I must admit that I haven’t been keeping up on this continuing story of immigration activist Elvira Arellano. I figured that when the government sent in the police to drag her out of the church it would make the headlines of all the major television networks and news channels and so I would know about it soon enough. I also figured, correctly, that she would not be dragged out of her sanctuary, kicking and screaming about her violated ‘American civil rights’, any time soon. However, tonight I did a little Google search on this subject and so I wasn’t all that surprised to find that Elvira is still sitting in her new home holding news conferences on a daily biases.

During this past month many political, religious and left wing activists have visited her there as well. All spouting off about how America is once again the criminal state and how it is racist of us to want to deport her, or any other illegal Mexican immigrant. It didn’t take them long to play the race card. Elvira has even compared herself to Rosa Parks. I fail to see the connection. Especially since Mrs. Parks was a U.S. citizen, did not repeatedly break Federal laws, nor did she resist, or flee from, the authorities when she was arrested for breaking a ridiculous law that did violate her Civil Rights.

One of the ‘guest speakers' at her daily ‘get togethers’ was an elderly Mexican illegal who condemned the United States for making it harder, and thus more dangerous, for illegals to cross into our country by closing off the avenues of entry with the least potential dangers. It is an argument I have heard before. Our Border Patrol closed off the routes through many border cities and has thus forced illegal immigrants to cross treacherous deserts, like the one is southern Arizona, resulting in the death of some illegal immigrants. He singled out the unfortunate case of one woman who had been smuggled across our border by a coyote while suffering a back injury that turned fatal. To the speaker, and his audience, this woman died not because of her illegal activities. She did not die from the lack of care or concern of this felonious Mexican coyote who simply abandoned her, as she lay injured and in need of aid. Nor was it due to the Mexican government’s unhealthy encouragement of its citizens to illegally enter our country by whatever route or means possible. To those gathered there that day, this woman’s death was strictly the result of the United States’ policy of closing off the most accessible, easiest routes from which to enter our country illegally. All this simply follows the well-worn mantra of the left; everything is always America’s fault.

Something we Americans must soon realize and ultimately face is that some of these illegal immigrants are becoming increasing militant, and with militancy comes violence. Already we have seen them march in our streets demanding rights, which are not rightfully theirs due to their illegal status in our country. They defile our flag while raising their own above our schools and government buildings. While I believe that the majority of the 12 million illegals presently in our country are here only to make a better living and maintain a low profile, history has shown that it only takes a few to cause trouble. And trouble is where this is all headed. 

What bothers me most about this situation is the lack of response from our government officials. Here is a criminal, a person who is now officially classified by our government as a fugitive of justice, who now sits in a church in Chicago and has been literally given a pulpit on which to hold daily lectures about the injustice of the United States’ policy of protecting our borders from the infiltration of illegal invaders. She also condemns the United States for deporting illegal immigrants and breaking up families. Arellano was first arrested and deported nine years ago only to immediately reenter our country illegally. Twice she has been discovered working with false identifications including false social security cards. While the tide of illegal immigration has been running high for many years it has now come to the forefront in the aftermath of 9-11 because of the necessary priority for the security of our borders. Our borders are more secure now than before 9-11 but in no stretch of the imagination can we believe that this illegal tide has ebbed. It continues and will continue to be an ongoing struggle to maintain our borders' security not only for the safety of our citizens but to deter the disastrous impact it is having on our economy.

When Arellano was arrested the second time she worked at O’Hara International Airport cleaning airplanes between flights. Because of 9-11 and the resulting increased security measures at our airports it was discovered that she was an illegal immigrant and was working with a false identity and social security card. If not for the tragedy of 9-11 we may never have heard of Elvira Arellano. In the present day situation of continuing terrorist plots against aircraft, I for one do not think it unreasonable that we should expect the airplanes on which we and our families fly should be serviced and maintained by anyone other than loyal American citizens like ourselves.

Yet our politicians and government officials sit idly by while this one woman meets daily with critics of our border policy and holds the U.S. up for ridicule and condemnations. We have every right under the law to walk into that church, seize her and deport her back to whence she came. And in the process, shut her up. With our politicians hem-hawing around about this situation while wringing their hands and wondering, “Oh my, what should we do?” We have sent a message to the world, especially our enemies, that we are not only indecisive and lack the courage of our convictions but we are telling them that we are too weak to uphold our own laws. I can imagine some Islamic radicals somewhere, looking at this Arellano situation and drooling at the prospect of taking hostages in one of our public or government buildings and holding out for months while they tell the world through our own media about how evil America is. If we will not walk through the doors of this church and arrest a single unarmed woman for breaking our laws, what on earth would drive us to face armed suicidal terrorists holding hostages? With this kind of governmental indecisiveness the terrorists could hold out forever. This Arellano situation has gone on for too long. It would have been well to heed the wise words of one Deputy Barney Fief when he used to say, “Nip it! Nip it in the bud!”

None the less, I would like to grant Elvira and her fellow illegal immigrants one concession in regards to the rights they believe they are entitled to while illegally residing in our country. If American citizens commit a crime and the authorities know their whereabouts, they are arrested immediately. In all fairness to these illegal immigrants, and to show them that we are not discriminating against them, I think the authorities should do the same to them. Now, it is time to go to church.

Semper Fi,

Mike

"Copyright 2006.  Michael E. Tank   All rights reserved. No part of this document may be copied, faxed, electronically transmitted, or in any other manner duplicated without express written permission of the author."