Chuck Hughes
♦I respect the good intentions of the authors of N. C. House Bill #786 as well as those who support it. When you look at its approach to illegal immigration from behind rosy lensed glasses, it appears to be a “reasonable” solution to the ongoing problem by bringing illegal immigrants “out of the shadows” and legitimizing their illegitimate status. However, when you replace the flushed glasses with the lens of reality, the legislation’s flaws and improbable assumptions become clear.
House Bill #786 would require illegal residents to obtain a restricted driver’s license/permit as well as auto insurance. It would further allow the police to detain those suspected of lacking documentation for up to 24 hours to verify their legal status.
False Assumption #1: Those who chose to break our country’s laws will suddenly start obeying a new law, one they either can’t afford or do not care about, such as automobile insurance.
False Assumption #2: Police are not able to stop someone unless they have a driving permit.
The bill would also remove restrictions on bond release for minor traffic violations and drug possession, with a push to further weaken the law by excluding simple assault, disturbing the peace, public drunkenness and other minor crimes as well. Not only will their illegal status be ignored if they don’t perpetrate any crimes more serious than the above misdemeanors, they can be released to continue their illegal status without interruption. And if they are charged with a felony or more serious misdemeanor, they will be able to post secured bond and be required to pay for their incarceration costs after arrest, if found guilty.
False Assumption #3: Despite breaking our country’s law by entering its borders illegally, if they commit felonies, they will post bond and return for a trial instead of disappearing back “into the shadows” and continue their illegal activities.
False Assumption #4: They will have the resources to reimburse the state for their incarceration, if found guilty.
Proponents of the bill, while recognizing that there are about 325,000 non-citizens, an increase of about 54% over the past decade of those here without permission, (This seems to be the recently preferred language to replace ILLEGAL immigrant) believe the law needs to have some type of qualifying language, language that would allow the police to investigate an illegal caught in the commission of a crime even further.
False Assumption #5: Law enforcement officers are unable to further investigate illegal immigrants who have been stopped in the commission of a crime unless if we give them a driver’s license, oops, excuse me, a driver’s permit.
The bill authorizes a Restricted Driver Permit. The argument that this is NOT the same as a driver’s license is a shallow one since the permit will make it just as legal for an illegal resident to drive in our state as a driver’s license makes driving legal for our true citizens and serves as a form of identification. In also allows those who fail to come forth, to have their vehicles confiscated when they are stopped by law enforcement.
False Assumption #6: We cannot confiscate the vehicles of illegal residents when they are stopped by law enforcement when driving without the permit or insurance.
False Assumption #7: “There is no other way to deport these 325,000 undocumented/here without permission/illegal residents out of the sovereign state of North Carolina. If you cannot see this logic, then you are part of “a right wing agenda.”
I suggest that protecting our boarders and deporting those who broke our laws the moment they stepped across our borders illegally should be an American agenda, one we can come close to solving by calling it what it is, a crime. The crime should be enforced with heavy fines for anyone to hire an undocumented worker. Add to their inability to take jobs away from struggling U.S. citizens by denying social program benefits to those who are not legal residents of North Carolina. These two steps alone will result in a migration out of N.C. into S.C., VA, GA. and other states who feel they have an obligation to those who begin their journey to U. S. citizenship by illegal means.
Just as legalizing minor crime is not the best way to decrease crime, House Bill #786 is not the best way to address illegal immigration. I urge our honorable representatives in Raleigh to reject this bill and its poorly disguised amnesty.
