The Washington Post today reports from Charlotte on Mecklenburg County’s enforcement program to deport any illegal immigrants arrested in their jurisdiction. Things seem to be working well, but the article is predictably sympathetic to the aliens:
While the program has led to the removal of many illegal immigrants charged with felonies, people arrested for lesser charges such as traffic violations are also subject to deportation. That, according to Hispanic leaders, has created a constant worry for people who are in the United States illegally and now fear deportation after a simple traffic stop.
Many illegal immigrants lack valid licenses. As a result, they now risk not only arrest but also deportation whenever they drive.
Isn’t that the point? Why should they be treated any differently than anyone else without a license? And to be fair, officers, if my 13-year-old is ever pulled over in Charlotte while driving without his “valid license,” feel free to ask him if he has proof of legal residence in the U.S.
Footnote: Notice the story’s dateline doesn’t include the state in which the Queen City sits, a practice reserved only for the nation’s largest cities. Charlotte has arrived in the AP Stylebook!
