The case of Elvira Arellano is symptomatic of the kinds of obstacles we face when trying to enforce immigration laws in the United States. Ms. Arellano is an illegal immigrant who was captured in Los Angeles this summer and deported after having been holed up in a Methodist church in Chicago for a year. That church offered her sanctuary last August, just as she was scheduled to appear before immigration authorities for possible deportation proceedings. She had previously been convicted of using a bogus Social Security number. She has a seven-year-old son who is a U.S. citizen by virtue of his birth here during her unlawful stay.
She had planned to go to Washington in September to lobby for immigration reform. She hadn't made any effort to become a U.S. citizen. Apparently, she was waiting for the government to pass an immigration reform bill that would have handed U.S. citizenship to her on a silver platter, as a reward for her criminal behavior.
First of all, where did Ms. Arellano get the notion that she had a right to lobby Congress? Why did she think she had a right to protest anything in this country? Those rights are reserved for U.S. citizens, not people are in the U.S. illegally.
I'm glad Ms. Arellano was seized and deported by law enforcement officials after she left the church and went to Los Angeles. However, she should have been apprehended before from the church. Churches that knowingly provide sanctuary to scofflaws of any kind should lose their tax-exempt status. In addition, any of their property and structures used to shelter such persons should be forfeited to the government. Churches have no more right than any other entity or individual to flout the law.
Deporting Ms. Arellano did not necessarily have to break up her family, as she had claimed it would. She was free to take her son with her, even though he is a U.S citizen. Instead, she chose to leave him in the custody of the pastor of the Chicago church where she had been staying. Far too many illegal immigrants are exploiting the "birth" loophole in the U.S. Constitution as a means of remaining in this country. Our Founding Fathers never envisioned such brazen opportunism when they framed the Constitution. It needs to be amended to withhold automatic citizenship from babies born in this country unless at least one of their parents is already a U.S. citizen.
Terry Mitchell is a software engineer, freelance writer, amateur political analyst, and blogger from Virginia, USA. He posts a least one article a day to his blog - http://commenterry.blogs.com - on subjects such as current events, politics, technology, society and culture, religion, health and well-being, self improvement, personal finance, trivia, and sports. His commentaries offer a unique point of view that is not often found in mainstream media. His articles here on SearchWarp represent only a small portion of his work. All of it can be found on his blog. If you like his articles, you'll love his blog.
» left by robert melaccio sr (257 days ago.)
Terry, with respect for you, who are you and for that matter many who read your work voting for? I really don't care if people say they are Republican or Democrat or even Independent because anyone voting for any of them are part of the problem. It really is as simple as that. If someone doesn't vote they have by nature of their non action and by proxy given their rights to someone else. It is as simple as that. So if people want to know follow their ideology, voting records and agenda, what groups they belong to and NOT WHAT THEY PROFESS you will find out as I have that they are all the same. This all MUST come to pass because of that ideology. The issue will not go away. Now to continue to use the term "immigration" is of itself not correct. Be religious or not that is the truth. They are here illegally as you pointed out. They broke the law, as you pointed out. So what is so hard about finding them and sending them all back and peanlizing those who hired them to start with? Nothing! In fact it would not cost billions. What they are referring to in my opinion is that minimum wage they will not have to start paying, a fact. So, they only answer we really have is with our wallets and vote. Don't vote, don't complain, vote them in, don't complain, buy offshore products, don't complain. What is so had about all of this? Perhaps those who follow you will understand. I wouldn't hold my breath, but we can hope. Sorry for the venting. Best wishes and a real good article. I'm for voting each and every incumbant out and sounding the bell on capital Hill that We the People have spoken! God Bless Respond to this comment
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