Since early 2011 when Lincoln Chafee opened the front doors of our state to illegal immigrants by rescinding the Illegal Immigration Control Order-or e-verify order-Governor Carcieri had previously signed, Rhode Island has been known as a Sanctuary State, and Providence within it as a Sanctuary City. That is, a state or city whose policies shelter illegal immigrants from federal deportation. Even criminal illegal immigrants in some instances, while our tax dollars feed and shelter them as they sit sometimes for years in our jail system, awaiting deportation that we’ll never allow.
Later in 2011 we moved farther down the road of becoming a sanctuary state by allowing illegal immigrants in-state tuition rates at state public colleges, becoming just the third state behind Maryland and Connecticut to do so. Over the years since, local politicians have looked into allowing illegal immigrants driver’s licenses, with a bill being introduced this past January to that effect, claiming it would somehow make the roads safer.
Last month when a national map outlining American sanctuaries for illegal immigrants was published and made national news, we were reminded of our status in Rhode Island as one of just two sanctuary states in this country (with the other being North Dakota). Last week however, we learned our local mayors are working to truly redefine the term, building highways from Central America that end in Providence.
Mayor Elorza was in Guatemala last week, shaking hands in an effort to encourage the direct flights to TF Green from Guatemala, and increased traffic into the Port of Providence directly from there as well. Elorza says it’s to increase tourism and trade. Given the fact Guatemala’s GDP per capita is about $3,500 and their gross national income per capita is about 7,000 “PPP” (which according to one site translated to something like 2,000 USD) I can’t imagine there’s going to be a whole lot of tourism coming to spend thousands here. So are we really going there to secure trade agreements for coffee, sugar, and bananas, Guatemala’s top three exports?
I can’t imagine we are. What Mayor Elorza and those of his ilk have done, and seem to be in the process of doing, is try to put us on a path to de facto citizenship for illegal immigrants in this city and state. They’ve ensured there’s no concern of deportation, that illegals can secure a job, and are hoping to even ensure they can secure a license. And what’s truly shocking is that they haven’t done it to do some service to the Guatemalan people. They’re doing it to get re-elected. Any human interest is merely a side bonus.
Some assume voter fraud, while others suggest a potential future path to legal voting by illegal immigrants. But one way or another what is becoming very apparent is that before most of us even knew what the term “sanctuary state” meant let alone that we are one, we’re about to find ourselves at a point where the next battle is whether or not illegals can legally vote, and formally reward the politicians who paved the highway for them to get here. Is that the kind of state we want to live in? The kind of city? One where even our local politicians ignore the needs of their constituents while schmoozing even more corrupt politicians half a world away in order to import potential voters that keep them in office? Haven’t we had enough of that on a national scale, from our DC politicians?
Let’s bear in mind while Elorza is visiting his future constituents in Central America, his current constituents on the East Side were still suffering a rash of break-ins, the pools in the city were closing in the middle of the summer’s final heat wave, and local companies with huge growth potential like TeeSpring are packing their bags and heading for greener pastures without so much as a phone call from the mayor’s office to entice them to keep their jobs here.
Those of you that agree should make sure your voices are heard, on local radio, in the opinion pages of local papers, and even in conversation amongst your friends before you turn around and realize it’s too late, you’re now drastically outnumbered due to what will surely become Providence’s new number one import: democratic voters.
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