Illegal immigration: An American Dilemma

The pictures do not lie. The mass of humanity was literally a sea of humanity.

This past week the people of this country and our global neighbors were witness to something not seen in the U.S. in a very long time. And that is that people who happen to share a common concern and ethnic bond took to the streets in some of this country’s largest cities and raised their voice in unison to proclaim that they had “had enough”.

They had had enough of politicians referring to people, who come to this country supposedly in search of a better life but do so illegally, as criminals, aliens, and terrorists: some of them, their own family members and friends.

Marching at various times, but altogether numbering 1 million strong, they raised their voices in an effort to raise the conscience of a Congress they see as out of control and out of touch with the realties of their world.

At issue is legislation passed last December in the House of Representatives which passed on a partisan vote, with 92% of Republicans supporting and 82% of Democrats opposing the bill. Local Congressman Randy Neugebauer voted in support of the bill; which was co-authored by 5 Texas Republican Congressmen.

The house legislation known as H R 4437 would make it a felony to come into this country illegally; resulting in severe criminal penalties such as jail time and detention. It would also require employers to verify their workers are legal through a national database; expand the grounds for deporting people who are here illegally, and build a 700 mile fence or wall along parts of the U. S. southern border.

In an effort to discourage social service organizations and churches from helping the undocumented; the bill would make it a federal crime to assist illegal immigrants and require for example, professionals such as teachers and medical personnel, or religious clerics to report people they know to be in this country illegally.

The bill calls for criminal penalties for a “person who violates the provisions (of the law), in the case “where the offense was not committed for commercial advantage, profit, or private financial gain, be imprisoned for not more than 5 years, or fined”. If a religious cleric, for example, knowingly helps a person in need who they know to be here ...