I read the Tribune editorial that stated SB 1070 is a “divisive” law that has polarized our great nation. I suggest that this paper and all the other media who feel this way should advocate for the repeal of Section 1325 of Title 8 of the United States Code.
This is the federal law that has been on the books for decades that SB 1070 is trying to have administered along its border with Mexico. If there wasn’t this “un-enforced” Federal Improper Alien National Entry Law, then SB 1070 would be moot.
Is it “divisive” for our state and every other state to enforce standing federal laws against child pornography, against fraud, against prostitution, against organized crime or against acts of terrorism?
Just go to any commercial airport in America and try to board a plane without proper “legal” identification. Why are anti-terrorism laws being enforced and not the defense of America’s borders that was advocated in the Constitution of the United States almost 300 years ago?
How can the duly elected governor of a state be called a racist or bigot for following the mandate of the document that our nation was created from? If anyone should be called to account for their deeds or malfeasance, it should be the current President of the United States for not enforcing one of the cornerstones of America’s Constitution — the sacred sovereignty of its borders. Do the terms “high crimes and misdemeanours” ring any bells out there?
Leon Ceniceros, Mesa
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Leon Ceniceros posted at 1:23 am on Tue, Jan 4, 2011.
Would some one please tell me what the phrase "well-meaning illegal aliens" means? Does it mean that the "illegal aliens" are sorry to have invaded our Country and will go back to Mexico as soon as they have bankrupted Social Security, our Welfare system, our Emergency Room system, our school system? Does it mean that these "illegal aliens" are sorry about taking jobs away from Americans who were born in this Country? Does it mean that these "illegal aliens" are sorry that they have stolen the SS ID # of a "legal" American citizen and ruined their Social Security history? How in the world can any "legal" American citizen describe "illegal aliens" as "well meaning"?
As for "comprehensive immigration reform" that is just a Left-wing/Liberal term for "amnesty". If you don't pay your Income Tax, does Uncle Sam give you "amnesty"? If you don't pay your House Tax does the City of Mesa or the State of Arizona give you "amnesty"? If you don't renew your Vehicle Registration does the deputy or police officer who pulls you over give you "amnesty"? If you don't pay your monthly bills does Cox or SRP or Qwest give you "amnesty"? How many of us have watched "illegal aliens" paying for their groceries with Food Stamps and don't tell me that any Arizonian can't tell the difference between and "illegal alien" and a "legal" American who just doesn't speak English. Why should Americans treat 20million "illegal aliens" any different than the way "legal" American citizens are treated? Laws are not made to be "broken". I thank God every day for America-loving heroes like Sheriff Joe Arpaio, Senator Russell Pearce and Governor Janet Brewer who support the "rule of law". I am proud to be one of the 70% of "real" Americans who support Arizona SB 1070.
Dale Whiting posted at 8:23 pm on Mon, Jan 3, 2011.
Talk sense guys. This is nonsense, apparently born out of frustration with a system percieved to not work.
EmperorSmith posted at 12:30 pm on Sun, Jan 2, 2011.
Go to a DES office and take a pic and post then tell me what you see.
EmperorSmith posted at 12:20 pm on Sun, Jan 2, 2011.
Give all them provisional birth certificates, right? Hell hand them out at the border, I might get one myself so i can cash in on the handouts.This country is not what it once was
Dale Whiting posted at 8:30 pm on Sat, Jan 1, 2011.
Leon,
I can appreciate your position that the Feds have failed. And I agree with Rich. After having failed for the better part of three centuries now, what's new.
The point is SB1070 violates the Constitution, the same Constitution you quote to lay blame on the Feds. Do two wrongs make a right? Not in my book.
What is the answer? Here I go again. Comprehensive Immigration Reform, measures pretty much identical to those suggested by John McCain [version 1.0, you know, before he converted to version 2.0 to please the Neo-cons] and by "W" before he also had to drop this topic, becoming preoccupied with 9-11, wherein he lead this great nation to start fearing fear!
Slabside posted at 5:27 pm on Sat, Jan 1, 2011.
Leon, very good letter. Defy the hypocrites and keep coresponding my friend.[wink]
EmperorSmith posted at 4:30 pm on Sat, Jan 1, 2011.
Better yet anyone want to go for ride to the desert border if you don't have a gun I can lone you one.
EmperorSmith posted at 4:29 pm on Sat, Jan 1, 2011.
So you want all drugs legal Rich?
Rich posted at 4:19 pm on Sat, Jan 1, 2011.
"I would certainly classify the fact of 20 million aliens having come across our borders illegally....as an "Invasion".
Actually, the fact is that people have been walking across that area to go to work for over three centuries now. That's not an 'invasion' it's a commute. Because you've got some demagogues around who noticed and figured a bunch of morons would get all worked about it and elect them it's an issue, but not a very intelligent one.
EmperorSmith posted at 4:19 pm on Sat, Jan 1, 2011.
Dale sorry
EmperorSmith posted at 4:18 pm on Sat, Jan 1, 2011.
I can see the distinction of what dale speaks. I don't have a answer neither do many others because the feds have failed.
samkat posted at 3:06 pm on Sat, Jan 1, 2011.
