War on Drugs and Illegals
Letters to the Editor
December 01, 2006
After reading Bill Estep's Nov. 25th article (in the Lexington, KY Herald-Leader), "After 20 years, war on marijuana changes," I had an interesting thought: what if our police forces and National Guard worked together in an effort to curb the crop of illegal aliens?
This crop has been springing up all over our state and wreaking much havoc on the landscape. Like marijuana plants, there is a certain segment of the population that is addicted to the use of cheap labor and the temporary "fix" that illegals provide to the economy. But also like marijuana, there is a deadening affect to the conscience when folks use illegals in their business or home. Unlike marijuana use, a single use of illegal aliens, to house them or help them gain a job, is a federal felony. Thousands are committing such felonies every day with complete disregard for the law, much like those growing marijuana plants. There are also people involved in illegal trafficking of these human beings, sneaking them across the border.
But how can our combined police forces and National Guard work to solve this problem? The National Guard can help as already allowed on the borders. For the police there is something called a "Memorandum of Understanding" that gives state and local police the right and training to arrest and deal with federal felons and receive reimbursement from the government. Working together this illegal crop and its growers can be brought under control, but there will be withdrawal pains.
Douglas Roy
Lexington, Kentucky
This crop has been springing up all over our state and wreaking much havoc on the landscape. Like marijuana plants, there is a certain segment of the population that is addicted to the use of cheap labor and the temporary "fix" that illegals provide to the economy. But also like marijuana, there is a deadening affect to the conscience when folks use illegals in their business or home. Unlike marijuana use, a single use of illegal aliens, to house them or help them gain a job, is a federal felony. Thousands are committing such felonies every day with complete disregard for the law, much like those growing marijuana plants. There are also people involved in illegal trafficking of these human beings, sneaking them across the border.
But how can our combined police forces and National Guard work to solve this problem? The National Guard can help as already allowed on the borders. For the police there is something called a "Memorandum of Understanding" that gives state and local police the right and training to arrest and deal with federal felons and receive reimbursement from the government. Working together this illegal crop and its growers can be brought under control, but there will be withdrawal pains.
Douglas Roy
Lexington, Kentucky
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