Immigrant Indignation

The lead article in today’s New York Times, “Political Battle on Immigration Shifts to States,” shows how Arizona’s tough new law has infected other regions and needs to be invalidated as soon as possible. The Arizona law, that allows police officers to ask about the immigrant status of subjects detained for other reasons, has now spawned an attempt to do away with the 14th Amendment, a guarantee of citizenship for anyone born within the United States, even if their parents were illegal immigrants.

The fight over illegal immigration is opening up a fissure within the Republican Party, between the pro-business groups that rely on cheap immigrant labor, and the more populist elements of the Party. In addition, those with an eye to the future of the Republican Party recognize the Hispanic block as one of the fastest growing elements of the electorate and are reluctant to alienate them over this issue (too late).

And after the recent rejection of the so-called “Dream Act,” many immigrants have a right to be anti-Republican. That legislation set a very high bar, requiring young illegals to serve one year in the military or college before obtaining citizenship. And despite this, it was blocked in the Senate by Republicans.

The resolution of the illegal immigrant problem remains unclear, but, as they say in Afghanistan, the facts on the ground can not be refuted, and the millions of illegal immigrants must be incorporated into our country in some manner, whether for good or ill.