Summary
In the aftermath of Sept. 11, the restrictionist camp found that their messaging about the "illegality" and "criminality" of illegal immigrants took on a new resonance. And they proceeded to upscale their "what don't you understand about illegal?" message, which had echoed through the anti-immigration grassroots forces, to a more conceptual framing of illegal immigration. Illegal immigrants now represented a threat to the "rule of law" inside a nation that had just come under foreign attack by foreign outlaws.
Acknowledging that the immigration restrictionists have dominated the immigration debate, the Democratic Party and its allies have over the past year desperately sought to reframe the immigration crisis while at the same time attracting the allegiance of Latinos and "New Americans." Their new language about immigration policy-"nation of laws," "rule of law," and "required legal status"-started popping up everywhere, from the pronouncements of immigrant-rights groups to the Democratic Party platform.As Homeland Security secretary, [Janet Napolitano] can be expected to follow the lead of [Michael Chertoff] and the Democratic Party in insisting that current immigration laws be strictly enforced; as ICE and CBP routinely put it, "to reassert the rule of law" in immigration and border control. In the absence of a reform law that provides a path to citizenship for the country's 11 million illegal immigrants, the "rule of law" route forward will be a victory for those calling for restrictive policies on legal and illegal immigration.See the full content of this document
Extract
Expect 'Rule of Law' to Rule Immigration Policy
What does the likely nomination of Gov. Janet Napolitano as head of the Department of Homeland Security signal for immigration policy?
The hopeful interpretation by immigrant advocacy organizations is that Napolitano's appointment, along with the new immigration task force in the transition team, are signs that immigration reform will be a priority for the Obama administration. The Arizona governor's public ...See the full content of this document
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