The rule of law

DallasMorningViews | Rod Dreher:

“A federal judge has temporarily suspended the Farmers Branch ordinance. Judge Sam Lindsay ruled that only the federal government has the right to determine who is and who isn't in the United States legally. ... Assuming that the judge's ruling is upheld, what do you predict the political fallout is going to be? I predict that communities like Farmers Branch will realize that they are essentially powerless to stop the invasion. Many longtime residents in those communities will do two things: 1) they will sell out and move, and 2) they will be so angry that the federal judiciary is taking the side of illegal immigrants that a wave of angry, anti-government populism will profoundly change American politics. That, and 3) the American news media will continue to portray these people as simple-minded racists who deserve our scorn.”

Ed Cognoski responds:

1) Farmers Branch (along with many North Texas communities) has been trending Hispanic for decades. Partly that's due to illegal immigration, partly to legal immigration, partly to high birthrates, and partly to white flight. Neither this law nor the striking down of this law will have any noticeable effect on the decades-long trend.

2) Many longtime residents in Farmers Branch are already angry at the federal judiciary. Republicans have benefited from this anger for decades. But there are signs that the conservative movement has crested. I don't see the Farmers Branch decision changing the downward direction of that curve. And if this Democratic Congress and this Republican President pass some form of comprehensive immigration reform package, the issue fades away for another decade or two, just like after another Republican President signed the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986.

3) Not all the anti-immigration fervor in Farmers Branch and not all the white flight from Farmers Branch is motivated by racism. So what? It doesn't change all that is wrong with this ordinance. The ordinance violates federal law (which is the likely determination of the court challenge). It's impractical (landlords have to become immigration officials). It's unfair (immigrants are still welcome to work and eat and spend money in Farmers Branch; they just can't sleep there).

Many in the anti-immigration camp think the solution is as simple as building an impenetrable wall along the border. They don't acknowledge that millions of the illegal immigrants living in America entered the country perfectly legally and overstayed their visas. Millions. Those who think a fence is the answer may not be simple-minded racists. Well, not racists anyway. But they are simply wrong.