Does Anyone Else Have a Problem With This?
Accordint to the Oakland Tribune, a newspaper which I can only presume is reputable, police officers in Oakland have been forced to stop doing DUI checkpoints in town recently. Normally, the public outcry surrounding these checkpoints surrounds probable cause arguments, illegal searches, the usual Fourth Amendment doo-dah.

It seems that the problem here, though, is that these DUI checkpoints were catching too many illegal aliens living and driving in the Oakland area.

Not too many to know what to do with, mind you. Actually, standard procedure for someone caught living illegally in the US is pretty simple: stick them in a car, bus, or plane, drop them at the first locality outside of the borders, and wave a pleasant good-bye. Really, it's not too difficult, and the more illegal residents from X country you have, the larger the bill to the charter bus company, payable by the Department of Homeland Security.

I don't consider this a problem, myself. I don't mind if my tax dollars go to exporting people who aren't willing to do paperwork.

Really, the problem lies with Oakland-area Hispanic leaders.

"These checkpoints make people's lives miserable, not make them safer," said Jesus Rodriguez of Oakland Community Organizations, which filed most of the complaints about the checkpoints. "I've watched while the police have towed away cars (full) of groceries, leaving children crying on the sidewalk."

I'll admit that it's a bit harsh to drop people off on the side of the road, but there's one thing that must be taken into account here:
The word illegal means, by default, that something is a violation of law. In addition to being illegally in this country in the first place, the folks who are the subject of this local-leadership commotion are driving without licenses (non-legal residents may not apply for drivers' licenses in California) and without insurance (no license means no insurance). The first case is a safety issue, the second is one of financial responsibility, and both affect every other driver on the road. Driving without either, in my mind, is exceedingly selfish and carries stiff penalties under the law.

There's always the possibility that these cars were towed away because that's the same that's done with every other car driven by an unlicensed, uninsured driver. Last I heard, anyway.

I can understand that the United States is the land of opportunity. Frankly, I wouldn't want to live in most Latin-American countries either. I'm generally in favor of opening the borders and ending immigration quotas.

But here's the thing: If you are in this country legally, you have done a lot of work. First, you came in and declared an intention to the INS to live and work in the United States on a permanent basis. You have applied for and been granted a green card, as well as been granted an Immigrant Visa number. You have applied for and been granted Permanent Resident Status. You pay taxes in to the federal and state welfare and social security programs, as well has have taxes deducted from your paycheck in the form of income tax withholdings.

In other words, you follow the law. You've done your part.

Alternatively, you could have just found a weak spot in the border patrol and found a friend or countryman who could show you the ropes and get you an under-the-table, low-paying job.

If I were in the shoes of any single legal immigrant from any country, I would be exceedingly insulted at the sway that illegal immigrants have over local and national politics. If I had gone through all of that trouble to become a legitimate immigrant and permanent resident, only to be drowned out by the whining of and associated with a group of people who, frankly, are just a little bit on the selfish and lazy side, I'd be pretty peeved. After all, I'm very often ashamed to be a United States citizen - this is something quite similar.

I could give a rat's ass about why someone is here. If they have broken the law, they should not stay. Come back when you're willing to do a little work and do things right. Whether the law is right or fair is immaterial - the law is the law. Take your groceries, take your kids, go back, and try again.