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As thousands of illegal immigrants attempt to cross the southern border, CA legislators celebrate their lawsuit win as a judge blocks the citizenship question on the 2020 census. As the 2020 Census case makes its way to the SCOTUS, there’s no wonder why Democrats want to delay the wall. The imminent arrival of thousands of people will serve to bolster Electoral College votes, Congressional seats, and the endless feeding off the government teat. Unfortunately, the trafficked migrants pay the price for political greed.
Mass illegal immigrant crossings on the southern border on one side, and an upcoming census on the other, California looks to fill its creamy center with more sweet stuff. Scholarly debate aside, the Constitution is very clear that all US inhabitants must be counted in the census. Immigration status is irrelevant, where they reside they are counted in the state population. The census accounts for federal spending, Electoral College votes, and Congressional representation.
California has made no secret that the advantages it receives from its immigrant population outweigh all costs. California’s Attorney General Becerra and Secretary of State Alex Padilla celebrated the recent ruling that citizen status be omitted from census 2020 questions. They believe illegal immigrants will refuse to fill out and return the census information due to INS fears, resulting in an undercount of inhabitants. An op-ed authored by the Attorney General, in the San Francisco Chronicle,
California, with its large immigrant communities, would be disproportionately harmed by depressed participation in the 2020 census. An undercount would threaten at least one of California’s seats in the House of Representatives (and, by extension, an elector in the electoral college.) It would deprive California and its cities and counties of their fair share of billions of dollars in federal funds.”
The state that views itself as a percolating Petri dish of socialism with the 5th highest GDP in the world, can’t function without federal funds. I’m confused why a sanctuary state, with some of the highest taxes in the nation, can’t meet its obligations without federal dollars. Ignoring federal policy and immigration laws in favor of their own should be penalized. The federal government should remember a parent’s best line, “If you are going to cry, I’ll give you something to cry about!”
New York had a victory when the it filed the first census citizenship question lawsuit. The state is number three in population, with an estimated 940,000 illegal immigrants. It has 29 Electoral College votes, 27 seats in the House (21 are Democrat). Unlike their left coast counterpart, NY is bleeding residents. At least 1,000,000 people left the state in the last decade. New York Attorney General proffers the same argument as California’s. Seats in Congress, and federal dollars. Their public statements are close enough that a teacher would think they had a joint study session.
Two solidly Democrat held states are fighting the citizenship question because they fear it will deter immigrant responses. What about the state with the second largest illegal immigrant population? Wouldn’t they also fear losing seats and federal cash?
Nope. Solidly Republican Texas is holding their own.
Democrats recognize the risks of undercounting illegal immigrants. After California the biggest factor in play is Texas, with a population of 1.597 million illegal immigrants and 36 Electoral College votes. It’s the closest state to California’s 3.05 million illegal immigrants and 55 Electoral College votes. If inter-state migration estimates hold track Texas will be hitting 30 million residents by 2020. The results of the 2020 census are expected to provide Texas increased power in Washington with three more seats in the U. S. House of Representatives. Texas 36 seats falls well behind CA’s 53, but 23 of those Texas seats are Republican. Adding a million people to a predominately red state will further diminish the Democrats hope for a continued stronghold on the House and the Electoral College. Their dreams of a blue Texas may look more like a purple haze.
It is an obviously politically motivated effort on the part of Democrats to make sure that the question doesn’t make the 2020 census. The hypocrisy in the “Orange man EVIL” camp never ceases to amaze me. The CA Attorney General who lamented the loss of votes and cash also stated,
This request is an extraordinary attempt by the Trump administration to hijack the 2020 census for political purposes.”
It’s not even possible to make this stuff up. Despite the two verdicts in favor of not asking citizenship status, the case will be appealed to the SCOTUS. I am uncertain as to how the swing voter will divide the court. It’s on the docket for April. Meanwhile, the CA AG tweets,
#BREAKING the U.S. district court has ruled in our favor and will strike down @RealDonaldTrump’s unconstitutional & unlawful #citizenshipquestion for the #2020Census. I look forward to a #Census where every person can be counted equally & without prejudice https://t.co/KlezhyHLyB pic.twitter.com/DQmaxXTRxR
— Xavier Becerra (@AGBecerra) March 6, 2019
The tens of thousands of people crossing our southern border present a multi-layer crisis. They are not only trafficked to the southern border, but often their journey continues on that path. Often they are sold into sex work, indentured servitude, and countless other illegal enterprises that victimize the undocumented. Increasing numbers arrive sick and in need of medical care. Some are in such dire conditions that despite hospitalization they die. The arrivals may not have adequate ID to prove that the children in their custody belong to them. This is a crisis because there is inadequate housing to hold family units, or unaccompanied children. Two groups who account for the bulk of current apprehensions. Our own Amanda covers the huge increase and the wall here.
The US southern border is on track to set new records for apprehensions.
Today DHS Secretary Nielsen was hounded by House Democrats for the conditions and policies at play on the southern border. Despite trying to explain, and polite listening during their rants she failed to make headway with the House Dems. It seems as though they are fine abdicating their legislative duties to the courts and the human smugglers. The smugglers traffic the people, DHS apprehends them, and in 5 years the immigration court will hear their case. If they bother to show up to trial. Most don’t.
If your dwelling has ever faced an invasion from bugs, the plan for securing your home is three fold. Clean up the area of debris. Remove outside pests that are indoors. Lay down a protective barrier (the spray). The awesome Rep. Dan Crenshaw talks to Secretary Nielsen about a successful approach to border security. Meanwhile, the remaining Democrats act petulant. They focus on the wall as the primary deterrent and not a part of the solution.
The preventative methods they have voted to fund are not proactive, but reactive. The illegal immigrant is already across the border and running in the USA by the time DHS responds to what the camera shows. More immigration judges is a great way to speed up the process, but if people are not going to appear in court then more judges make no difference. A wall is proactive, and prevents people from crossing. It funnels those who do cross into targeted areas that allow for easier apprehension. A proactive wall prevents people from crossing then disappearing into a state. Thus preventing that person from helping the state by “growing its census population” to garner more political power in DC.
I think the Dems strategy is straightforward:
“Orange Man = Bad!!”
“All ideas from Orange Man must be stopped. Even if those ideas were suggested by Big Ear Arrogant Man.”
“Wall = BAAADD!! Blue states need to make certain that every avenue is exhausted to maintain political power. Even if those methods encourage trafficking people through the southern border.”
Featured Image Credit: Pixabay Under license: Free
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