If some immigrant children are killed after being deported as the Los Angeles Times recently reported, that’s tragic but we should deport them anyway according to freshman Representative Robert Pittenger (R-NC).
When ThinkProgress asked Pittenger if these deportations should continue in the light of reports that some of the children have been killed upon return, he said they should.
“It’s the most egregious, awful crime and a pity, what has happened to these young children,” he told ThinkProgress. “But do you want to open up America’s doors to the entire world? We can’t handle the healthcare and education today for our own population! We have to be sensible about what we our system can manage. So you put them on planes and you send them back.”
It’s awful and terrible and a pity, but fuck ‘em.
This idea that Democrats want to open America’s doors to “the entire world” is a strawman. Furthermore, the surge of children who have entered the country over the past year account for only a fraction of all immigration, legal or otherwise.
The Democratic position is that we should do our due diligence before proceeding.
The president requested more funding for immigration judges and lawyers to handle the surge; to ensure that every child is properly represented and protected under current law. But as you’re probably aware, Republicans refused to pass it unless we agree to deport all DREAMers.