Liberals are hyperventilating because Trump today advocated simply returning border jumpers to their home country without letting them clog up our judicial system in the process:
“But… but… due process!” Trump’s opponents shout. Here’s the thing: if we’re not going to execute, incarcerate or fine them, exactly what are they “due?” If caught in the act of crossing our border, what is there to “process?” I’ve seen people online quoting the Supreme Court ruling that “the Due Process Clause applies to all persons within the United States, including aliens, whether their presence is lawful, unlawful, temporary, or permanent” Zadvydas v. Davis (2001). Okay — the Fifth Amendment specifically says no person shall be “deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law.” I fail to see how immediate return of lawbreaking border jumpers to their country of origin runs afoul of that provision. Detention while awaiting swift deportation is not the same thing as incarceration. No matter how much Democrats want to treat them as citizens, illegal immigrants aren’t. Because we believe in the sanctity of God’s creations, we don’t simply shoot on sight.* Nor do we deprive those in our custody of food, water and shelter. But beyond that, America owes them nothing. No day in court. No welfare subsidies. Especially no drivers license or voter I.D. card. Nothing. I’d even be in favor of making them pay the cost of their “return to sender” transportation (although that admittedly would likely require more “process” than it’s worth). After all, many of them seem able to come up with money to pay “coyotes” to smuggle them here, so why shouldn’t we get a cut of that for our troubles? As for repeat offenders, I’ve addressed that before.
The President is correct: our current system is a mockery. It encourages foreigners to try their luck to see if they can break into America, and there are few real penalties for failure and repeated attempts. Various well-funded organizations actively abet those who come here in defiance of our laws. In the process, they have called into question the process of requesting asylum, since that claim is now greatly abused. Exhausting Americans’ potential sympathy for those truly needing refuge from persecution is hardly “compassionate,” liberals. We are a generous people, but there are limits to everything when one realizes others are taking advantage of their good nature.
No matter how much leftists muddy the waters with emotion, this is a simple issue. Either we are a sovereign nation, or we aren’t. Either we get to decide who comes to live among us, or we don’t. Either the people are in charge, or unaccountable globalist elites rule our land.
Which is it?
A True Progressive 