Muhammad Ali Jr. detained by immigration officials at Florida airport (USA Today).
Australian children's author Mem Fox detained by U.S. border control: 'I sobbed like a baby' (The Guardian).
Trump order drops [deportation] protection for families of deployed military (San Diego Union-Tribune).
Trump administration considering separating women, children at Mexico border (Reuters).
Border patrol agents stop domestic travelers at New York airport (Rolling Stone).
Deportation nightmare: Eduardo Caraballo, U.S. citizen born in Puerto Rico, detained as illegal immigrant (Huffpost).
Italian teen detained on way to Iowa, returned to home country (Iowa City Press-Citizen).
Santa Cruz police accuse Homeland Security of lying to cover up immigrant sweep (Huffpost).
More than 50 detained in immigration raids at Asian restaurants in Mississippi (LA Times).
- Mark
Certainly, unlawful immigration is a discussion that needs to be had. But it is far from being the biggest problem our nation faces. And yes, we need to give proper support to those in law enforcement for whom "Protect and Serve" is a calling, rather than a license to kill.
ReplyDeleteThat said, co-opting law enforcement to scoop up and deport everyone who is even ***suspected*** of being in the US illegally sends the WRONG message. It basically tells these people (the vast majority of whom are NOT criminals):
"The Law Is Your Enemy"
A bad message to send to people who come to this country for no reason other than a chance at a better, safer, freer life that would have been possible in their native lands. It's the same reason that Germans, Russians, Jews, Chinese, Irish, and others came to these shore in years past.
No matter one's politics, equal protection under the law is an indispensable cornerstone of our civil society. Having ICE & local law enforcement round up people who are acting in good faith to resolve their status tells undocumented people that they cannot turn to law enforcement for aid when they are the victims of violence. And the gangs like MS-13 who terrorize Hispanic communities are thus emboldened. Cops already have a difficult job combating this problem, what with language/cultural barriers, and Trump's misguided "round 'em all up and get 'em all out" initiative is making the cops' jobs HARDER. By all means find the REAL criminals and make them face justice. But remember that the right way to resolve the greater issue includes:
♦Promoting proficiency in English to the undocumented,
♦Teaching them marketable skills,
♦Putting them on a path to Citizenship, because with decent-paying jobs they will be on the tax rolls and contributing to the communities in which they live with more than just the sweat of their brows.
...and while we're at it, let's pass a law requiring anyone who runs for public office to pass a civics test!