Illegal Immigrants Cross the Arizona Border - from the blog Seeing Red AZ
A poll released by Pew Research shows overwhelming support for Arizona’s Immigration Law, which mirrors the Federal Immigration Laws already on the books. Aside from calls from the Los Angeles City Council to boycott Arizona, and similar calls from cities such as Boston, the average citizen, regardless of political affiliation or age, supports the immigration law passed by the State of Arizona.
The Pew poll divides into four categories; a total of all participants which gives the law requiring people to show proof of documentations receive a 73% approval rating. A partisan divide breaks that total down by party; Republicans 85%, Democrats 65% and Independents at 73% - which is a high rate of approval for the Democrat moniker. The third category is by age – with 18-29 year olds least supportive at 61% and the fourth is based on Obama’s handling Immigration, which receives a net positive of 31%.
Although one can argue that younger people and Democrats do not support the law as much as older Independents and Republican’s, the fact that the percentage is above 50% in both cases leaves one the impression that, nationalism aside, the news coming from border states as well as the current economy and laws either on the books or in progress regarding support for illegal’s (for example: See in-state college tuition for illegal immigrants proposed by Mass. Governor Deval Patrick), has not gone unnoticed.
Additionally, support from Hispanics who have entered the country legally has not been polled, and one would hazard to guess, not unlike any other immigrant who has had to run the gamut of legal fees and tests a U.S. high school graduate could not pass, might not favor an open border policy.
Is the Arizona Law racist? Although that’s the hue and cry from most that are in opposition to the Arizona law, one finds that most who oppose do so regardless of country of origin. There are other considerations that are on the minds of individual citizens regardless of ethnicity – such as border security vis a vis terrorism, and the number of crimes being committed in Border States as well as states that have high illegal immigrant populations is of concern.
The fact that by entering the country without going through Federal border crossing protocol, is, in itself, an illegal act, is not missed by the main populace. The fallacy that the open border policy is favored by the majority of Hispanics who vote in this country, may be the downfall of those politicians who are crying foul. A sensible immigration policy (the one already in place), allows for work visas, as well as offers a path to citizenship (granted one that is lengthy and costly and should be reformed), and protects those who reside legally within the borders of the United States. The fact that several administrations, from both parties, have neglected to secure the borders, and enforce the laws, will, in the end result, foster racism. As more border state violence is reported, as more fatal accidents involving those here illegally increase, it will be natural for citizens, regardless of ethnicity to look to the most egregious cause of the problem, and that will come by way of the southern border. Should the laws be enforced, those entering legally would be embraced by the majority (given that there will always be those who are bigoted, regardless of country of origin - See Irish Immigrants and circa 1900.
Plainly put, it is the Federal Governments Job to protect the borders (north, south and the coasts), but having failed to do so, the State of Arizona, in desperation, needed to be able to protect its citizens by enforcing Federal Laws on a State Level. The facts are not lost on the average citizen, regardless of party or age. Those who see the United States citizenship as less than notable are Progressives, who would rather have an open border policy. Progressives now align themselves with the Democrat Party, but it is a mistake to consider all Democrats as Progressives. Progressives (i.e. Socialists) hold a separate political ideology (see Nancy Pelosi) and, as of now, hold positions within the United States Government and espouse views that are contrary to the majority and the laws established by the Constitution. Unless and until border policy as defined by current laws is followed to the letter, the violence along border states and exported inland, will continue unabated.
