The Trump administration’s immigration crackdown has certainly caused quite a stir, reaching a historic milestone with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) hitting an all-time high of 51,000 arrests in July. It seems that while some folks are busy sharpening their verbal knives for DHS Secretary Mark Wayne Mullen, he’s been busy making sure those ICE officers are doing their jobs, arrest record or not. Never mind that earlier this year, things were looking a bit sketchy with all the government shutdown hullabaloo, yet somehow, the department seems to be on a roll now with new deportation officers hitting the scene like they just came off the assembly line.
Of course, even when things seem to be running more efficiently, there is always room for a good dose of criticism. Apparently, the DHS Secretary has been ruffling some feathers with his candid comments about immigration issues. Some people might huff and puff about his straightforwardness, especially when they hear phrases that suggest sounding the amnesty alarm bells. But Mullen has tried to make it clear that being in the country illegally has consequences. And it seems that this administration’s strategy of letting illegal residents know they need to leave has led to a significant number of people self-deporting. If those numbers keep rising, thanks to a robust message on enforcement, it might just deter future border-crossers trying out their luck.
The comparison with the situation in Spain also paints an interesting picture. There, 60,000 Moroccans took it upon themselves to treat European borders like a revolving door, simply because they thought they could. It looks like a scene inspired by all the chaos seen under the previous U.S. administration, where the lack of enforcement led to eye-watering immigration surges. This side of the pond, though, there’s a notable difference as record numbers of illegal immigrants are being sent back, not bid a warm welcome. One can only wonder what might happen if the Democrats took the reins again. The past suggests a scenario with borders that might as well not exist, and the likely implementation of mass amnesty.
There’s also a chuckle-worthy contradiction in the driving political rhetoric these days, particularly when listening to Democrats like Seth Moulton. While on one hand, they’re talking about incentivizing legal immigration, on the other hand, they’re advocating for turning virtually every illegal resident into a lawful citizen. One might think that kind of talk could light up signposts at the border reading, “Come one, come all!” It’s akin to asking for window-smashers to enter the house legally through the door, but hey, if they’re already inside, let’s make them family! Why have a legal system at all if illegal immigration becomes the more lucrative option?
To add to the head-scratching proposals, there are those calling for the prosecution of ICE agents for merely upholding the rule of law, as if enforcing Congress-passed legislation is somehow criminal. That’s quite the plot twist where law enforcement, diligently doing their jobs, is painted as the villain. Meanwhile, in some corners, there’s a trend to free criminals back onto the streets, all in the name of a skewed kind of justice. As the midterms loom and immigration remains a hot topic, one might think Jonathan Fehee isn’t the only one shaking his head at the perplexing paradoxes playing out in today’s political theatre.