Leon: Contrary to Dale, I find your comments inspiring and on target. We have got to put an end to illegal immigration. We are a nation of laws and we do have laws on the books regarding legal as well as illegal immigration. One is acceptable and one is not.
Leon Ceniceros posted at 12:38 pm on Sat, Jan 1, 2011.
Constitution of the United States (adopted on September 17, 1787), Article 4, Section 4, Clause 2, "Obligations of the United States".
The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government and shall protect each of them against Invasion; and on Application of the Legislature, or of the Executive, against Domestic Violence.
I would certainly classify the fact of 20 million aliens having come across our borders illegally....as an "Invasion".
Secretary of Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano (past Democratic Party Governor of Arizona who complained on numerous televised occasions that the Bush Administration was derelict in it's duty to enforce the "laws on the books" against illegal aliens invading Arizona) is currently in Afghanistan advising it's government on how to better protect Afghanistan's borders from "Taliban invasion". This trip was only 2 days after Secretary Napolitano had attended the funeral of a US Border Patrol agent who was shot by Mexican illegal aliens in the back and later died. The agent was patrolling an area almost 100 miles north of the US/Mexican border at the time of the confrontation.
Dale Whiting posted at 10:04 am on Sat, Jan 1, 2011.
P.S.
Leon
Have you read today's article about CEMEX? CEMEX got caught not paying overtime wages to their north of the border employees and has been ordered to pay up. As I recall, there is a double fine to be imposed. So not just overtime, but now double over time must be paid.
My comment to that article goes as follows [made some corrections in spelling for Slabside].
"Just thought you’d like to know. 'CEMEX is the world's largest building materials supplier and third largest cement producer. Founded in Mexico in 1906, the company is based in Monterrey, Mexico. CEMEX has operations extending around the world, with production facilities in 50 countries in North America, the Caribbean, South America, Europe, Asia, and Africa.' [Wikipedia]
"So where a foreign owned company comes into the US and does not follow US laws, making them obey our laws is a good idea. Where Mexican Drug Cartels come across our borders to peddle their illegal wares, they need to be stopped as well. But making any comparison between Cartels or CEMEX and individual men, women and children attempting to earn a livelihood illegally is sheer insanity."
"Comprehensive Immigration Reform makes distinctions between these very distinct classes of illegal operations. And failing to pay overtime to illegals or legals who might be employed by CEMEX makes CEMEX illegal, too."
Now, Slabside and the rest.
This is how a responsible commentary is made. Get the facts first, then apply those facts to your set of personal values to express an informed, intelligent opinion. We do not have to agree on the outcome. But we do not get to make up our own set of facts nor leap to conclusions without first presenting the facts. By way of illustration and example “Rich” does a great job of stating the facts. We often disagree. Occasionally we use a different set of facts, his set of facts which usually support my set of facts, yet we often do agree. But both Rich and I state the facts.
And where we disagree on conclusions, that does not mean we have a different set of values. We can both still be Conservatives, one of us being more well informed on the facts, the other less well informed, or one of us valuing a particular set of Conservative tenants more than does the other. But "Judge not least ye be judged to be foolish and uninformed" would be my condescending advice to you.
Condescendingly yours.
Dale Whiting posted at 9:24 am on Sat, Jan 1, 2011.
Leon,
Have I called Jan Brewer and Russell Pearce bigots? I may have implied as much, so let me be clear here and now. At worst they might be biggoted. They appear to court a biggoted notion that illegal aliens are a bane to society. But I do point out that in courting such a notions, pandering to society, they expose themselves when they pass legislation which over-steps the line of Constitutionality. Funny how Neo-cons can claim to be supporters of the US Constitution but not support its 14th Amendment and its long established doctrine of Federal Pre-emption.
So let's make it abundantly clear. As a society, we have come to fear illegal aliens, the vast majority of who are not here to shoot us, kidnap us, sell us drugs or buy from us our weapons so that they can kill their competition south of the border as well as those dedicated ICE officers, border patrol officers and other law enforcement offices who are attempting to intercept them when they are north of the border or who accidently incounter them hiding in the deserts. And Leon, you appear to throw all illegals into one box, too.
But putting into one category both well meaning illegal aliens and ill-wishing [thing enterprising] criminal agents of cartels leads us into making grave mistakes, mistakes that ICE does not want Sheriff Joe to continue to make, Joe's efforts joined by his fellow elected officials law officers. And the Constitutional doctrine of Federal Pre-emption is the principle which stops SB1070 from being legal. Once Joe was given permission to help ICE. But when he went too far. ICE withdrew their permission. Joe did not stop and is now being investigated for a number of thiniigs including profiling.
Where you do not understand Federal Pre-emption, know that it has been applied by judges who have been labled as liberal or as conservative. Know that it has a very long history of development. Know that neither Russell Pearce nor Jan Brewer appear to appreciate it. Know that you can come to appreciate it, but you have to study up on it with an open mind first.
Now let's all wait to hear from the 9th Circuit. Those who cannot or will not study this Constitutional doctrine and want SB1070 to be enforced, appear to have prejudged the pending opinion and pre-labled those who will be making it. Those of us who understand Pre-emption expect it to sustain Judge Bolton's decision. But we also know that nothing is absolutely certain. If SB1070 stands, then that opinion will be very informative and a very interesting read.