Today just seems to be a day about illegal immigrants.
There was a thread posted about 22 illegals in a pickup truck that crashed on a Colorado highway. The there was a thread about the massive burden that illegals are putting on our health care system. Finally, there was a story about protests at a So Cal Home Depot that reportedly hires illegals as day labor.
It might surprise those who don't know me well; who might think I get all my news and information from the computer I seem to spend so much time at, to learn that I still read from a variety of print sources on a daily and weekly basis. This afternoon, in a fit of relaxation, I was leafing through this week's issue of Sports Illustrated.
In the Scorecard section was a short story about a short fellow named Stuart Elliott. Those who follow the sporting life may remember him as the jockey who piloted Smarty Jones two thirds of the way to the Triple Crown last year. It seems Elliott is a native of Toronto and a Canadian citizen, although he has been lawful permanent resident of the United States, living in Pennsylvania, for many years. He has been plying his trade with no small measure of success, made a good life for himself and paid his taxes. All the things that one would expect of just about anyone, citizen or not.
In December, Elliott travelled to Hong Kong and on his return to the United States was very surprised to learn that his name had been flagged for investigation, and he was ordered by Immigrations & Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials, to appear on March 1 at the immigration office in Philadelphia. When he showed up on the appointed date, he was arrested and confined overnight, then released pending a deportation hearing.
It seems that back in 2001 Elliott got into a fight at a friend's house in New Jersey that resulted in him being hooked up for aggravated assault. He paid a fine and served a year of probation. After all this time, as he said, "I thought this was all behind me," but it turns out that resident aliens here legally can be deported for convictions both great and small.
My incongruity came when I was walking my dog past an apartment complex here in town ruefully known as "Little Tijuana" that is packed with all manner of immigrants, many certainly illegal and living under the economic radar. Some have one name, others have many and lord only knows what some of them might have done before they got here. That little slice of heaven is "Sureno" turf, and the grafitti blossoms again every time it is painted over. Especially the ones with the street names of others crossed through and with "187" added. For those not in the know, it means that person is marked for murder.
Yet for all it's problems and the fact that it is largely based in illegality, that little community flourishes. There is welfare, health care, and all the under the table work an honest man cares to take. No one in local government outside the police department cares, "La Migra" can't be bothered and the new cars and satellite dishes keep blooming like roses in a hot house.
So what was Stuart Elliott's crime, really? While he may have beaten up some guy and gotten arrested for it, he paid his price and did what he had to do. It seems to me that his real mistake was coming to this country legally and above board. He may be deported simply because he entered the country as a civilized society should have expected him to.
Meanwhile, over in Little Tijuana the illegals enjoy the bountiful fruit of American life, in some cases largely at the expense of taxpayers, and the only way they'll go back where they came from is if they want to.
Tell me there is justice under the law in all that.
