period from 1989-2013, the U.S. has admitted 25.3 million immigrants. During a comparable 25-year period at the height of the Great Wave, from 1900-1924, only 16.8 million green cards were issued. And remember, this period was followed by several decades of very low immigration, which one could argue helped contribute to the successful assimilation of the immigrants from the turn of the century. It’s no wonder none other than Harry Reid was appalled by the unprecedented level of immigration back in 1993. Yet, 22 million immigrants and 12-15 illegal aliens later, he is completely silent.

Even as a percentage of the total population, we are approaching the all-time highest level of foreign-born residents – a level that was only seen when the country was still young and taking root. But over the next few decades, the level of immigration will rise so precipitously that nearly one in every five residents will be an immigrant.

Moreover, a number of individual states already have over 20% foreign born population, with California topping 27%. Some of these states could easily become majority foreign born by 2060.

Remember, this projection is all based on the current trajectory under existing law – assuming no “gang of 8 style” amnesty bill passes Congress to double immigration and grow chain migration through amnesty of illegal immigrants. After the more successful first great wave of immigration, Congress enacted a near complete shutoff of immigration for a few decades. Nobody is advocating that now, but the political class wants to double or triple the current baseline. Were something like that to become reality, the 2060 scenario will play out much earlier than predicted. Nobody in the political class will ever offer a coherent understanding of how this eventuality will preserve America as a harmonious society.

Chart 2: Explosion of Hispanic Immigration

The apologists for illegal immigration often assert that the crisis is the result of a “broken immigration system” and no viable path to legal immigration. What they glaringly omit is that the primary source of illegal immigration is from Mexico and Latin American countries – the region that has benefited from our legal immigration system in an unparalleled way. In fact, 50% of all immigrants since 1965 have come from Latin America–29% from Mexico alone. Over the past 44 years, 6.65 million people have emigrated from Mexico legally compared to 4.5 million who emigrated from Italy – the previous record-breaking country of origin – from 1880-1929.

The Hispanic share of the American population has gone from just 3.5% in 1960 and 8.8% in 1990 to 17.4% today, topping out at 56 million in raw numbers. According to the Census, by 2060 that number will reach 28.6% of the population. Among those under 18 years of age, Hispanics will then account for 33% of youth. That is one out of every three individuals. Hispanics already comprise 39% of California’s population and are expected to become an absolute majority between 2050-2060. Again, this is under current trajectory with existing law, not the suggested path of the political elites.

While the Hispanic culture, much like other great civilizations helps enrich this country, no other group has ever been granted this degree of destiny over the future of the country. This is not even a salad bowl anymore, much less a melting pot. This is not diversity; it’s an irrevocable transformation of America. Yet, among the political class there is near unanimity of opinion that this eventuality is not enough.

The cost of unprecedented immigration on our school system is incalculable. According to a recent study by the Center for Immigration Studies, a record 61.8 million, or 1 in 5 U.S. residents, speak a language other than English at home. Thirty-seven million residents speak Spanish at home and there are 708 counties where more than 10% of the population speaks Spanish at home. Another recent Pew study shows that in 17 states Latino children account for over 20% of the kindergarten enrollment in public schools. California Governor Jerry Brown claims that 30% of schoolchildren in his state are either “undocumented or don’t speak English.”

Has anyone explained what these numbers will look like in a few decades under the current trajectory? Has anyone ascertained the consequences of accelerating that trend line by passing more open borders legislation?

In 2001, Michael Barone, then an advocate for more liberal immigration policies, predicted that Hispanics would become assimilated and economically successful like the Italians and eastern European immigrants of a century ago. Last year, he recanted that prediction, noting that the rationale for most immigration from Mexico, coupled with the new policies of special privileged minority status, have worked against his previously held assumption.

While his observations are astute and undoubtedly accurate, it is also true that numbers matter. And at some point the sheer number of immigrants clustered from any single region creates a phenomenon of reverse assimilation.

