What Would Ronald Reagan Think About Current Amnesty Proposal?

By John W. Lillpop

When President Reagan signed the Immigration Reform and Control Act (IMCA) of 1986 into law, he did so with the understanding and belief that the statute, including enforcement, would “fix” the illegal alien problem, once and for all.

In fact, President Reagan spoke with optimism about the future as reported at reference 1:

“Future generations of Americans will be thankful for our efforts to humanely regain control of our borders and thereby preserve the value of one of the most sacred possessions of our people — American citizenship.”

Unfortunately, for both America and the Gipper’s legacy, the IRCA has been an unmitigated disaster. Since IRCA became the law of the land, tens of millions of foreign illegal aliens have violated US borders, ignored immigration laws, jeopardized homeland security, and cost American taxpayers hundreds of billions of dollars.

No doubt President Reagan was counting on good-faith enforcement of the IRCA provisions which concern employers whom hire illegals, and which require government to round up and deport illegal aliens.

In his defense, Reagan had no way of knowing that his successors, both Democrat and Republican, would virtually ignore the IRCA enforcement provisions in order to provide cheap labor for business interests and future voters for the Democrat Party.

Indeed, there was no way that Reagan could foresee the day when a cabinet-level official of an ultra-liberal administration would forgo the term “Illegal immigrant,” and choose instead to advocate on behalf of invaders by labeling them “Newly Arrived Refugees,” worth of amnesty and citizenship.

Even the Gipper was not clever enough to imagine that border security and immigration enforcement would someday be turned over to the likes of Janet Napolitano!

And given Reagan’s bubbly confidence in the inherent common sense and native intelligence of the American people, it would seem impossible for him to fret about an Attorney General like Eric Holder who actually said (see reference 1) the following about illegal aliens:
“Creating a pathway to earned citizenship for the 11 million unauthorized immigrants in this country is essential. The way we treat our friends and neighbors who are undocumented – by creating a mechanism for them to earn citizenship and move out of the shadows – transcends the issue of immigration status. This is a matter of civil and human rights. It is about who we are as a nation. And it goes to the core of our treasured American principle of equal opportunity."

Would Ronald Reagan subscribe to the notion that Equal opportunity now encompasses the right to ignore a sovereign nation’s borders, defy that nation’s immigration laws, and expect to be rewarded with citizenship?

To wobbly-kneed Republicans on the cusp of joining the Barack Obama “Destroy America” brigade, ask yourself the following: How would Ronald Reagan regard the idea that illegal aliens have a “right” to US citizenship?

Answer honestly, and vote accordingly, Republicans, and the insane, anti-American immigration reform proposed by the Gang of Eight and Barack Obama will be defeated with ease.

Reject the amnesty sham, and there will remain a glimmer of hope for the Shining City on a Hill!
Do it in memory of the Gipper!


Reference 1

http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2013-02-03/politics/36728655_1_immigration-reform-illegal-immigrants-immigration-laws

Reference 2 http://nation.foxnews.com/amnesty/2013/04/26/holder-calls-amnesty-civil-right