Criminalizing Immigration: Last bastion of the scoundrel
Discussions about immigration have always aroused strong passions because there is something in immigration for everyone to dislike. Dr.
Julian Simon, Professor of Economics at the University of
Maryland put it this way, “Immigration seems to pit two fundamental values against each other, lending a helping hand to immigrants and pushing back against immigrants to ensure the economic selfinterest of family and community.”
Dr. Simon further opined that immigration involves a complex mix of values that may not be understood by all, but which are in no way irrational, such as the desire to maintain a degree of cultural or racial homogeneity in the country, and to keep a particular political balance. Hence, it arouses concern and passions to an unusual degree.
Opinions on immigration have an ebb and flow but mostly, when the facts about immigrants are accurately portrayed, Americans tend to be favorably disposed toward newcomers, even though, in today's “topsy-turvy” political environment, we have an Administration seeking to capitalize on the legitimate fear many have about where the world is headed. Fear is notoriously contagious. Used skillfully by politicians looking to manipulate voters, it can become toxic and capable of infecting more than just a few.
No wonder much of the country's immigration mood is a mix of anger, fear and frustration. The very foundation of America's relationship to immigrants has shifted in the wake of renewed calls for sealing our border, tightening our national security, and a resurgence of an “us” versus “them” mentality. To divide us from immigrants, our lawmakers have resorted to calling them criminals, the criminal element, rapists and narco-terrorists. By way of these distortions, we are expected to view immigrants as suspects who put the safety and the very survival of our country at risk. The tactic of criminalizing, vilifying and de-humanizing immigrants might be acceptable if it was the problem. However, crime, not immigration is what has our President agitated.
Cross border crime, in all its manifestations, and immigration are totally different events. The Administration is trying to conflate them for political gain. Immigrants are individuals who move from one country to another to reside permanently. Criminal activity is never their goal. Cross border crime, the criminal element, narco-terrorist, rapist and all the other crimes being touted as “immigration problems” are what's rightfully stuck in the President's craw, but that's not immigration! The farthest thing from the minds of these criminal perpetrators is immigration. It's patently wrong to paint cross border crime and immigration with the same brush.
Some folks will legitimately ask, “But if it's a crime for immigrants to be here without an immigration status, why isn't it OK to call them criminals?” They might also ask, “what about border jumping isn't that a crime?” These questions have many Americans confused.
The bewilderment lies in the legal differ-
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