Undocumented Immigration Discretion In A Nation Of Laws

It is against the law to cross the border illegally. That is what Republicans say, as if to educate the rest of us. Oh, and thanks for the redundancy! They tell us we are a “nation of laws,” and those laws must be enforced. It’s as if they are saying, “I would be more compassionate, but the law has my hands tied.” They are not against immigration, they tell us, but people need to immigrate the right way, because it is deeply unfair that some people skip to the front of the line.

• • •

Reuters – Spike In Law Enforcement Requests For Customer Data Deluge Cell Phone Carriers

Big Brother is watching your every move. They are watching what you are downloading over BitTorrent at home via your ISP and they are watching what you are doing (and even where you’ve been) via your cell phone company. It’s a “brave” new world of 24/7 surveillance. George Orwell might have gotten the year wrong but when it comes to everything else… Stay tuned.

• • •

Supreme Court Rules 5-4 That Officials Can Strip-Search For Any Offense

Welcome to the police state where paranoid conservatives are running the show. On Monday the Supreme Court ruled that officials can strip-search people arrested without regard to the context or severity of the offense. It was yet another 5-4 vote along ideological lines with the conservative justices ruling that courts should not second-guess law enforcement officials.

• • •