DACA deserves support, but not illegals

Andrew S. Hanen of the Federal District Court in Houston has ruled that a program that has shielded hundreds of thousands of undocumented young adults from deportation and allowed them to legally work in the United States, is not legal.

I disagree with the judge. 

The judge maintained that President Barack Obama exceeded his authority when he created the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program by executive action in 2012.

Again, I disagree with the judge.

This issue will be heading to the U.S. Supreme Court, which will have the final say on  the law.

Here’s why I support DACA, which may surprise the Leftists who think I hate immigrants.

First, I love immigrants. The legal ones. They bring energy, a hunger for success, and a love of this country absent in many nativists.

I don’t hate the illegal ones, but I don’t accept illegal behavior.

I’be been writing about immigration for two decades and when approaching illegals, many of whom talk as if they are entitled to live here, I ask three questions:

1- Did you know you were breaking U.S. law?

2- Did you know there would be consequences if you were caught?

3- Did you come here voluntarily?

The answer to (1) is certainly. That’s why they sneaked in, or overstayed their visas.

(2) Yes, they knew there would be consequences. That’s why they “live in the shadows.”

But voluntarily, (3)? The DACA-protected juveniles, called Dreamers for their pursuit of the American Dream, were brought here by their parents. So that answer, really, is no, they did not come here voluntarily, they were dragged here by parents or other relatives.

One foundation of our legal system is guilt is affixed to the perpetrator. It is not inherited. So the parents who brought them here are guilty, but the children are not.

That’s why they should be permitted to stay, even if parents are deported.

Which is unlikely, generally speaking.

Polling says Americans are of two minds when it comes to illegals.

The vast majority of Americans don’t want the estimated 11 million illegals rounded up and deported. Because Americans are not heartless, and it  would be almost impossible.

At the same time, about the same percentage of Americans do not approve of Sanctuary Cities.

So what we need is a path to legalization. 

In 2013, President Barack Obama proposed this: “We’ve got to lay out a path — a process that includes passing a background check, paying taxes, paying a penalty, learning English, and then going to the back of the line, behind all the folks who are trying to come here legally.”

I agree with that except for the offer of citizenship. Barring them from citizenship would be just punishment for them breaking U.S. laws, and would also remove the shibboleth that Democrats want to admit illegals only for their vote.