Chart 3: America Admits 20% of the World’s International Migrants

The U.S. takes in a lot of immigrants, but how do they stack up against other countries? Pew has the numbers based on 2010 data and it is clear that not only does the U.S. admit more immigrants than any other country, it takes in 20% of all international migrants, even though the U.S. comprises just 4% of the global population.

Conclusion

What the political elites will never understand is that America is not merely a labor market or a spreadsheet of GDP projections. America is a nation of citizens united by a common cause in pursuit of shared values.

When the country was founded, George Washington always spoke of a nation of citizens united behind a common culture and a common cause in pursuit of liberty. This desire was punctuated by a series of letters Washington wrote to religious minority groups (Catholics, Jews, and some Protestant denominations), culminating with his 1790 letter to the Hebrew Congregation in Newport, Rhode Island, when he noted that all citizens of the United States “possess alike liberty of conscience and immunities of citizenship.”

With an ideal antithetical to the multiculturalism and balkanization of today’s progressive America, Washington laid out a vision of American citizenship and pride of patriotism as follows in his Farwell address:

“Citizens, by birth or choice, of a common country, that country has a right to concentrate your affections. The name of American, which belongs to you, in your national capacity, must always exalt the just pride of Patriotism, more than any appellation derived from local discriminations. With slight shades of difference, you have the same religion, manners, habits, and political principles. You have in a common cause fought and triumphed together; the Independence and Liberty you possess are the work of joint counsels, and joint efforts, of common dangers, sufferings, and successes.”

Immigration, especially at this juncture in time, when followed prudently and gradually can enrich this culture of common cause in pursuit of liberty. But when immigration policy is prosecuted in such an impetuous, irresponsible, and precipitous fashion that there is no longer a common cause – that there is no longer patriotic assimilation – the America George Washington sought to establish will no longer exist. (See “Special Report: 3 Shocking Immigration Trends”, originally posted HERE)

Follow Joe Miller on Twitter HERE and Facebook HERE.

Sheriff Joe Fires Back: Democrats Using Illegals for Votes

/2 Comments/in , /by

Photo Credit: WNDArizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio said Sunday Democrats are mostly interested in immigration reform because the newly legalized residents will eventually obtain voting rights and will vote for Democrats.

Arpaio was speaking on “Aaron Klein Investigative Radio,” broadcast on New York’s AM 970 The Answer and Philadelphia’s NewsTalk 990 AM . . .

“There’s a push afoot nationally to sign up more Hispanics to be able to vote,” said Arpaio. “But you have to be careful now. But if you legalize these guys, these people, they are going to vote.”

As WND previously reported, Eliseo Medina, a former immigration adviser to President Obama, boasted in 2009 that granting citizenship to millions of illegal aliens would expand the “progressive” electorate and help ensure a “progressive” governing coalition for the long term.

Medina is the current secretary-treasurer of the Service Employees International Union, or SEIU. During the 2008 presidential campaign, Medina and Gutierrez served on Obama’s National Latino Advisory Council. (Read more from “Sheriff Joe Fires Back: Democrats Using Illegals for Votes” HERE)

Follow Joe Miller on Twitter HERE and Facebook HERE.

The Most Forgotten Man in the Immigration Debate [+video]

/2 Comments/in , /by

“We need to do something on immigration.”

If a penny went to the Treasury every time this phrase has been uttered (in hushed tones in GOP briefings with their consultants), our more than $18 trillion national debt would be paid off.

Just today U.S. News reports that Republicans are looking for numerous paths to enact elitist/corporatist immigration preferences. Of course, all to be preceded by a superficial “border security” bill with vague language that fails to address the true sources of the illegal immigration problem. Concurrently, they plan “to sidestep the thorny issue[s].”

