What's next...card-carrying anarchists?
Thomas Keister
July 25, 2007
Talk about subsidized denial. New Haven, Connecticut became the first city in the United State to issue identification cards to illegal immigrants this week. Set to be in full swing following a measure voted in by the Board of Aldermen last month, it sure sounds to me like some certain city is afraid of losing their landscapers. The measure will issue the identification to an estimated 15,000 illegal immigrants.
How, exactly, does this work again? An American city, flying not only in the face of common sense, but the law as well, is going to issue an official ID card to each and every illegal immigrant living in the city limits? This, predictably, would allow them to gain access to public services (and here I was, already under the impression they had enough access to public services), open bank accounts, and even check out library books. If a bank wishes to conduct business with someone in the country illegally, well then, that's just up to them and whoever is supposed to be in charge of overseeing that mess.
Better yet, could someone explain to me how this is not a citywide act of aiding and abetting? The Board of Aldermen are calling the decision necessary to integrate illegal immigrants into the community, protect them from crime, and encourage them to report crime. Yes, indeed. Skipping past the illogical notion that this will increase reporting of crime by illegal immigrants, already not ginormous fans of law enforcement agencies, why is there even a question of integration? I could even see a compromise, where illegals with at least minimum wage jobs would be given the ID card, as the first step in an honest-to-god naturalization process. Everybody else? Enjoy the moderately comfortable bus ride back to Mexico...or beyond.
How is this measure supposed to behoove the city of New Haven? I mean, will anybody, let alone anybody living in New Haven, be surprised when there is a sudden explosion in the illegal immigration population? I'm not known as much of a gambler, but even I would take the over on this one for the end of the year. The only thing the Board of Aldermen have accomplished is graciously allowing the city to pay not only for expanded public services, but an official headcount of a problem they are all too willing to ignore.
How, exactly, does this work again? An American city, flying not only in the face of common sense, but the law as well, is going to issue an official ID card to each and every illegal immigrant living in the city limits? This, predictably, would allow them to gain access to public services (and here I was, already under the impression they had enough access to public services), open bank accounts, and even check out library books. If a bank wishes to conduct business with someone in the country illegally, well then, that's just up to them and whoever is supposed to be in charge of overseeing that mess.
Better yet, could someone explain to me how this is not a citywide act of aiding and abetting? The Board of Aldermen are calling the decision necessary to integrate illegal immigrants into the community, protect them from crime, and encourage them to report crime. Yes, indeed. Skipping past the illogical notion that this will increase reporting of crime by illegal immigrants, already not ginormous fans of law enforcement agencies, why is there even a question of integration? I could even see a compromise, where illegals with at least minimum wage jobs would be given the ID card, as the first step in an honest-to-god naturalization process. Everybody else? Enjoy the moderately comfortable bus ride back to Mexico...or beyond.
How is this measure supposed to behoove the city of New Haven? I mean, will anybody, let alone anybody living in New Haven, be surprised when there is a sudden explosion in the illegal immigration population? I'm not known as much of a gambler, but even I would take the over on this one for the end of the year. The only thing the Board of Aldermen have accomplished is graciously allowing the city to pay not only for expanded public services, but an official headcount of a problem they are all too willing to ignore.
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