Constitutional Supremacy

There is, without a doubt, a serious problem with illegal immigration, especially coming in from Mexico. The workers and other Mexican civilians coming here looking for jobs are causing problems, along with any children they may have here, especially in terms of business competition and welfare funds, but the real problem lies with the foreign criminals. Gang members and human smugglers slide with ease between the cracks of the permeable barrier that we like to call the US-Mexico border; crime bosses, like Maria Leon, are also able to travel between the two countries. Coyotes force illegal immigrants to go to extremes, including selling drugs and committing theft, in order to get paid. Earlier this year, an Arizona rancher was most likely killed by a drug scout or Coyote from Mexico. With much of Northern Mexico run by drug lords, and littered human smuggling outfits and gang members, there are many obstacles to preventing illegal immigration. The first dilemma is that it is against the interests of criminals and workers alike. Immigration reform will inevitably cause smugglers to become more creative and drug lords more brutal. And as the condition worsens in Mexico, workers will become more desperate and try any way possible to leave the country. This predicament at the border is viewed by many as a failure of the federal government’s immigration policy.

In response to this policy failure, Arizona enacted a draconian immigration bill that would have provided new methods to law enforcement, allowing them to deter at least some illegal immigration. Rhode Island also followed suit, enacting an immigration law of its own. Idaho, Utah, Missouri, Texas, South Carolina, North Carolina, Maryland, Minnesota, and Colorado are all considering adding stricter immigration statutes to their state laws. Now, I must say that I applaud their efforts, but it is not their place to create laws concerning immigration. It is because of this that the Obama administration has sued Arizona and is seeking an injunction in order to stop SB 1070 (the controversial immigration law) from going into effect. The Justice Department feels that, “The law impedes the accomplishment and execution of the full purposes and objectives of federal law and foreign policy.” It argued that, “In our constitutional system, the federal government has preeminent authority to regulate immigration matters. This authority derives from the United States Constitution and numerous acts of Congress.” The Departments of Homeland Security, Justice, and State also play a role in immigration matters. Because the Arizona bill does not fall into accordance with Federal Immigration Policy, it technically violates the Supremacy Clause, which makes it invalid.

Localities are also prohibited from making immigration laws, which Hazleton, PA learned recently after a federal appellate court informed them of the rule after overturning the town’s new immigration law. Sadly, the mayor of Hazleton was correct when he said, “The problem is that the federal government refuses to regulate the immigration problems that we're having in Hazleton and yet tells us that we can't defend ourselves.” However, it shouldn’t be surprising that the federal government has failed to protect American citizens from foreign threats, as it cannot even protect us from domestic ones; i.e. Janet Reno and Ted Kennedy.

It is for the reasons discussed above that I propose a federal immigration policy overhaul. The Obama administration’s immigration policy is about as great as their handling of the economy, social security, and healthcare, so immigration reform is definitely necessary at the federal level (But to be fair to the Democrats, it is hard to crack down on illegal immigration while leading a vigorous crusade against unborn fetuses). One idea for “reform” is the recently proposed DeMint-Vitter Amendment, which would create a loophole around federal supremacy by, “prohibiting President Obama’s administration, including the Department of Justice and other agencies, from participating in lawsuits seeking to invalidate the recently enacted Arizona immigration law.” The proposed amendment is a good idea, with good intentions, as Senator DeMint underscored when he stated, “States like Arizona shouldn't be prosecuted for protecting their citizens when the federal government fails to do so.” I believe that if we want true federal immigration reform, summer ROTC internships in border towns and a stronger National Guard (the name says it all) presence is the way to go.

With careful consideration of the dilemmas before us,

Adam J Ondo

Endnote: Information retrieved from FOX news network and the official Complaint filed by the U.S. Department of Justice against Arizona.

*Please note the views or opinions expressed in articles on the College Republicans blog site are not endorsed or representative of the official club. This site is designed to allow conservative writers to share their thoughts on a variety of important issues facing the nation.

Keep The Memory of 9/11 Heroes Alive

Todd Beamer, Jeremy Glick, Lou Nacke, Tom Burnett, Jr. and Mark Bingham are names that I remember almost every day. Sadly, though, I doubt that more than a few of you reading this have any idea who these men are. These men are our heroes. The modern day Lincoln, the real life Superman.

