Immigration seems to be 2006’s “gay marriage ban” issue for political conservatives. It seems that many US citizens have the same ideas as the GOP when it comes to illegal immigration – like that they should be deported, are taking jobs from native born US citizens, and some talking heads make it seem that next to terrorism – illegal immigrants are a threat to America.
To highlight the issue President Bush wants to send 6,000 troops to the southern border to help police the area and erect a long wall to keep out Mexican and Latin American illegals as that seems to be the biggest problem area.
Now I have no concrete evidence but all of it smells of bigotry and racism.
There hasn’t been any talk of troops or a wall for our northern border with Canada.
40% of illegal immigrants entered the country legally on a visa and never returned home. Two of the 9/11 terrorists had expired visas. The visa loophole still is a low priority at Homeland Security with only $30 million of the $1.95 billion border security request Bush filed last week, going to address it.
Manuel Bartsch, a high school student born in Germany, was detained in Ohio after he contacted the Immigration Service to see if they had any paperwork on him. It seems when he wanted to sign-up to take the ACT and needed a Social Security card, he had none. He called the INS and found out that his step-grandfather had never completed the paperwork to allow him to remain legally in the United States. He was jailed in Cleveland for 16 days for being in the country illegally.
He got out of jail and fought deportation with the help of the Pandora community, the involvement of U.S. Sen. Mike DeWine, R-Ohio, and U.S. Rep. Paul Gillmor, R-Port Clinton, and Bartsch’s Cleveland attorney, David Leopold. In fact a bill was introduced in Congress that would let Bartsch stay legally.
What if Bartsch had not been white and from Germany. Does anyone really think Congress would fight for him to stay?
For further reading:
Border initiatives miss huge group
Bartsch salutes American Dream
