Under the direction of the Phoenix Suns’ owner, players on the professional basketball team recently wore jerseys protesting Arizona’s anti-illegal-alien law. “Los Suns,” the jerseys read, “Los” being Spanish for “the.”
But when two fans at a Suns game wore shirts defending the law, they were ordered to remove the shirts or leave the arena. The two men, who had front-row seats, left under protest. Fortunately, they were eventually permitted to return, still wearing their shirts. A number of other fans cheered their return — a reflection of strong support for Arizona’s law among ordinary Americans.
The reason for that public support is easy to see. The federal government has abdicated its duty to protect our borders and prevent illegal immigration into the country. As a result, 12 million to 20 million illegal aliens live in the United States today.
They use a range of costly, taxpayer-funded services, including medical care and education. In a time of 10 percent unemployment, they are obviously taking many jobs that would otherwise go to U.S. citizens. And some commit serious crimes.
Year after year, Washington has refused to take this crisis seriously, which is what prompted Arizona to act to fight illegal immigration on its own. Government officials in some liberal cities around the country have since condemned Arizona and voted to boycott the state, but those actions do not reflect how the public at large feels about the Arizona law.
Arizona should not back down despite boycott threats and the like. The American people are on the side of fighting — not promoting — illegal immigration.