Legal immigration is the backbone of U.S. democracy. Indeed, the immigration process can be complex because as much as we welcome immigrants, it is imperative that the procedure for entering the country “must prevent unlawful immigration,” according to a report by the Heritage Foundation.
Polls show that a majority of Americans welcome lawful newcomers to our shores. They also show that we are not so welcoming when it comes to illegal émigrés. One poll conducted by the Rasmussen Reports in April found “that 67% of all likely U.S. Voters think illegal immigration is a serious problem in America today.”
It may be hard to believe, but there was a time when even Democrats actually believed that illegal immigration was illegal. There must be one, two or ten Democrats out there who still believe it. But, their numbers have dwindled in recent years.
In the 1996 Democratic Party platform, the party declared: “We cannot tolerate illegal immigration and we must stop it.” This component of the platform went on to note that “illegal immigration was rampant. Criminal immigrants, deported after committing crimes in America, returned the very next day to commit crimes again.”
But, that was in the day. In recent times, however, the loyal opposition is revealing itself to being not so loyal to the laws of the land. And, it has never been as obvious as it was during the recent Democratic Presidential Debates, when “The Party of Illegal Immigration,” as the National Review called them, showed their true colors.
So what has changed since then? Why are Democrats now calling for “open borders.”
Certainly there are some members of the Democratic Party who still feel that lawless migration and open borders cannot be tolerated. But, if they do feel that way, they are keeping it to themselves lest they draw the wrath of the growing number of progressives among the party’s leadership.
There are those that believe the socialist takeover of the Democratic Party is aimed at taking control of the electorate-- control of the party and, ultimately, control of the government.
And, they have sought to make headway over the past year. You may recall that the sanctuary city of San Francisco last July began registering illegal immigrants to vote in a city school board election. New York State passed a law last month that allows illegals to apply for driver’s licenses. And, last week a bill was introduced in the California state senate that would let undocumented aliens to serve in key Democratic Party positions such as state convention delegates and county committee leaders.
As Dr. James D. Veltmeyer, who was once a self-described illegal immigrant, put it eloquently in an OpEd published earlier this year in the Times of San Diego. He wrote: “Pelosi, Schumer and company seek — not to help a suffering population or rescue those escaping poverty or persecution abroad, but to use these unfortunate people in a cynical political power play to solidify their electoral position through creating a permanently dependent underclass willing to trade its votes for the promise of cradle to grave security.
John Grimaldi is an editorial contributor at the Association of Mature American Citizens.
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