Immigration laws must be enforced
Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano has received mixed reviews from those who believe the United States is doing too little to crack down on illegal immigration. Her views on the subject will become much more important next year, when she becomes the nation's new secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.
President-elect Barack Obama announced recently that he will nominate Napolitano for the post. There is virtually no doubt that she will be confirmed by the Senate.
Obviously, the Department of Homeland Security is one of the most important in Washington. Terrorist attacks last week in India made that clear.
But the department also is in charge of enforcing immigration laws. With as many as 12 million illegal immigrants in the country now, that issue is a very important one.
A Cabinet member's primary duty is to do what the president tells them. Napolitano, then, will have to abide by Obama's policies on illegal immigration.
Still, she will have input in formulating those policies, particularly in regard to the tricky details of how to keep illegal immigrants out of the United States and what to do about them if they get here.
Napolitano has criticized plans for the lengthy fence along the U.S.-Mexico border. At the same time she has called for more Border Patrol agents to interdict illegal immigrants and drug smugglers. She also favors a sort of "amnesty" for some illegal immigrants, providing they pay stiff fines.
It remains to be seen precisely how Napolitano and Obama will address the problem. We urge them to reject politically correct suggestions, however, in favor of strict enforcement of immigration laws.
What's your view? Write to "Letter to the Editor," c/o The Messenger, P.O. Box 659, Fort Dodge, IA 50501, fax to 574-4529, e-mail to editor@messengernews.net or submit through Virtual Newsroom at www.messengernews.net.
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Anderson
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12-17-08 10:27 AM
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All we have to do, then, TROOPER, is solve all the rest of the world's problems for them, eh? We are the ones that are in total control of enforcement at the borders and internally, and THAT is our problem.
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franklkinney
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12-15-08 11:44 PM
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problem will be solved when employees stop hiring illegal invaders?homeland security secertary michael jerkoff unknowingly had illegal aliens cleaning his house for three years ding! dong! secret service can't even stop them? TRUST for this goverment to do what they just won't do and thats ENFORCE our laws period. fence won't work BS! what the*****is the one we got now workig?????? don't you think baby talk is getting pretty OLD? texas town being taken over by illegal invaders!since 2000 3of4 noncitizens are illegal invaders? texas illegal health care cost 678 million wasted dollars on criminal parasites invaders. 678 million dollars ding dong! stop employment? 12 million is the figure we been hearing since how long now? that figure just mexicans? what about refugees? h-1 visas and how many more visas programs? one million immigrants given legal citizenship 2007? honest new american citizens? like bail out "scam" so is this invasion by foreign immigrants by for our goverme
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FDTROOPER
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12-15-08 7:50 PM
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Enforcement is only a small part of the problem. What is the root cause as to Why these people see a better life in the US. Could it be the corruption of their home countries legal and political systems?
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Anderson
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12-15-08 12:45 PM
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Again: It is not businesses' job to do what our federal govt is charged with but does not do. 5 million Israelis solved trans-border problems with West Bankers with a 479 mile wall 25 ft tall; 300 million Americans should be able to build one 1700 miles long or could hire Israeli engineers and illegals to do so! More easily, undocumented persons caught in the US should be deported administratively without resort to US courts; they have no civil right to be here or to so burden either our courts or police. A tamper proof Social Security card should be provided all people in the US legally to serve as work permit and access to all social benefits, as is done in sensibly run countries. (I sold the cards.) Finally, all undocumented persons apprehended or who seek ANY social service should be delivered or reported to ICE for proof of ID or administrative deportation. Tough? Yes, but neither the present system nor amnesty will cure what is now a recurrent problem.
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Dejavue
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12-15-08 6:08 AM
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I agree, I hate it when I get my Fort Dodge Messenger delivered by illegal immigrants. The problem would go away if American companies would stop hiring illegals to begin with. They need to crack down harder on the companies, not the immigrants. A big wall is a big waste of money. Of course, this deep recession will help with the problem for a while.
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