Route 17: The Illegal Immigration Debate and the ADL
Posted By Jonathan MarkRoute 17: Debating Illegal Immigration
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The other week, CNN’s Lou Dobbs called the Anti-Defamation League “a joke” for its stance on illegal immigration.
Is the ADL a joke? On this subject alone, one can make the case that they have been inflammatory, distorting the discussion rather than elevating it. For example, at the end of 2007, when the ADL released its annual “Top Issues Affecting Jews” list, here is how they framed the issue.
(I’ll quote in full): “Immigration Debate in the Spotlight: The national debate over immigration remained as divisive as ever and was a central issue in the presidential campaign. A number of mainstream anti-immigrant groups resorted to the tactics and rhetoric of racist and anti-Semitic groups, using hateful stereotypes and outright bigotry to demonize immigrants, particularly Hispanics. A number of media personalities in television and radio, as well as political leaders, adopted the same language when discussing immigration issues in this country.”
That paragraph is dishonest for the simple reason that the debate is not over “immigration” but over “illegal immigration.” No one is lifting pitchforks against decent people who apply legally to become immigrants, people who want to enter honestly and through the front door. Notice that the ADL doesn’t use the word “illegal” once in that paragraph. Instead, they use the most inflammatory words in their arsenal: “racist,” “hateful,” “bigotry,” “demonize” “divisive,” “stereotypes,” and “anti-Semitic” to tar the honorable and entirely reasonable debate over American border security and immigration policies.
There is also an increasing problem in cherry-picking opponents whose deficiencies anchor your argument. We see this in articles that draw sweeping conclusions about e-mails or blogs that go unnamed, or in this case, unnamed anti-immigrant groups, unnamed media personalies, conveniently making the problem seem more ominous, more shadowy, and all the while distracting from sober critiques made by those with names and addresses that aren’t as easily dismissed.
The ADL is trying to do nothing less than confuse and conflate criminal immigration with legal immigration. They are trying to do nothing less than sabotage all reasonable discussion. There is no other way to read that paragraph.
There have been numerous reports about Hezbollah training camps in South America. Should they have a free pass across the Rio Grande? Did the pattern of entry and residence in the United States by the perpetrators of 9/11 give us any right to even discuss who gets into this country and how long and in what capacity are they allowed stay?
I know a wonderful Jewish surgeon who arrived here legally and who may be forced to leave on a technicality because groups like the ADL have so muddied the debate that few bother to distinguish anymore between who ought to be here and who ought not.
If anything is anti-Hispanic it is to say that illegals do the work that legals won’t. Union men such as Cesar Chavez have long opposed farm bosses who undercut the minimum wage salaries of agricultural workers by hiring illegals who will work without benefits and below standard wages, claiming that the hardworking illegals are doing the work that the spoiled American citizens won’t. Illegals are easily exploited, taking jobs from farm workers and factory workers. When illegals start taking the jobs of their white-collar champions, watch how fast they’ll lose their cheerleaders.
Was there something “hateful” in the criticism of Gov. Spitzer’s plan that would have allowed illegal immigrants to get driver’s licenses, which would have been license for voter fraud? I know, only Republicans are capable of voter fraud, but according to the National Voter Registration Act, anyone getting a license could be registered to vote just by inking a box. And federal privacy laws, promoted by many of the same people who want to give illegals a free pass, don’t allow checking that against immigration records. Is it “bigotry” to bring this up? Or is voter fraud cool if it helps your guy?
Former Mayor Ed Koch sent out an e-mail a few days ago in which says, “I am for legal immigration and expanding it, but I am not for ‘open borders.’ No country in the world has open borders. I believe we should double or triple the numbers of legal immigrants if that is what we need… . No one in his or her right mind suggests rounding up the illegal aliens in massive lockup efforts. What rational people suggest is that U.S. employers knowingly hiring illegal aliens be subject to mandatory prison terms. If there are no jobs, the illegals will go home on their own. Indeed, we should pay their way. I believe my opinion on this matter represents the majority opinion in the country.”
How is that bigoted, racist, divisive or hateful?
The ADL, of all groups, ought to be able to discuss an issue without name-calling -- names far worse than being called “a joke.”
There’s a right way and a wrong way to have a conversation. There’s a right way and a wrong way to enter the country.