Biden is not ‘faithfully executing’ immigration law
OPINION:
The oath all presidents take includes a promise to “faithfully execute the office of president of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.” Among other things, this means upholding the laws of our nation.
It’s worth recalling the definition of an oath: “a solemn appeal to a deity, or to some revered person or thing, to witness one’s determination to speak the truth, to keep a promise.”
When it comes to the open southern border, it could be argued, and should be argued by more members of Congress, that the president has violated his oath, which is reason enough for impeachment.
Immigration laws passed by Republicans and Democrats in Congress and signed by Republican and Democratic presidents are being ignored and thus violated by this president and his homeland security secretary, Alejandro Mayorkas. Last week’s visit to Mexico by Mr. Mayorkas and Secretary of State Antony Blinken was window dressing and will solve nothing.
It’s also worth being reminded of what immigration laws say:
“Any alien who (1) enters or attempts to enter the United States at any time or place other than as designated by immigration officers, or (2) eludes examination or inspection by immigration officers, or (3) attempts to enter or obtains entry to the United States by a willfully false or misleading representation or the willful concealment of a material fact, shall, for the first commission of any such offense, be fined under title 18 or imprisoned not more than 6 months, or both, and, for a subsequent commission of any such offense, be fined under title 18, or imprisoned not more than 2 years, or both.”
None of those penalties are being imposed, giving incentive for more to cross the border illegally.
Pictures of the flood of migrants making their way to the U.S. on foot and by other means — hundreds of thousands of them — are evidence our immigration laws are not being faithfully executed by the Biden administration. Some estimates put the number of migrants currently in the U.S. illegally at 11 million.
Cities, including “sanctuary cities” like New York and Chicago, are being overwhelmed. Appeals by their Democratic mayors to the president are ignored.
Some conservative commentators, including me, suspect that the motive of especially Democrats is to “import” future voters for their party. They say that’s what a “path to citizenship” is about. A cynic might say that these migrants, who are receiving so much free stuff at the expense of U.S. citizens and our tax dollars, will vote for Democrats out of gratitude and to keep the benefits coming.
Listening to interviews — mostly on Fox News because other media are ignoring or downplaying the crisis — it is clear that many if not most of the migrants are coming to America for economic reasons, not because they are being persecuted in their home countries. This cannot continue, or the economic strength that draws them to the United States will be weakened.
The New York Post recently reported (with pictures) some migrants in New York going from door to door asking for money, food and clothes. Panhandling has moved from street corners to private homes. How long will that be tolerated?
History proves that when nations fail to control their borders, they cease to exist or are greatly diminished in their character and purpose.
What about the rights of citizens born in America? Some migrants who obeyed the law and entered the country legally are understandably angry at those who did not.
The United States is unlikely to be an exception to the judgment of history. If the president and Mr. Mayorkas are not impeached, it will be a sign to future migrants that nothing will impede their march to America.
• Readers may email Cal Thomas at tcaeditors@tribpub.com. Look for Cal Thomas’ latest book, “A Watchman in the Night: What I’ve Seen Over 50 Years Reporting on America” (HumanixBooks).
