To see how protracted and insane the immigration debate has
become among amnesty proponents, look no further than the drama which
engulfed LULAC over the last two weeks. LULAC, the League of United Latin
American Citizens, is one of the oldest Hispanic advocacy groups in the
country, like the NAACP is for black people. The group’s president, Roger
Rocha, issued an open letter in support of President Trump’s Four Pillar
immigration proposal, which would provide a pathway to citizenship for 1.8
million DACA and DACA-eligible illegal aliens in the country.
Rocha got roasted! |
Rocha’s letter reluctantly acquiesced to the President’s
demands for stricter enforcement of our borders, including the wall, along with
sharp cuts to legal immigration. The left-wing base which makes up LULAC
membership erupted over the President’s letter. Rocha apologized for the
outrage and rescinded the letter. But the damage is done, and not just to
Rocha. The LULAC Board of Directors held an emergency meeting last weekend and
they issued a vote of no confidence against Rocha. He has doubled-down on his
apologies, but has signaled that he will not resign; however, he is not running
for re-election, either.
What’s going on here? Why does this drama within a private
national organization deserve more attention? It goes to show how radically,
and radically insane the Democratic Party and their supporting pro-amnesty
interest groups have become. One has to give Rocha some credit. He probably
recognized that the best deal one could hope for granting permanent legally
status to young illegals rested in the President’s clearly outlined proposal.
The voters in this country have militantly opposed amnesty for decades, and
they have every right to expect enforcement of our immigration laws. The vast
majority of Americans who are not political, have become very political over
illegal immigration. It’s a fact of life that the pressure on public services,
the economy, and public safety have grown too great to ignore.
LULAC's letter |
But on the left, and among the most ardent liberals within
the Democratic Party, there is no compromise. They must have their amnesty, and
no strings attached: a full ride with no wall or border enforcement. I was
surprised that my US Senator Kamala Harris, one of the most left-wing partisans
in the US Senate, voted against the Schumer-Rounds-Collins bill. After all,
that legislation would have curtained ICE and DHS enforcement activities while
allowing illegals who had entered the country up to June 29, 2018 to seek legal
status in the country.
That was the worst bill, and yet 8 Republicans crossed over
to vote for it. Despite the bipartisan support, Harris and the two US Senators
from New Mexico, along with the more real (and realistic) Republican caucus, killed
that legislation. But why those three US Senators? They don’t support that “stupid”
wall. I wanted to call their offices and ask: “Do you have a door? Do you lock
it at night? How about a wall? Do you have walls around your home?”
Sure, these left-wing US Senators can play up their
opposition to their base. However, they should also admit that they have
scuttled any opportunity for an amnesty because of their adamant refusal to
respect the President and the American People’s priorities on enforcement and
security. Do these liberals not get it? They are not getting anything if they
won’t compromise on the main enforcement elements with the President’s agenda.
This divide over amnesty just among politicians and their
base, but has emerged among the illegal
aliens themselves! The Los Angeles Times just ran an article articulating the frustration and
resentment among non-DACA illegals. They are no longer young adults, and some
of these illegals are hitting 40 years old. They have lived and worked in the
shadows for more than three decades.
They didn’t qualify for DACA, and now they are mad because
their “needs” are not getting attention from lawmakers fighting to pass any
kind of immigration reform. Their arrogance and raging sense of entitlement is
unfathomable. Who do they think they are? How is it possible that any cohort of
illegals living in this country would still be illegal after all these years? President
Reagan signed off on a comprehensive amnesty 30 years ago. What have they been
doing all this time?
Now another dilemma emerges: Should amnesty proponents settle
for a compromise, as the embattled President of LULAC tried to do? Or should activists
continue to scream, shout, block traffic, and harass lawmakers until the get a
clean DREAM Act? Should they agitate for a comprehensive 11+ million amnesty
proposal, and in the meantime wait for the results of the November 2018
election, too?
This divide among the different pro-amnesty factions, the Democratic
Party, and the illegal aliens is fascinating, and ultimately working in the
President and the American people’s favor. All along, I wagered that President
Trump was not throwing away his campaign promises on immigration enforcement. After
all, Republicans need their base now more than ever, and Republicans right now
are not as motivated as the Democrats, still a potent, enraged force. The
President enticed the center-left coalition with a pretty generous deal, but
they have turned it down, and now are turning on their more reasonable leaders.
If anyone was paying attention, President Trump’s latest weekend
address focused on immigration, but he discussed three
important pillars to his proposal—not four. Guess which pillar is missing!
DACA is apparently of the table, and Trump is doubling down on limiting legal
immigration, including chain migration and the diversity VISA program. Democrats
have not only squandered their diminished political capital, but they have worn
out the patient of their left-wing base.
I have to say I am breathing a sigh of relief over all public, violent
melt-down among amnesty supporters. Finally, conservatives are no longer
playing defense on this contentious issue, but now we can fight to ensure that
our borders will be secure, that our culture and country will persevere, and
perhaps we can put this lingering wedge issue to rest for good.
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