Don’t Force ‘Sanctuary Cities’ To Do Fed’s Job

Conservative commentators characterize sanctuary cities as legal apostates, but the principles in practice in sanctuary cities share little with that description. It’s the latest example of the Right’s inability to parse the weeds of reality, seeking to find comforting answers attuned to black and white and good vs. evil.

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American Immigration Politics: The Haters vs. The Compassionate

In 2014 America, the “haters” rule our media coverage. We see them protesting undocumented children, screaming vitriolic language, and holding offensive signs. Why do they have such hate for these children? And make no mistake, they do indeed hate them, because people don’t act the way these so-called “adults” are acting without having a deep-seated resentment. Obviously they feel threatened, and they are acting out of fear, resulting in their open display of hostility towards people seeking a better life.

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Immigration Reform: Mexico Border Fence Is America’s Latest Overreaction

The only way millions of undocumented immigrants will get a chance at citizenship is if we appease the paranoid, delusional and conspiracy consumed minds of many conservatives. The last thing many of these conservatives want to do is grant amnesty to the “illegals.” Of course these are human beings looking for a better life, but they crossed the border illegally, which according to conservatives, is the most heinous crime a person can commit other than being gay.

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Immigration Reform: Republicans Require Politically Advantageous Human Rights

Have you noticed this trend? — Republicans have a nasty habit of waiting until their position is politically untenable before they shift course and adopt a specific human rights cause. They do it time and time again. And let me clarify, I’m not talking about all Republicans, I’m talking about — old school, head in the sand, my way or the highway, cling to my guns and my religion — right-wing extremists. The problem is that many Republicans and conservatives have a hard time ignoring what should be the fringe and instead cater to it. So while not all Republicans have gone AWOL on human benevolence, all Republicans are culpable for the offensive and out of touch rhetoric and policies of their party.

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A Thought On Punishing Undocumented Immigrants

Jimmy Smits - "Congressman Matthew Santos" -- The West WingWhile watching “The West Wing” episode titled (“La Palabra”, 3/9/2005), I was struck by a line delivered by Jimmy Smit’s character, congressman Matthew Santos. He was having a conversation with the governor of California, discussing a bill that had passed the state legislature and was awaiting a signature or veto from the governor. The bill would ban undocumented immigrants from obtaining a driver’s license.

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Undocumented Immigrants and their US-Born Children

Immigration Reform Rally - Don't Take My Parents Away!What is the greater crime – Entering the country illegally? Or, a judge ordered separation of parent from child? If you ask me, it’s the latter, and I’d like to hear someone try to make a case for the former being the bigger crime. I’m not saying we should ignore the rule-of-law, but we need a judicial system and an immigration system that does not run on absolutes. We need to stop treating illegal immigration as a serious crime, because it is not.

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