Democrats: No one is above the law but illegal immigrants
WASHINGTON >> We’ve heard a lot about the importance of the rule of law from Democrats lately. During special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation of President Trump, Democrats in Congress delivered a clear and unified message.
“No one is above the law, especially the president of the United States,” declared House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. “Donald Trump is the most corrupt president in our lifetime. … No one is above the law. Not even the president,” said Sen. Elizabeth Warren. “Everyone should be held accountable. And the president is not above the law,” said Sen. Kamala Harris. Republicans “are basically saying that in America one man is above the law and that’s not a fact,” said Senate Minority Whip Richard Durbin. Except illegal immigrants. This past weekend, when the Trump administration announced Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers would begin enforcement actions to remove illegal immigrants who have been issued final deportation orders by a federal judge, those same Democrats delivered a clear and unified message.
“It’s so appalling, it’s outside the circle of civilized human behavior,” said Pelosi. “The Trump administration’s cruelty runs bonedeep. A Warren administration will not rip families apart to try and score political points,” said Warren. “The aim is to scare immigrant communities. … And so, he’s going to … do these raids which is a crime against humanity,” said Harris. “We are on your side, we stand with you together,” Durbin told activists protesting ICE enforcement.
So, Democrats are for rule of law when it comes to the Mueller probe but against rule of law when it comes to illegal immigrants found in violation of U.S. immigration law.
Illegal immigrants subject to ICE enforcement have been given their constitutional right to due process, with a hearing in a federal immigration court represented by counsel and the right to appeal. If they lose, they are issued a final order of removal. If they fail to depart or turn themselves in, the ICE fugitive unit is tasked with finding them.
There’s a long process before ICE knocks on someone’s door to enforce a removal order. Those now subject to a final deportation order either failed to show up to immigration court; showed up and lost their case; waived their right to appeal; lost their appeal; did not show up for their appeal hearing; were granted voluntary departure but did not leave; or failed to turn themselves in to ICE for court-ordered removal. In each case, a federal judge has ruled they must leave. But Democratic leaders are now saying they should be allowed to stay, in contravention of our immigration laws.
President Barack Obama deported far more illegal immigrants than Trump. Axios reports that “under the Obama administration, total ICE deportations were above 385,000 each year in fiscal years 2009-2011, and hit a high of 409,849 in fiscal 2012.” I don’t recall Democrats in Congress accusing Obama of a “crime against humanity” or actions “outside the circle of civilized human behavior.”
In 2009, Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., said “illegal immigration is wrong, plain and simple.” Under Trump, Democrats have become the party of illegal immigration. They want to decriminalize illegal border crossings, cut ICE detention beds to force the agency to release illegal immigrants and then refuse to enforce lawful deportation orders. So, it’s a little hard to take Democrats seriously when, in investigating Trump, they claim to be fighting for the rule of law.