We all know that Democrats, and the Left more broadly, don’t care about the law. They only feign interest or care in what the law says when it benefits them. One area of the law in particular that they don’t care about is immigration, as has been seen in the vehement opposition to immigration law enforcement operations in multiple areas around the country, Minneapolis taking the cake here most recently. There have been many reasons given as to why this is the case: looking to destabilize the country, naive “compassion”, electoral impact, etc. But the reasons fueling the opposition to the enforcement of the law, while important to understand, are actually not the most important thing to focus on. What is important to focus on is the fact that, despite media narratives trying to demonize the immigration enforcement operations, the federal government is asserting its proper authority through these operations.
The Supreme Court has long ruled that the federal government has authority over defining immigration law (Constitution.Congress/Constitution Annotated). Furthermore, it’s only logical that immigration be a purview of the federal government because different states having different immigration laws would make things incredibly messy on the enforcement end. Oh, wait a minute. That’s the situation we have on our hands. For proof that the Left doesn’t care about the law—or, at least, believes whatever reason they can conjure up justifies superseding the enforcement of the law—we have cities and states with their own positions on immigration in direct defiance of federal immigration law. We have sanctuary cities. And President Trump is right. Those sanctuary cities need to go.
Congress needs to get off its behind and bring about a law doing away with sanctuary cities and states at the federal level. And it’s not as though the idea isn’t already in congressional minds. Lindsey Graham advertised last week, because he’s up for reelection this year, that he will help do away with sanctuary cities in 2027 if he’s reelected, Republicans hold the Senate, and he’s named chair of the Judiciary Committee. Why wait until 2027, Senator? You all have both houses of Congress! Fortunately, just a few days later, Graham did something positive for once. He introduced legislation to crack down on sanctuary cities. In this legislation, mayors or governors—or any elected official—will be arrested for obstructing justice if they interfere or attempt to hinder federal law enforcement from enforcing immigration law (Bill on Graham’s website). Wonderful! This is what needs to happen. The coddling of sanctuary cities and states has been long past the point of needing to cease.
And if Republicans don’t have sixty votes in the Senate, then do away with the filibuster, which, yes, does induce some nervousness because the filibuster has utility. It has served as a bulwark, standing in the way of ludicrous legislation being passed by way of a simple Democrat majority. But border security and the enforcement of immigration law—i.e., an assertion of national sovereignty—are worth doing away with the filibuster. Furthermore, make the Supreme Court say whether Congress has the authority to pass a law like this one. They’d better say yes; otherwise, they’d effectively be saying that the same federal government they’ve long said has authority over defining immigration law can’t employ necessary measures to enforce said laws and, therefore, secure our national borders.
But the Supreme Court reaching the right conclusion—or a GOP-held Congress seeing this legislation through, for that matter—induces about as much confidence as Elizabeth Warren actually having Native American ancestry. Still, though, one can hope, right?
Sources:
https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/essay/artI-S8-C18-4-2-1/ALDE_00001255/
https://www.lgraham.senate.gov/public/_cache/files/734d1768-450e-4eab-b70d-09e13091efed/ending-sanctuary-cities-bill-text.pdf