Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Does Breaking the Law for 25 Years Qualify You to Stay?

Last night in the Republican debate on CNN, Mr. Gingrich suggested that if an illegal alien (i.e. a breaker of our laws), had been here for 25 years, had raised a family, gone to church, paid his taxes, held a job, etc., then we shouldn't just eject him from the country.

Let me posit a different scenario. For the last 25 years, an American citizen, has been committing the same crime every day - say stealing $100.00 every day from his employer. During that 25 years he's raised a family, gone to church, paid his taxes, held a job, etc. When he is caught, should we let him go scot-free with an admonition that he shouldn't do this anymore? I don't think anyone would agree that is the correct response.

If someone is here illegally, they are commiting a crime every day they remain. To pay taxes, they must have perjured themselves to get a social security number, or they must have stolen someone else's number. Each is a federal crime. If they've gotten a loan to buy a house, or gotten a credit card, they've likely committed fraud when they signed their application.

If we would penalize an American citizen for a crime, why shouldn't penalize an illegal alien for committing several? We're either a nation of laws, or emotions. I prefer laws.