Senators Barack Obama and John McCain recently gave speeches at the National Council of La Raza (NCLR) in efforts to win the Hispanic vote for their presidential bids.  Both candidates have been criticized for these campaign stops, not only for their comments, but for even recognizing NCLR, a group seen by many as anti-American.  Among the most important issues brought up by McCain and Obama was that of immigration.  Unfortunately neither candidate plans to tackle immigration from the traditional American policy perspective of preserving American culture, viewing American values and security as a hindrance to internationalism.

During John McCain’s visit to La Raza, “The Race,” he reminded Latino voters that he, “twice attempted to pass comprehensive immigration legislation to fix our broken borders; ensure respect for the laws of this country; recognize the important economic contribution of immigrant laborers; apprehend those who came here illegally to commit crimes; and deal practically and humanely.”

McCain worked with Sen. Edward Kennedy on the Secure America and Orderly Immigration Act in 2005, and the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2007.  Both measures were criticized for amounting to amnesty, and the 2007 bill nearly ended McCain’s presidential run.  NumbersUSA gives McCain an overall ‘D’ grade on immigration, and the Washington Times notes that McCain has a history of voting for amnesty, and failing to protect America’s sovereign borders.

Sen. Obama gave some particularly controversial remarks during his speech at NCLR, saying that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials are terrorizing Hispanic communities by trying to enforce federal law.  Obama went on and on about how “the system” isn’t working, and how the government needs to care for illegal immigrants, “Yes, they broke the law. And we should not excuse that. We should require them to pay a fine, learn English, and go to the back of the line for citizenship, behind those who came here legally. But we cannot and should not deport 12 million people. That would turn American into something we're not; something we don't want to be.” 

Actually, deporting all of the illegals is exactly what America should be doing, as the Founding Fathers intended.

Thomas Jefferson warned about mass immigration in his “Notes on the State of Virginia” saying:

But are there no inconveniences to be thrown into the scale against the advantage expected from a multiplication of numbers by the importation of foreigners? It is for the happiness of those united in society to harmonize as much as possible in matters which they must of necessity transact together. Civil government being the sole object of forming societies, its administration must be conducted by common consent. Every species of government has its specific principles. Ours perhaps are more peculiar than those of any other in the universe. It is a composition of the freest principles of the English constitution, with others derived from natural right and natural reason…They will bring with them the principles of the governments they leave, imbibed in their early youth; or, if able to throw them off, it will be in exchange for an unbounded licentiousness, passing, as is usual, from one extreme to another. It would be a miracle were they to stop precisely at the point of temperate liberty. These principles, with their language, they will transmit to their children. In proportion to their numbers, they will share with us the legislation. They will infuse into it their spirit, warp and bias its direction, and render it a heterogeneous, incoherent, distracted mass.

Alexander Hamilton agreed in “The Examination” No. 7:

The safety of a republic depends essentially on the energy of a common national sentiment; on a uniformity of principles and habits; on the exemption of the citizens from foreign bias and prejudice; and on the love of country, which will almost invariably be found to be closely connected with birth, education, and family. The opinion advanced in [Jefferson’s] Notes on Virginia is undoubtedly correct, that foreigners will generally be apt to bring with them attachments to the persons they have left behind; to the country of their nativity, and to its particular customs and manners. They will also entertain opinions on government congenial with those under which they have lived; or if they should be led hither from a preference to ours, how extremely unlikely is it that they will bring with them that temperate love of liberty, so essential to real republicanism?…

In the recommendation to admit indiscriminately foreign emigrants of every description to the privileges of American citizens, on their first entrance into our country, there is an attempt to break down every pale which has been erected for the preservation of a national spirit and a national character; and to let in the most powerful means of perverting and corrupting both the one and the other.

The United States has a long history against free immigration and naturalization.  The laws were put in place not because Americans are xenophobic, but because preserving the unity of a people is essential for a nation to prosper.  Immigrants should assimilate into American culture, not form enclaves and factions.  How many successful empires still exist today?  The more the U.S. moves toward the model of an empire, the quicker our downfall as a nation is ensured.

Groups like the NCLR are no friend to the United States.  Michelle Malkin wrote an article last week, “15 Things You Should Know About The Race.”  Malkin’s piece outlines how the NCLR supports benefits for illegal immigrants, and has engaged in efforts to keep the United States from securing its borders and enforcing federal laws.

To get a clearer view of the mindset surrounding the immigration issue from the Hispanic side, just look at the comments of former Mexican President Vicente Fox.  In an interview with Bill O’Reilly, Fox basically blamed all of the immigration problems, and the problems of drug trafficking and Mexico’s poor economy, on the United States.  According to Fox, Mexico can’t solve any of its own problems without the U.S.:

FOX: ...we are not going to build a pressure in Mexico. We're not building walls to retain our people. We're not Cuba. We're not Communists.

O'REILLY: So you think it's OK for them to come undocumented?

FOX: Of course, it's OK for them to look for a better future for their family.

…

O'REILLY: And Mexican citizens by the millions are violating United States law. And you're saying it's fine.

FOX: Yes, because you hire them here.

…

O'REILLY: You have to improve the education system and wipe out the corruption.

FOX: (INAUDIBLE), not complaining, not provoking violence is the way we are going to do that.

O'REILLY: Well, you got to do it yourself, though. We could…

FOX: (INAUDIBLE) with solidarity, with understanding like Europe does.

O'REILLY: I understand you.

FOX: That's why the union in Europe is so strong.

O'REILLY: But I want more action on the part of the Mexican government to stop illegal aliens, stop illegal drugs, and educate your own folks.

FOX: Let's work together on that…

 

Sen. McCain and Sen. Obama need to understand that immigration is not a right, it’s a privilege.  The President takes an Oath to “preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”  The Constitution only applies to citizens of the United States, it is not an international standard or blanket for criminals and terrorists.  Illegal immigrants are criminals, and enemies of the United States.  The American people should not stand for any president who cannot fulfill their oath, and defend the Constitution.