Sowell - Amnesty would give illegals more rights than citizens

Thomas Sowell has a brilliant piece entitled Bordering on Fraud, Part III. I'm sure the first two were also brilliant but I did not read them. The basic underlying point Sowell makes is that under amnesty and current law, the illegal immigrant obtains more rights than the average citizen. Here are some of his points:

Minority Status

Since most of the illegals are Mexican, that makes them a minority. Under affirmative action, combined with amnesty, they would have preferences in jobs and other benefits.

Those who set up their own businesses would be entitled to preferences in getting government contracts. Their children would be able to get into college ahead of the children of American citizens with better academic qualifications.

We could stop here with the point solidly made, but let's go on.
Cheaper Tuition

Illegals who graduate from a high school in California can already attend the
University of California, paying lower tuition that an American citizen from neighboring Oregon.

Back Taxes

Under the supposedly "tough" immigration bill in the U.S. Senate, illegals don't have to pay all the back taxes they owe. An American citizen gets no such break from the government and can end up in federal prison, like Al Capone.

Outstanding Warrants

If an American citizen gets stopped by the police for a traffic violation and the cops discover that he is wanted for some other violation of the law, they can arrest him for whatever else he has done.

But if an illegal alien gets stopped for going through a red light and the police discovers that he is in the country illegally, in many communities the cop is forbidden to arrest him for that -- or even to report him to the feds.

Identity Theft

If an American citizen gets stopped by the police for a traffic violation and the cops discover that he is wanted for some other violation of the law, they can arrest him for whatever else he has done.

But if an illegal alien gets stopped for going through a red light and the police discovers that he is in the country illegally, in many communities the cop is forbidden to arrest him for that -- or even to report him to the feds.

Citizen, go to the back seat of the bus and make sure you give up your seat if an illegal immigrant needs it.