Illegal Alien Detained For Being An Illegal Alien, Reporters And Other Liberals Freak Out

Jose Antonio Vargas is a reporter/activist/illegal alien. He was at the border covering the border crisis (from a decidedly pro-illegal immigrant perspective naturally) and has been detained by the TSA while trying to board a flight out of McAllen, Tx.

The arrest of this high profile liberal crusader has his supporters in the media and the open borders crowd.

Behold the editor of Roll Call.

No matter where you stand on immigration debate, this has gotten out of hand and unfair: https://t.co/JcVukMGp9S @joseiswriting

— Christina Bellantoni (@cbellantoni) July 15, 2014

And from an immigration activist.

Cristina Jimenez, managing director of United We Dream, said Vargas' arrest highlighted the struggles many undocumented immigrants face.

"We stand in solidarity with Jose Antonio and demand for his immediate release, but we must remember that there are thousands of people along the border that live with this same fear every day," Jimenez said. "Once again, the Border Patrol has proven to be a rogue agency after arresting Jose Antonio, a low-priority case for detention and deportation."

This is Exhibit A in why the enforcement side doesn't trust the promises of Team Amnesty (Yes, It's Amnesty).

As I wrote about this when Vargas "came out" as an illegal alien 3 years ago...

Most importantly, this is is simply a question of who controls the borders of this country, people who say they have "something to contribute" or the people of this country through our elected representatives?

The framing of this debate is tough for enforcement types because we simply have theoretical values on our side, while the open borders/amnesty types have sob stories of real people. The latter is always going to be more compelling.

Sure, we can trot out horrific crimes committed by illegals but that's just the flip side of the valedictorian argument. On average, illegals like this guy who were raised here are, well, average. That's what makes them so compelling as a "victim".

What I'd like to see more of is enforcement types using legal immigrants to this country and people waiting to come here. We need to put as much of a sympathetic face on our arguments as we can. Complain all you want about "image" and "fluff" but framing and marketing matter.

Mostly what bothers me about stories like this and the argument of the amnesty crowd is the point of view seems to be we as a country owe these people something, even if it's just a chance to "contribute". Well, we don't. they or their families broke our laws. That's their problem, not ours. I don't see why we have to ignore their actions and their crowding out of Americans or legal resident aliens from opportunities and jobs.

Living and working in America (or any country for that matter) is a privilege for non-natives, not a right. Yes, we should welcome people who want to come to this country and contribute but on our terms, not because they demand it or claim a right to be here.

We really haven't made any progress on that front.

One related question I have about the surge in illegal aliens at the southern border...if we have a moral obligation to take them in because they are escaping from hellholes, why aren't we morally obligated to send ships, buses and planes to go get them?

As I said in that post from 2011, this is about who controls access to this country, us or the immigrants themselves. We need to force the open borders/amnesty types out into the open and get them to admit what if any lines they'd draw on immigration.

posted by DrewM. at 11:32 AM

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