Shamnesty

Demise of immigration bill leaves problems to fester

People are elected to Congress to solve problems, but Thursday when the Senate had a chance to solve one of the nation's worst — its intolerable, unworkable and unjust immigration system — a majority ducked and ran toward the safety of their political bases.

Fifty-three senators voted to kill an immigration compromise that was months in the making and favored by interests as diverse as Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., and President Bush. The measure would have provided strong new enforcement in exchange for opening a path to citizenship for 12 million illegal immigrants in the USA.

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Fifty three senators saw the light and voted NO to amnesty, which columnist Michelle Malkin dubbed as shamnesty. Had the legislation passed, it would have been a great travesty to the rule of law – rewarding violators and transgressors of immigration laws, as well as succumbing apparently to the whims of the president of Mexico who was visibly irked.

It is incorrect to call them as twelve million illegal immigrants. They are better known as twelve million illegal overstaying visitors – they have not attained the status of immigrants – not yet anyway. There are many statutes in the books concerning immigration and any more statutes will simply compound the issue. There are stiff penalties for employing illegal aliens and strict enforcement of the law would be enough to deter illegals to abuse their welcome mat. It is downright unfair to grant amnesty to flagrant violators of immigration laws. Enforce the law and the problem will take care of itself.