One would think that "standing up for a stronger, more secure nation" would also include protecting our borders against the massive onslaught of illegal aliens and tons of illegal drugs entering with near impunity.  Unfortunately, that is not the case at all.

The federal government talks of terrorism.  Well, when American citizens are not able to walk the streets of major cities because gangs of illegal aliens, not police, control those streets, we class that as terrorism.

That came about, of course, because of the negligence of the central government.  Our country's borders have major holes through which thousands of illegal aliens walk daily.  The central government (Clinton, and now the Bush, administration) found it easier to bother all Americans with presenting documentation than to protect our borders.  The Clinton administration also insured that the government provides illegals free medical treatment, education and welfare -- at the expense of all legal American citizens.  Today, many illegal aliens attend universities for less money than American citizens are required to pay.  They are, of course, subsidized by the American taxpayer.

There was a time, back in my distant memory, that when a bureaucrat came upon illegal aliens they would have them apprehended and deported.  The same laws are still on the books.  But, apparently those laws no longer need to be obeyed by anyone.

Today, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has the responsibility for enforcing immigration laws in the nation's interior.  But, ICE only has 2,300 agents for interior enforcement.  Those agents are tasked with finding some 80,000 criminal aliens wandering our nation's streets, plus another 320,000 foreign nationals known as 'absconders' who fled after being ordered deported.  Unfortunately, there are no federal officials bothering to round up the other few million illegal immigrants permanently squatting here and sucking up our tax dollars in services.

According to authorities, over 1.2 million people attempt to cross U.S. borders illegally each year -- that they know about.  Many of them are OTMs (Other than Mexicans).  No one knows how many are potential terrorists, just that some are.

Mexican President Vicente Fox was no friend of the people of the United States.  He headed one of the most corrupt governments in the world and even his police and military are involved in smuggling illegal drugs into our country.  Will anything change in Mexico after the recent election?  That’s doubtful!  We can expect that Mexico will continue acting like a very bad neighbor.

Now comes the amnesty debate again -- albeit, under a new name.  Because they were able to violate our laws without getting caught, President Bush plans to reward a few million illegals with permission to stay here longer -- or maybe permanently.  Such action is very wrong.  It sends a signal to Americans, as well as all people of the world, that federal laws are arbitrary and capricious.  Because, when it becomes acceptable for one whole class of people to willfully violate our laws when they find it to their personal benefit, that same type of consideration must then be extended to everyone in this country, plus anyone else who can sneak in.

Illegal aliens are already a permanent underclass.  Out of the many millions illegally in this country, tens of thousands are packing our prisons, tens of thousands more are involved in organized drug crime and/or street gangs and a few million others are on welfare.  Yet another problem is that they do not even bother to learn our language and customs.  Worse yet, a large segment of that population is actually scheming to break off a chunk of our country for their own.

Why would we want to allow them to stay?

All illegals should be arrested and put in jail.  Or, there not being enough room in our prison system for all these lawbreakers, they should be shipped back to Southern Mexico, where it is a long walk back to the U.S. border.  After all, if American citizens are expected to obey federal law, most certainly all foreigners must.  Either that, or, we all get to violate federal laws with impunity.

Another problem is those in and out of government conspiring to help illegal aliens enter this country and function while here.  According to federal law, these people should also be arrested and imprisoned.  The law is clear on that, too. For instance:

18 USC 3 makes accessory after the fact a felony:  "Whoever, knowing that an offense against the United States has been committed, receives, relieves, comforts or assists the offender in order to hinder or prevent his apprehension, trial or punishment, is an accessory after the fact."

It stands to reason that aiding or employing an illegal alien would amount to comforting and assisting the offender and that not reporting the illegal alien would amount to aiding in the prevention of apprehension.  And so it is.

Because, now comes 18 USC 4, the misprision of felony law:  "Whoever, having knowledge of the actual commission of a felony cognizable by a court of the United States, conceals and does not as soon as possible make known the same to some judge or other person in civil or military authority under the United States, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than three years, or both."

This could lead one to believe that everyone would be required under the law to turn in any illegal aliens, like pronto.  Else, one can get up to three years free room and board in the hoosegow.

Clearly, a great deal more needs to be done to protect our nation. Giving amnesty to flagrant lawbreakers does nothing to protect our national security.  It only compounds the problem.

      -- Doug Fiedor