Harry Reid Seeks to Provide Illegal Immigrants with Taxpayer-Funded Attorneys

The bill asks that the government provide free legal representation to illegal aliens who have crossed the border so that they can avoid deportation. It is important to remember that illegal aliens come across willingly, and the Obama administration has essentially dismantled the immigration enforcement mechanism. If an illegal is caught, they are asked to show up for a hearing many months in the future, but approximately two thirds of those fail to show up. There are also large numbers of criminals mixed in the illegal numbers, so the bill potentially gives these criminals free legal counsel as well. According to Reid:

“Under current U.S. law, there is no right to appointed counsel in non-criminal immigration removal proceedings, even if the person in question is a child. Imagine that,” Reid said on the Senate floor Thursday. “The humanitarian crisis at our doorstep demands that we, as Americans, affirm our fundamental values of protection and due process.”

Thursday Reid introduced legislation that would provide “vulnerable” illegal immigrants, like children and abuse victims in removal proceedings, with lawyers — at the “government’s expense” — to help navigate immigration court. The bill is called the Fair Day in Court for Kids Act

Immigration activists and Democrats like Reid have blamed the border surge on the conditions in the Central Americans’ home countries. They argue that violence is spurring the northward flow and that the migrants are refugees who should be granted safe haven in the U.S.

While it is true that Mexico and nations in Central and South America offer difficult conditions for their inhabitants, it is unreasonable to think that the U.S. should be a haven for all who want to come without some control over the numbers and the qualifications. More importantly, our welfare programs are simply not sustainable with unlimited immigration, and there is no other nation on the earth that has such a program.

In fact, the U.S. is one of the most generous in allowing immigration. But the Obama administration has completely violated the trust of U.S. citizens by refusing to enforce the immigration laws and to protect the people of this country. They have not, however, been able to pass a universal amnesty program, which would be their first choice. Given the Republican majorities in congress that is unlikely to happen, so this appears to be a fallback plan. It is obscene that Reid and company would propose it, and it should be roundly rejected.