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Omar M. Campbell: Immigration mess

Bravo, people of Arizona! I hope your state-level lead in dealing with illegal aliens will turn out to be a national trend. Public support in Arizona was 70 percent, and the Legislature passed the act with a substantial majority.

There was no support for such a measure in the liberal Colorado Legislature at the time to get a similar measure on the ballot, but if the feds do not act soon, we, the people, should. Our dysfunctional administration and politicians of both parties will just continue to dither otherwise.

Liberal talking heads and advocates for fast-track or blanket amnesty across the country are blathering on TV and other media about racism and profiling. Not all illegals are from south of the border, of course. Other ethnic groups also break our laws by sneaking into the country from many directions. Chinese stow away in cargo containers, for example. It is inconceivable that illegals of any stripe should be rewarded by amnesty or fast-track citizenship for breaking our laws.



I wrote a letter titled “A Message to Vincente” in 2006 on this very subject. A copy went to the Mexican consul in Denver for forwarding to then-President Vincente Fox. Neither answered, of course. Local responders accused me of being an Anglo bigot and a racist. One suggested that I go south of the border to “smell the coffee” — whatever that means. I cannot think of a worse place to go to smell the coffee, with the Federales, drug lords fighting for control of Mexico.

I have suggested to city councils and county commissions in the past that they fund GRAMNET, now ACET (All Crimes Enforcement Team) to hire a bilingual officer, certified by ICE (Immigration & Customs Enforcement), to check local employers for adherence to the federal law against hiring “undocumented immigrants” (a euphemism for illegal aliens used by those who sympathize with them).



I did not receive a single reply, naturally. If there had been, no doubt it would have quoted the usual platitude that the matter was for the feds to enforce. Fat chance since the liberal administration and politicians in general look forward to Hispanic votes. Some conservative politicians and all unscrupulous employers look forward to cheap and probably under-the-counter labor.

Both documented and undocumented alien workers take jobs from our citizens. Not only in the low-pay category but in the higher-pay jobs.

I sense a reluctance nationally and in our own community for discourse or publicity on the illegal situation. Media seem reluctant to say anything. The last local commentary or editorial I can recall was about a decade ago, when readers were asked to accommodate the illegals.

Unfortunately, the 14th Amendment to the Constitution states unequivocally that people born in the U.S. are citizens. The founding fathers did not mention that their intent was only to guarantee citizenship to children of black slaves. This unintended poison pill now means “anchor babies” that are automatically citizens, with parents that are not. Compassion and humanity come into the debate about what to do concerning the 12-plus million illegals who have infiltrated our country and its sovereignty.

The immigrant mess is really a sticky wicket. Do not look for any action on it from the federal level.

Omar M. Campbell

Steamboat Springs


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