One of the keys to sustaining a free and just society is upholding the rule of law. Those we elect to the executive branch of government – and those they appoint to help carry out their duties – may or may not like a particular law. But they have a sworn duty to uphold it. Otherwise, law enforcement becomes arbitrary and unjust, and respect for the institutions of government decays.
We are seeing that alarming process take place under the Obama administration with regard to our nation’s immigration laws. The administration simply isn’t vigorously fulfilling its duty to fight illegal immigration.
Here are just three examples of that:
• In an internal memo last year, the administration suggested ways of “deferring action” against tens of thousands of apprehended illegal aliens. The memo complained that Congress had not enacted some type of amnesty for illegals and said other ways should be found to “reduce the threat of removal for certain individuals present in the United States without authorization.”
• Also last year, the administration said cases against illegals who had not broken additional laws – other than when they broke the law to come to this country! – should be dismissed.
• And now, the administration has taken a further step toward relaxing immigration law. It says that when an illegal alien is involved in a civil rights complaint, immigration officials should not deport that person.
Undoubtedly, some unscrupulous employers or other individuals take advantage of illegal aliens when they learn of their illegal status. But with the administration’s new rule against deporting illegals involved in civil rights cases, we would not be surprised if thousands of illegal aliens slated for deportation suddenly start filing frivolous “civil rights complaints” in order to be able to stay in this country indefinitely.
The new policy is just one more instance of the administration’s attempt to give amnesty to those who broke the law to come to the United States. That troubling action dangerously undermines the rule of law.