Opinion
Who is sovereign in America? The Washington establishment that has isolated itself from the vox populi, or the American people?
Controversy about immigration in America is as old as the nation itself. The Declaration of Independence presents as one of the “Facts…submitted to a candid world” that “the present King of Great Britain” intends to establish “an absolute Tyranny over these States” because he has obstructed “Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migration hither.”
The Declaration had proclaimed that “the Laws of nature and of Nature’s God” entitled the American people to assume, “among the Powers of the earth,” a “separate and equal” sovereign nation. This nation would be based on the “consent of the governed” and dedicated to the proposition that “all men are created equal.” The clear message conveyed by the Declaration was that a sovereign nation-state has plenary power over matters of citizenship and immigration.
The framers understood that only a nation-state could support constitutional government and the rule of law. Constitutional government is grounded in the sovereignty of the people who grant limited powers to government for the protection of their “safety and happiness,” including the protection of their natural rights to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”
Today, left-liberals and progressives attack the nation-state as the source of almost every imaginable evil—war, racism, imperialism, ethnocentrism, white supremacy, and innumerable others. Against the nation-state are opposed such lofty ideals as multiculturalism, political correctness, open borders and the abolition of citizenship. If these ideals are not accepted, leftists riot, or threaten to. But the Left’s assault on America’s immigration policies is perhaps even more destructive than rioting.
Our Immigration Crisis
The United States is attractive to immigrants and refugees from every corner of the world. In the election of 2016, immigration policy was a central political issue. Donald Trump promised to reduce the number of immigrants, stop illegal immigration, and restrict the flow of refugees. Though he made progress, he also faced tremendous opposition not only from Democrats, but from Republicans and the Washington establishment.
Note – This essay was originally published at American Mind.
Read the full article here: Illegal Immigration Destroys Sovereignty (tomklingenstein.com)
The views expressed in this commentary are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official position of Citizens Journal Florid