These are the men who, in the face of arguably the most horrifying tragedies of this era, stepped up to the plate. These men happened to be traveling on Flight 93 on Sept. 11, 2001.

They turned from travelers to heroes in seconds. Some called their families before making the rush on the cockpit, some said prayers and some hugged the people around them. They knew what was going to happen, and they were determined to be selfless and protect others that could have been killed, had this plane made it to its target.

Yet, their names are forgotten. At first, praise was given, but now they have been pushed out of the minds of those not directly affected by their heroism.

These men took down an armed terrorist to stop him from destroying the biggest symbol of America. These men rose up against fear and disbelief to attempt to save (presumably) a symbol within our nation’s capital.

I find myself tearing up a bit just writing this, thinking of what they sacrificed for our country. They were not members of the military or police force — they were not volunteers, nor were they asked to do this. They knew in their hearts that the imminent destruction would leave our nation in absolute shambles, and they wouldn’t let that happen.

Today, I ask that you forget about the politics. Forget about the wars, the laws and the scandals. Instead, remember the unsung heroes of Sept. 11. A day that will go down in history for the sheer terror it inflicted and the uprising of patriotism that followed.

Never allow your calendar to pass this day peacefully. Remember where you were, what you were doing and how you felt the moment you heard the news.

Sadly, not many more classes entering the University will recall this day. Most members of the freshman class were only 8 or 9 years old, I myself had just turned 11. Even though many of us who were younger may have been confused at the time, remember the days following Sept. 11. Remember the instant feeling of love and relief you got by seeing your family members. Remember the pride in your fellow countrymen’s hearts as we recovered. Remember the thousands of lives lost and the millions more.

Eloise Rogers

*Please note the views or opinions expressed in articles on the College Republicans blog site are not endorsed or representative of the official club. This site is designed to allow conservative writers to share their thoughts on a variety of important issues facing the nation.

It's Only An Outrage If We Do It

Right now, people all over the world are outraged that an unknown pastor from Florida was considering burning the Koran. Protestors in Afghanistan have continued to hold protests, one that culminated with the death of two people, even after Pastor Jones called off the book burning; it should be noted that they did all of this while shouting “Death to America” and similar phrases. The protesting is not just coming from Afghanistan, though. The State Department condemned the Koran burning proposal as “un-American” and the Obama Administration said it was “concerned” about the message it would send. But before we start condemning Americans for expressing their opinions, let us look at the track record of the Islamic world when protesting Western civilization and Christianity. In Iraq, Bibles, flags, and even private security contractors have been mutilated and burned by mobs of mindless savages. In Saudi Arabia, American missionaries and foreign Christians have been deported, and even imprisoned, for possessing more than one copy of the Bible. Civilians in possession of Bibles, in certain Middle-Eastern countries, receive lashings and imprisonment as punishment in accordance to Sharia (That being said, Sharia also says it is okay to stone people to death for seemingly minor transgressions, but you know, it is the holy law of “the religion of peace”). The confiscated Bibles are then shredded. This, however, is not an “anti-American” action that the Obama Administration is “concerned” about. Pastor Jones has suggested that this is in retaliation to plans to build an Islamic center, containing a Mosque, practically on top of Ground Zero. This has not been deemed “un-American” by the Obama Administration, either. It is unfortunate that Pastor Jones decided against burning the Koran on 9/11, because it would have sent a strong message, primarily due to the media coverage it has received, while being a minimal retaliation for all of the attacks that America has endured in the past decades. Other ideas for retaliation were to: 1.) Crash a plane into a Middle-Eastern skyscraper; 2.) Launch an attack on a Middle-Eastern Naval vessel; 3.) Subject a Middle-Eastern audience to an Al Gore speech. However, the first two did not follow UN “guidelines” and the third would probably have been deemed cruel and unusual. Mosque building and Koran burning aside, it is important to remember the attack on the World Trade Centers and the resolution it has brought to this country.

God Bless,

Adam J Ondo

PS: I would like to thank Reuters and the Associated Press for their excellent reporting and field work. Also, this was going to be named “Where’s Guy Montag When You Need Him?” but I figured some might not get the reference, if you do, that’s great, if you don’t, read more dystopian novels.

*Please note the views or opinions expressed in articles on the College Republicans blog site are not endorsed or representative of the official club. This site is designed to allow conservative writers to share their thoughts on a variety of important issues facing the nation.