Conflicted Libertarian

One of the planks of the Maine GOP platform is a strong anti-illegal immigration plank: 

Restore the process of assimilation of immigrants to preserve the benefits of an advanced educated and prosperous society.  Rescind Maine’s sanctuary State status. No amnesty, no benefits, no citizenship -ever- for anyone in the country illegally. Arrest and detain, for a specified period of time, anyone here illegally, and then deport, period.

I am conflicted about immigration.  We cannot tolerate open violation of the laws.  I recall a immigration seminar for lawyers I attended several years ago.  The speaker was finishing up with questions and one question from another attorney was in effect what do I tell my client and what if the client won’t do it?  Am I liable or ethically compromised?  The seminar leader essentially said you have to tell the client the penalties but you are not obligated to check behind or turn in the client.  It was obvious to me that his client was knowingly hiring illegals and the lawyer knew it! 

I also am concerned about the illegals who seek a better life for them and their kids.  Cong. Paul says that if you subsidize something you get more of it.  We subsidize illegal immigration through non-emergency health care, free education and willing employers who look the other way.  They sometimes pay under the table and avoid payroll taxes and regulations.  Of course illegals are exploited and their families too.  They are here seeking that better life.  I respect that.  Probably most illegals are “law-abiding” other than those laws incidental to their status.

Not ALL illegals were or are Hispanic.  I recall a young lady selling some sort of item to my employer, an attorney, many years ago.  She caught my eye immediately as a well-curved, curly haired blonde from a Northern European country.  (I was still single at the time.)  I asked her out for lunch and the curvy gal surprisingly said yes.  When we went to lunch, she candidly said to me (why I do not know nor do I know why she did not seek the dorky lawyer for a green card marriage I can only thank the Lord Jesus for His protection!) that she came on a tourist visa and stayed to work in the USA.  I was astounded.  I was to see her again (she was after all a curvy blonde!) but when I tried to visit her employer a week or two later, I got two streets mixed up and ended up in the wrong part of town.  When I called the work place several days later, she was not working there.  Was she ratted out?  Did she decide to go home?  I wonder what happened to her and still do.

As a follower of Christ I am not unaware of the many exhortations in the Bible about taking care of the foreigner and the widow and orphan among you.  How does this play into the illegal immigration debate?  I think it means love them in the Name of Christ and minister to their needs.  It does not require evangelicals to support amnesty.  But I am not entirely comfortable with the alternative:  Forced deportation or denying benefits like education to kids of illegals.  I also am opposed to discrimination and profiling of Hispanics or anybody else. 

So, I cannot support the Maine platform in this situation.  But something must be done.  Something that upholds the law, secures the border and is humane.  But people are fed up with illegals being encouraged to come here and then they get unfair benefits such as tax free (illegally tax free of course) income and free benefits some hardworking citizens and LEGAL immigrants are not eligible for.

Tags: GOP, immigration, Maine, Platform