“WE DEMAND”

Let’s review the ‘deferred action for childhood arrivals’ executive order and its beneficiaries as played out by President Obama’s abuse of power. It was intended to “protect” kids brought to America by illegal alien parents. Hence, the children are here illegally. Most Americans, including myself, are sympathetic to the kid’s predicament. To be clear, there is only one reason for their illegal status. Their parents broke the law. Unlike the one million immigrants who take the time and spend the money to legally immigrate every year, DACA parents chose to jump the line. Those actions are annoying, rude and self-centered at the grocery store, illegal at the border.

Nevertheless these kids know no other nation. Well, they have lived mostly in America. It doesn’t appear many of them comprehend what the rule of law means. After all that is a basic American value every legal resident should understand. It seems that many of these young people don’t understand how our republic works. Those demanding both legal residence and citizenship are ignorant of or not moved by the specific and distinct roles of the three branches of government and the rule of law as enshrined in the Constitution.

I lean in the direction of finding a path to legal residence for these young people. But the leadership of their movement that demands legal status does their cause no favor. Blocking traffic, chanting demands, calling Americans racist and shouting down speakers will not engender sympathy for them or their cause. My sympathy extends to appreciative kids not brats who act entitled. I don’t favor making special accommodation for 800,000 ungrateful twits. Those of you among the DACA kids who are grateful and understand the rule of law need to be more visible, assuming you exist in any real numbers. If you agree with the wise words of Larry Elder as follows, “ Being born or immigrating to America is like winning the lottery” it is time to make your presence known. To those screaming ‘racism’ I have lots of places to suggest you visit to experience racism. None of them are located in the United States.

Here are some suggestions for your spokespeople that would entail a polite and far more persuasive appeal to the American people. Remember that demonstrating humility and gratitude is most often the best path. This is especially true when requesting that the law be ignored or altered to your benefit. I am not holding my breath.

‘ We understand that our parents broke the law by sneaking into America. They and they alone, well meaning or not are responsible for our illegal status. We love our parents but we blame no one else for our plight. We humbly bow before the mercy and generosity of the American people.

We’d like to dispel some myths. All 800,000 of us are not high achieving hardworking kids. As is the case within any other randomly selected group of people, most of us are average. Some of us are amazing people, some are lazy and mean but most of us fall somewhere in the middle. Only a tiny percentage of us serve or have served in the military. We are not in a position to demand anything nor should we embellish our collective resume.

Having studied the Constitution, we understand that President Obama did not have the authority to give us legal status. He gave us false hope. The courts would have eventually rejected DACA as executive overreach – unconstitutional. President Trump has suggested a permanent solution. He is urging Congress to pass a law to give us legal residence and fix a broken immigration system in the process.

We understand that if an exception is made for us, it is sensible to concede that fixing the system is not too much for America to get in return. We urge all in Congress to strike a deal. In return for giving us legal status, pass mandatory e-verify and put limits on chain migration. We would be honored to pay a price in terms of a fine, an extended period of public service with an approved charitable non-governmental organization and/or serve in the military as very reasonable compensation for having come to America illegally.

We feel very fortunate to be growing up in the most prosperous, free and least racist nation on earth. Ironically, we have been blessed by the illegal actions of our parents. We can’t change the fact that we benefited from an illegal act. Paying a fine and doing public service is the least we can do in return for what we are asking the American people to do for us and the opportunity to stay in this wonderful nation.’

Now my unsolicited suggestion for the White House: President Trump, you have been given a huge bargaining chip with DACA. Mr. Deal Maker it’s time to make a deal. Use DACA, not a wall that was supposed to be paid for by Mexico, as the carrot to pass mandatory e-verify and end chain migration. Wall or no wall, these measures in addition to a more then 70% drop in border crossings would have 90% of our immigrations problems under control.

Humble kids who understand basic civics, non-exploitive Democratic leadership that rejects identity politics and an effective focused President could make such a difference. What are the chances that these kind of practical and effective actions will actually come to pass? Not very likely in todays epithet slinging times.