Are You a Felon, Too?
The House of Representatives recently decided that I am a felon.
The new stipulations included in H.R. 4437, the "Border Protection, Antiterrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act of 2005" makes the definition of alien smuggling so broad as to include the offering of any assistance at all when it is given to a known "illegal alien". Give them a cup of water? Hand out some food at a soup kitchen? Give directions at a stoplight? Offer information on how to legalize their status? Not unless you want to be committing a felony according to a new law.
According to this definition, I have committed a felony plenty of times already and plan to again. I am unwilling to turn away from someone in need just because they are not lawful residents. Illegal immigration is not reason for starvation or ostracism. If someone is in the United States, and their visa expires (like your driver's license sometimes does), no one can lawfully help you without committing a felony. If someone did come here without documentation intending to work anyway, and they are hungry or ill or lost or dying, it would be a felony to assist them. Churches, social services, anf refugee assistance organizations are now illegal enterprises. Join them at your own risk.
The bill also makes it a felon to be here illegally in the first place. This sounds good, of course, to those who want to end "illegal immigration" for felons are not allowed to ever come back. But should every violation, even an error in paperwork, be reason for permanent deportation? Furthermore, the bill calls upon local law enforcement agencies to carry out the work of apprehending illegal immigrants. At first glance, this sounds great as well. But what happens to the communities where these workers live? It is fine if one does not even want them to be here, but if they are afraid to go to the police when they are victims of a crime they will be repeatedly victimized and become targets for every kind of criminal. Rob them, beat them, kill them, and no one can go to the police. This is not how we should treat the alien, the immigrant among us. Especially when our own economic practices demand such low-cost labor to be available.
I could go on and on, and I already have. I am amazed at what we can ethically justify to ourselves under the banner of anti-terrorism. Our safety has become a liability not only to the rest of the world but to the least of these among us. Our treatment of the fatherless, the alien, and the widow must continue to be dictated not by our laws but by our convictions. May we all be good felons.
Check out the text of the bill and commentary.
The new stipulations included in H.R. 4437, the "Border Protection, Antiterrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act of 2005" makes the definition of alien smuggling so broad as to include the offering of any assistance at all when it is given to a known "illegal alien". Give them a cup of water? Hand out some food at a soup kitchen? Give directions at a stoplight? Offer information on how to legalize their status? Not unless you want to be committing a felony according to a new law.
According to this definition, I have committed a felony plenty of times already and plan to again. I am unwilling to turn away from someone in need just because they are not lawful residents. Illegal immigration is not reason for starvation or ostracism. If someone is in the United States, and their visa expires (like your driver's license sometimes does), no one can lawfully help you without committing a felony. If someone did come here without documentation intending to work anyway, and they are hungry or ill or lost or dying, it would be a felony to assist them. Churches, social services, anf refugee assistance organizations are now illegal enterprises. Join them at your own risk.
The bill also makes it a felon to be here illegally in the first place. This sounds good, of course, to those who want to end "illegal immigration" for felons are not allowed to ever come back. But should every violation, even an error in paperwork, be reason for permanent deportation? Furthermore, the bill calls upon local law enforcement agencies to carry out the work of apprehending illegal immigrants. At first glance, this sounds great as well. But what happens to the communities where these workers live? It is fine if one does not even want them to be here, but if they are afraid to go to the police when they are victims of a crime they will be repeatedly victimized and become targets for every kind of criminal. Rob them, beat them, kill them, and no one can go to the police. This is not how we should treat the alien, the immigrant among us. Especially when our own economic practices demand such low-cost labor to be available.
I could go on and on, and I already have. I am amazed at what we can ethically justify to ourselves under the banner of anti-terrorism. Our safety has become a liability not only to the rest of the world but to the least of these among us. Our treatment of the fatherless, the alien, and the widow must continue to be dictated not by our laws but by our convictions. May we all be good felons.
Check out the text of the bill and commentary.
posted by matt at 10:01 AM
1 Comments:
I'm fairly sure that a mistake in paperwork wouldn't cause someone to be here illegaly. Illegal in terms of the INA (Immigration and Naturalization Act) is basically someone who overstayed their visa or entered without inspection. Entered without inspection could also mean that the person in question entered on fraudulent documents. With the exception of the children who were brought here as minors, all illegals chose to break the law. Even once they turned 18, they chose to remain here. I have no pity for that. I have pity for the victims of the crimes committed and the state of Mexico, which cannot even provide a decent place to live for its people.
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