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http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/16/opinion/16mon4.html
Published: January 16, 2006
Immigration is a national problem that too many local governments have mistakenly tried to fix. Take Manassas, Va., where the City Council has finally suspended what was clearly an unconstitutional housing ordinance aimed at immigrants, mainly Hispanics. The Council wanted to make it illegal to have too many extra aunts, uncles and cousins in a single residence, although the word was out that Anglo cousins did not have to worry.
Or, there was the New Hampshire sheriff who tried accusing illegal immigrants of trespassing on United States territory - a claim that had no standing in court but made him a hero in the angry, anti-immigrant crowd. And one Connecticut community nearly banned volleyball because it was the sport of choice for some South American workers.
Mostly these punitive measures have failed, but it is easy to see why home-grown proposals are expanding. The immigration system in this country is broken, and Washington has failed to solve the nation's border crisis in a humane and practical way. So localities suffer the chaos and try to end it.
At this point, only the House has acted, passing a bill so draconian it sounds like something out of the Know-Nothing anti-Irish movement of 150 years ago. Co-sponsored by Representatives James Sensenbrenner of Wisconsin and Peter King of New York, both Republicans, it's full of extreme measures - like 700 miles of fences on the Mexican border. But the worst part of the bill makes it a felony to shield or offer support to undocumented immigrants, even unknowingly. So what about the church group that provides shelter, no questions asked, or the woman who drives a neighbor to the store?
After an outcry from groups that help the needy, Mr. King said he hopes to amend the bill. A better hope would be that it dies quietly and that the Senate finds a more reasonable way to untangle the immigration mess so local governments can stop trying to solve a national problem town by town.
Published: January 16, 2006
Immigration is a national problem that too many local governments have mistakenly tried to fix. Take Manassas, Va., where the City Council has finally suspended what was clearly an unconstitutional housing ordinance aimed at immigrants, mainly Hispanics. The Council wanted to make it illegal to have too many extra aunts, uncles and cousins in a single residence, although the word was out that Anglo cousins did not have to worry.
Or, there was the New Hampshire sheriff who tried accusing illegal immigrants of trespassing on United States territory - a claim that had no standing in court but made him a hero in the angry, anti-immigrant crowd. And one Connecticut community nearly banned volleyball because it was the sport of choice for some South American workers.
Mostly these punitive measures have failed, but it is easy to see why home-grown proposals are expanding. The immigration system in this country is broken, and Washington has failed to solve the nation's border crisis in a humane and practical way. So localities suffer the chaos and try to end it.
At this point, only the House has acted, passing a bill so draconian it sounds like something out of the Know-Nothing anti-Irish movement of 150 years ago. Co-sponsored by Representatives James Sensenbrenner of Wisconsin and Peter King of New York, both Republicans, it's full of extreme measures - like 700 miles of fences on the Mexican border. But the worst part of the bill makes it a felony to shield or offer support to undocumented immigrants, even unknowingly. So what about the church group that provides shelter, no questions asked, or the woman who drives a neighbor to the store?
After an outcry from groups that help the needy, Mr. King said he hopes to amend the bill. A better hope would be that it dies quietly and that the Senate finds a more reasonable way to untangle the immigration mess so local governments can stop trying to solve a national problem town by town.
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