Amnesty promise a law enforcement nightmare

ATLANTA: The Southeastern Legal Foundation today praised U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft for "utilizing available legal means to ensure that aliens convicted of serious crimes in the U.S. are not unleashed on the American people." Ashcroft's decision follows a June 28 U.S. Supreme Court decision mandating that immigrants convicted of certain violent crimes -- including sex crimes, drug trafficking, and murder -- deserve a special hearing before deportation.

"Attorney General Ashcroft is taking responsible steps under existing federal and state law to protect the American people from criminal predators who happen to be foreign," said Phil Kent, SLF President. "Castro opened his prison doors during the 1980-81 Mariel boatlift, and hardened criminals joined in the exodus with freedom-seeking Cubans. The same story has been repeated by tyrannical states across the globe, and it is the American people who fall victim to continuing policies of wholesale amnesty."

"By invoking anti-terrorism laws, working to extend state law sentences, and hitting certain alien convicts with additional federal charges, Ashcroft is fulfilling his constitutional duty," said Kent. "It is clear that the United States needs a comprehensive, sane immigration policy that holds immigrants -- just like American citizens -- acountable under the rule of law. We simply don't have that right now, and President Bush's 'trial balloon' of general amnesty for illegal Mexican aliens will further erode the ability of law enforcement to protect Americans."

Kent said that SLF attorneys are exploring the constitutional equal protection and due process implications of Bush's tentative general amnesty proposal for Mexican illegal aliens. "We believe the offer of amnesty for Mexicans only, short of an international emergency, may violate key constitutional liberties enjoyed by legal immigrants from other countries seeking refuge in the U.S.," said Kent.

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