When Donald Trump announced his candidacy for President, he infamously “accused” Mexico of sending rapists and murderers to the United States. Of course, he said no such thing and instead noted that rapists and murderers were entering the United States by illegally crossing the southern border along with other people. Perhaps, inartfully stated but a fact nevertheless. Taken in another context, there were bad people mixed among the good people (something he said about Charlottesville, but in reverse). What perturbed the Left was that there was truth in that statement. In the case of Charlottesville, not every protester was a member of Antifa bent on violence and not everyone was a Nazi looking to break some heads. Likewise, not everyone crossing the border illegally is a rapist and murderer, but there are rapists and murderers among them.

We have immigration laws for a very important reason: the protection of American citizens. We do not allow suspected terrorists into the United States any more than we allow the carrier of tuberculosis or some other communicable disease. In short, we are supposed to vet those wishing to enter the United States, not hang a sign at the border and in every airport welcoming everyone wishing to enter the country.

But there are others who feel the opposite- that the United States should become a dumping ground for everyone and then vet them “sometime later.” Often, if statistics are to believed, that “later” never comes. According to Pew Research, about 66% of illegal immigrants have been in the United States for at least ten years or more. Of course, not every one of that 66 % is a rapist or murderer and some may have blended into the fabric of society and are model “would-be” citizens if they entered the country under the correct circumstances.

The Democrats and the Left seem to think that everyone is an angel and there are no devils among the hordes that have crossed into the United States illegally. In a pitiful case of absolute stupidity, many cities, counties and even states have declared themselves “sanctuary” status. This is not some scene from “The Hunchback of Notre Dame.” These declarations are poking a huge administrative finger in the eye of immigration law enforcement. When arrested, ICE generally places a detainer on a suspected illegal immigrant so that upon release, they are handed over to ICE to make a determination on deportation. Sanctuary status ignores that detainer and allows these people back into society.

Recently, ICE agents managed to track down and arrest 80 illegal immigrants in the New York City area. Of that number, more than half- 42 to be exact- had active ICE detainers that were ignored by New York City and they were never handed over to ICE upon release. Across the Hudson in New Jersey, Democrat governor Phil Murphy, who looks suspiciously like a squirrel, has declared the entire state sanctuary status. More than 54 illegal immigrants were arrested by ICE in the Garden State with many having, again, active detainers.

These are not arrests for spitting on a sidewalk or jaywalking. Among the crimes they are charged with: aggravated DWI, sexual assault, rape, sexual abuse, sexual conduct against a minor, criminal possession of a firearm, criminal possession and distribution of a CDS, kidnapping, forcible touching of a minor, and larceny. Yet in the New York City/New Jersey area alone, more than 130 criminal illegal immigrants were arrested in a 5-day period. Mayors like deBlasio and governors like Murphy are sworn to protect the citizenry but they, because of misplaced priorities, condone releasing the scum of the earth back into the communities they are sworn to protect.

What strikes this writer the most is the hypocrisy of the Left. Several of those arrested and detained by ICE are charged with sexual assault crimes to various degrees, some against child victims. This stands in stark contrast to the witch hunts conducted in the name of #MeToo. A boss is vilified and raked across the coals because they may comment on a woman’s shape. The wrath of the Left is brought down upon that person. But on the other hand, an illegal immigrant charged with rape, sexual assault, or child molestation gets a literal free pass from places like New York City or the state of New Jersey. Those accused under the ever-shifting rules of #MeToo get the presumption of guilt and the denial of due process. But the illegal immigrant rapist and child molester is released back into society under the aegis of sanctuary status.

The Left likes to invoke a poem on a statue as if it is immigration law and policy. That poem does not say, “Give us your criminals, and your rapists.” The law does state that the criminal and the rapist be removed from society. Whether the nonsense diatribe against ICE officials and agents for doing their jobs better than deBlasio or Murphy, or morons in Congress accusing ICE of running “concentration camps,” it is good to know that people truly dedicated to protecting American citizens are doing their job.

Sadly, those 134 people arrested by ICE in a 5-day period are likely the very tip of a very large iceberg. However, there is hope. We finally have a President who is willing to address the situation and actually enforce the law.