Returning to Immigration

So the Judge in Arizona has ruled to enjoin Arizona from implementing many provisions of SB1070 the so-called illegal immigration law. Many on the right have now decried the decision and impugned the judge's impartiality. Before the decision was handed down, many elected officials on both sides of the aisle were praising her fairness and competence. Activism, like beauty, apparently lies in the eye of the beholder.

On the right, the chief argument against illegal immigration is one of security. The talk is of the crime that accompanies it. The problem is that the facts simply do not bear this out. According to the FBI, crime is down in Arizona, and it is down across the board. The interesting fact is that crime is up in Maricopa County. Maricopa is home to Sheriff Joe Arpaio. Sheriff Joe is perhaps the most zealous hunter of illegals in the nation.

What does that say about illegal immigration and crime? Think about it for a minute. Crime is down throughout a state, but up in the county that most aggressively pursues illegal immigrants. I'd say the sheriff is obsessing so much about a perceived problem that he cannot see the real problems under his jurisdiction.

We are all hurting, and we want to pin blame for our pain on someone. Immigrants make an easy target. So do others that we perceive to be not like us. That's how the Nazi's came to power. During the Great Depression, they directed anger about the economy at foreigners and minorities. Believe me, you are not suffering because Jose is scrubbing toilets for $3.50 an hour of the books. Oh, and by the way, Jose thinks scrubbing toilets for that money is heaven in comparison to what he escaped. More to come.