Letter: A lawbreaking problem

Published 10:30 pm Saturday, June 5, 2010

The U.S. has a problem of individuals crossing our borders without either approval or consent. This illegal action is forbidden by law, making the individuals lawbreakers. U.S. citizens should know with certainty that this criminal behavior will be punished.

Legal means of entering the U.S. include U.S. citizenship, which is also known as naturalization and gives individuals the right to fully participate in the U.S. democratic system; green cards, also known as a Lawful Permanent Resident; and, U.S visas, which include non-immigrant temporary visas and immigrant visas that allow for permanent residence in the U.S.

Unfortunately, agendas such as economics, race, freedom, profiling and humanitarian values are brought forth in discussing immigration, all of which avoid the act of lawbreaking. These are personal agendas since the law applies to all. The act of assisting, hiring or housing a lawbreaker is essentially harboring, aiding and/or abetting a criminal. Shouldn’t those who provide these benefits know with certainty that their criminal behavior will be punished?

Do citizens want lawbreakers to go unpunished? Should lawbreakers be sanctioned as law abiding citizens? Do citizens or those given consent to be in the U.S. really want to sanction lawbreakers?

Arizona’s law is to assist law enforcement in ridding the state of invading lawbreakers. When lawbreakers are known to be in an area, law enforcement agencies usually set up road blocks, etc., to apprehend lawbreakers. Why is our federal government attempting to give a select group of lawbreakers protection?

The U.S. constructed a fence between the South and North Korean borders, Russia built a wall in Germany, and Iran apprehends those who illegally cross its borders. Why is there not a fence on our borders? Could the Army Corps of Engineers build a fence and the National Guard assist with security?

When the problem of lawbreaking arises, personal agendas often replace essentials in solving the problem. We the people need to make certain that criminal behavior will be punished and the illegal activity of border crossing will end or diminish. Will we hold our elected officials responsible to uphold the law, and fire those who select and choose which laws to enforce?

Ex Nelson

Dalton