Border Blues

Fire of Liberty
Rich Lowry has a great article over at National Review Online that points out that various governors from several Mexico border states like Arizona's Janet Napolitano and New Mexico's Bill Richardson seem to be aware of the groundswell of concern amongst the American public about illegal immigration run amuck. Now even though the folks on Fox & Friends seem to be overjoyed that New Mexico's Governor Bill Richardson has stepped up to the plate to stem illegal immigration. The only problem with such a reaction is that these same Democratic Governors who are declaring illegal immigration a "national emergency," were the same people who created the emergency in the first place by pushing through legislation or policies that promote illegal immigration into these states. I mean just look at what Lowry noted in his piece:

Richardson has been a conventional Democrat on immigration. He signed a bill giving illegal immigrants living in New Mexico in-state tuition at its public colleges. New Mexico is one of the few states in the country that gives driver's licenses to illegals. Napolitano has been similarly hostile to the enforcement of immigration laws.

There is little sign yet that these newly border-conscious Democrats will actually get tough on illegals. They appear to be trying the Hillary Clinton tack on immigration, which is to sound pro-enforcement while not doing much. Clinton declared at the end of last year, "I am ... adamantly against illegal immigrants." But John Fund of the Wall Street Journal notes that in a recent speech before the Hispanic group La Raza, the only immigration measures she talked about were in-state tuition for the children of illegals and amnesty for illegal immigrants who graduate from high school in the U.S.

Richardson defends New Mexico's extended hand to illegals on grounds that the state is "immigrant friendly" and has to be "practical." What's impractical is the idea that immigration enforcement can be a matter of simply better policing along the 2,000-mile border with Mexico. Interior enforcement has to be part of the solution, including a crackdown on employers who hire illegals and steps to signal to illegals that they aren't welcome here. It is nonsensical to say, as Richardson and Napolitano are in effect saying, "Gee, the border is too porous, but we're going to give illegals the same privileges as citizens when they get here."

I guess when you're trying to run for President or you're facing a tough talking challenger like Napolitano is facing against Goldwater in the 2006 Governor's race, you'll say about anything to get elected or re-elected. It'd be nice if they actually did something about the problem rather than wallpaper it over will a shiny media blitz like Richardson has done. Until they do something like ending the programs that encourage illegal immigration or enforce the US immigration laws, the nation will continue to see illegals crossing over our borders.