Do you remember Civics class in high school? I remember clearly the often repeated mantra "No one is above the law, not even the President!" That is what is meant by a nation of law, not of men. But that is a rule that we have allowed to slip away.

If we are going to live under the rule of law, we have to obey the law - all of it. If we chose to follow some laws and ignore others, then law no longer has any authority. That is, to me, the whole problem of illegal immigration. We have a very clear set of laws about immigration. They are clearly written and easy to understand. If you enter the United States without proper documentation, you are violating the law. And if you are allowed to stay, then the law becomes meaningless.

Other countries rigidly enforce their immigration laws. Remember last year when two young reporters slipped into North Korea illegally? They were treated harshly, and it took a special delegation of powerful Americans to get them out. Right now, three young Americans are sitting in cells in Iran because they strayed across the border while hiking.

Mexico has very tough immigration laws. Illegal immigration there is a felony, punishable by up to two years in prison. If you are deported and attempt to re-enter Mexico you can be imprisoned for 10 years. Violating the terms of your visa can get you a sentence of up to six-years. Mexicans who help illegal immigrants are considered criminals.

So why are we in such an uproar because Arizona wants to enforce immigration laws in their state? Let me say it again: Illegal immigration into the United States is a criminal act. Allowing it to go unpunished is a direct insult to the rule of law.

Now if the law is unfair, or in some other way unacceptable, then it is the duty of our lawmakers to change it. But until they do, the law is the law and needs to be enforced.

Arizona has every right, even a responsibility, to enforce all federal , state and local laws within its border. That is especially true when the federal government has abandoned its responsibility. People in Arizona are being kidnapped, assaulted, even killed by illegals crossing the border from Mexico.

Authorities there have a responsibility to investigate all people who might be violating our laws. If that causes some people who are here legally to be inconvenienced, I am sorry. But it is a necessity. Their best response is to provide all assistance to the authorities in detecting and arresting illegals in their communities. Their safety is just as much at risk as anyone else.

Arizona is attempting to reinstate the rule of law which has been abandoned in so much of our nation. I say good for them.

Copyright © 2010 by Frank Gillispie
frank@frankgillispie.com, Hull, GA