What is completely lost throughout this entire debate are the needs and demands of the forgotten men – the American taxpayer and worker who must bear the brunt of appalling crime, schools overrun with illegal aliens who can’t speak English, hospitals flooded with the massive unfunded liability of caring for their primary care needs, and with the gargantuan wealth transfer in the form of welfare and refundable tax credits.

Yes, indeed, “we need to do something about immigration,” but that something is the focus of those people for whom Congress swore an oath to protect and defend – the people subject to the jurisdiction of this country and its constitution, not illegal immigrants. That something includes what the Washington “elite” refer to as “thorny issues,” but the American public regard as common sense, justice and fairness.

There is no emergency to “deal” with those who broke our laws or who would otherwise be ineligible for admission under our public charge law – a provision that unfortunately is never enforced [Section 212(a)(4) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA)]. But there is an emergency and an obligation for Congress to immediately deal with the following issues:

Violent Crime

There are now 900,000 illegal aliens who have been ordered to leave the country by the courts, yet the Administration is refusing to lift a finger. Of those ordered to be deported, 167,000 are criminal aliens, the very type Obama said he would prioritize for deportation. After releasing 36,000 criminal aliens in FY 2013, the Administration has let go another 30,558 this past fiscal year. As Jessica Vaughn noted, these criminals racked up “convictions on 79,059 crimes, including 175 homicides, 373 sexual assaults, 186 kidnappings, and 14,014 impaired driving offenses.” According to data from the House Judiciary Committee, 3,100 are deemed “Threat Level 1” criminals. The Atlanta Journal Constitution has published a riveting expose on the extent and danger of these criminal aliens released into our communities throughout the country.

In addition to those let out of jail, DHS has refused to track the countless thousands who were immediately let go upon apprehension as a result of faux prosecutorial discretion. Couple this with the ridiculously lax screening of DACA recipients – 94% of all applications have been approved, despite a number of them turning out to be criminals – and we have an unprecedented national security gap. As the threat of Islamic terror continues to rise, there is no greater more imminent emergency for Congress to contend with.

Where is the solemn sense of urgency from the GOP Congress to “do something on immigration” as it relates to Obama’s release of dangerous criminals? Who is going to stand for people like police officer Brandon Mendoza murdered in the prime of his life by an illegal alien drunk driver? Who will stand for those raped and murdered by illegal aliens?

Protecting the States

The courts are dismantling any ability of beleaguered states to deal with the crime and fiscal burden of illegal immigration. The Ninth Circuit just denied the citizens of Arizona the right to block bail for illegal aliens, most of who never show up to their trials and disappear onto the streets. Where is the eagerness to pass legislation immediately deputizing the states to enforce federal immigration laws? This is a lot more effective and important, than vacuous and unaccountable, promises of “border security.”

The Crushing Fiscal Burden

The IRS Commissioner is now admitting that amnestied aliens will receive huge windfalls from refundable tax credits. Remember, even though the court blocked Obama’s recent amnesty, the DACA program has already legalized 664,607 illegal immigrants. They have all received Social Security cards and are eligible for refundable tax credits. Additionally, it is now clear that almost all illegal aliens are eligible for Obamacare subsidies. Also, the continuous flood of illegal immigrants (something no court can enjoin) has burdened the school systems with a record number of children who can’t speak English.

Who will stand for the forgotten man and woman – the true “undocumented American” – the families of hard working native taxpayers and legal immigrants who are completely undocumented and unrepresented in this debate? They lack the powerful lobbies, legal defense groups, and foreign special interests promoting the “Dreamers.” Who will protect their communities and their slice of the America Dream?

Indeed, there is no greater responsibility of elected officials; no greater emergency than the need to “do something about immigration,” for immigration stands at the nexus of national security, criminal justice, education, health care, welfare, and American culture. Sadly, the elite politicians only plan to do something as it relates to filling their campaign coffers…the needs of their true constituents be damned. (See “The Most Forgotten Man in the Immigration Debate”, originally posted HERE)

Follow Joe Miller on Twitter HERE and Facebook HERE.