America is a nation of immigrants. From the Pilgrims straight through to the millions of Hispanics that are entering the United States, nearly all of us came from somewhere else. My own ancestors entered the country in 1848 from Germany, becoming naturalized citizens before migrating to Ohio to become apple farmers. Throughout U.S. history we have always welcomed immigrants but have also enforced immigration laws. Our ancestors had to work hard to become U.S. citizens and faced great struggles even after gaining citizenship. Today, the U.S. Government seems willing to grant amnesty to millions of illegal immigrants allowing them to become citizens without having to work hard for it as our ancestors did.

President Obama has refused to strengthen border security and has in fact reversed a number of enforcement measures aimed at employers. He has also proposed a form of amnesty for the 10-12 million people that are in the country illegally. These policies are detrimental to our national interests and to the concept of the rule of law.

To grant amnesty to millions of illegal immigrants is fundamentally unfair. It is unfair to the millions of people who entered the country legally and became U.S. citizens through the proper channels. In 2009 over 700,000 foreign nationals became U.S. citizens, including 111,000 from Mexico. The total number of naturalized citizens over four years would equal the population of Chicago. Those that were naturalized legally went through a difficult process including learning the English language, learning U.S. history, and submitting to a background check. It is not easy becoming an American, nor should it be.

Amnesty is also unfair because it disproportionately benefits Mexican immigrants over other immigrants. There are millions of people in Africa and Asia that want to come to the U.S. but it is physically impossible. In contrast, those in Mexico and Central America need only cross a poorly monitored desert border or cross the shallow Rio Grande. Why should the U.S. show favor to immigrants of one country over another?

Illegal immigration is also a profound national security problem. In recent years there have been instances where terrorists and criminals have entered or have stayed in the U.S. illegally. Mexican drug cartels operate along the border importing illegal drugs into the United States. Incidents of violent crime have also increased along the border.

Illegal immigration also causes significant economic problems in the United States. Most illegal immigrants today are poorly educated in comparison to previous groups of immigrants. As a result, the poverty level among immigrants is very high and stays high even among the first generation born in the United States. Illegal immigrants are often paid sub-standard wages, are treated differently by employers, and cannot receive benefits such as health insurance. Illegal immigrants also do not pay income taxes but cost the government billions in welfare, incarceration expenses, public services, and other expenses. Finally, the addition of millions of workers to the labor force contributes to unemployment by creating greater competition for a limited number of positions.

Permitting illegal immigration and granting amnesty also erodes the rule of law in the United States. The importance of the rule of law is a core principle of Restore America’s Legacy. It is dangerous to allow politicians to decide what laws they will enforce and what laws they won’t. This makes the law more arbitrary and flexible or, in other words, meaningless.

In 1986 the U.S. Government granted amnesty to millions of illegal immigrants. The policy backfired, emboldening millions more to cross into the United States illegally. The lax enforcement of immigration law since has only further eroded respect for U.S. law. Every sovereign nation on Earth has immigration and naturalization laws in order to control who comes into their borders and to document who is there. The United States has every right as a sovereign nation to enforce immigration laws. Criticisms by foreign leaders, including the President of Mexico, are baseless and in many cases hypocritical. For example, it is a felony to be in Mexico illegally while in the U.S. it is a misdemeanor that is rarely prosecuted.

President Obama and the Democratic Congress have argued that enforcement should not be enhanced unless there is reform of the naturalization process, including a pathway to citizenship. To refuse to fulfill Constitutional duties until they get concessions elsewhere makes very clear that their concern is not for the American people. The Democratic leadership is using border enforcement as a bargaining chip. This type of political extortion is offensive to the American people. A majority of Americans want our border secured regardless of whether or not immigration and naturalization laws are reformed.

Restore America’s Legacy supports immediate efforts to secure the U.S. border and to improve enforcement efforts against unscrupulous employers. These efforts will reduce illegal immigration and discourage it in the future. It may also encourage many illegal immigrants to return home on their own. Restore America’s Legacy also supports modernizing temporary worker programs to allow more people to legally come to the U.S. to work. People that entered illegally and wish to stay must be held accountable for breaking the law. This may include fines, paying back taxes, or any other measures that are appropriate. Restore America’s Legacy believes this will restore the rule of law, will benefit immigrants and benefit the U.S. economy as well. The United States is a nation of immigrants and that legacy must continue. However, the United States must also continue the legacy of being a nation of laws.

Author Bio: J. Wesley Fox is the Chairman of Restore America’s Legacy PAC. He is a recent graduate of DePaul University College of Law and has been active in local and national politics for several years. He currently lives in New Jersey after growing up in the Chicago suburbs. www.restoreamericaslegacy.com

Category: Politics
Keywords: Illegal Immigration,border patrol,border security,rule of law,amnesty,pathway to citizenship