Ernesto Antunez/Staff Writer
“Decriminalizing the border” is the new euphemism on the Left for what is known to the wider public simply as open borders.
A recent and rather whimsical article on “why decriminalizing the border is important for future immigrants” is an excellent example of this new act of political dissimulation from the Left. The article begins immediately by zooming in on what has now become a legal boogeyman among the Left, Section 1325.
Section 1325, a provision of the current immigration code, makes it a federal misdemeanor for those who illegally cross the border. The punishment is up to six months in prison for first-timers as a misdemeanor and up to two years for felonious repeat offenders. The main complaint lodged against our infamous President is that, instead of the willy-nilly enforcement of Section 1325 of administrations past, he is actually enforcing the statute with some degree of regularity.
Imagine that, a democratically elected President enforcing the laws and statutes of a democratic order. It’s almost as if this were part of the job description when you take on the office of the Presidency. Perhaps Presidents should pick and choose which immigration laws (or laws in general) to enforce based on the enlightened political analysis of his Leftist critics and not upon the will of the people as expressed through our laws.
As custom dictates nowadays, President Trump was accused of instilling a racist ideology into the body politic because of his policy towards illegal immigration. Does anyone think that either illegal immigrants or Mexicans qualify as racial categories? Anyone who agrees is quite ignorant of even the most basic facts of life (it is mind-numbingly obvious that neither immigration status nor nationality is a race) or is merely engaging in an empty bit of political grandstanding.
Saintly Democratic presidential contender Julián Castro is lavishly praised because during the second Democratic primary debate, he publicly called for the immediate repeal of the nefarious Section 1325. This repeal would downgrade illegal border crossing from a serious criminal affair to an anemic civil affair that amounts to a mere slap on the wrist.
There is much disappointment that “Beto” (Mr. Robert Francis O’Rourke to his detractors) would not get behind the idea. Obviously Beto still suffers from too much privilege or common sense to go all in on open borders.
This is what all this smokescreen of “decriminalization” amounts to, which is the attempt to turn the current legal deterrent into a paper tiger. If we abandon the current status quo (strong enforcement and the criminalization of border crossing) the constant barrage of illegal migrants into our Southern border states would turn into a tsunami of men, women and children.
If an immigration policy looks like open borders, sounds like open borders and acts like open borders, then it’s safe to say it is open borders.
As it seems clear this is what many Leftist commentators such as the author of said offending article wish then let us all debate it frankly on its own merits instead of beating around the bush with terms like “decriminalization.” After all, a man that wishes to “decriminalize” (not legalize, only decriminalize!) armed robbery would be seen through in an instant, and so it is in this case as well.
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Featured photo by Phillip Capper from Wellington, New Zealand on Wikicommons.
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