Obama Trawling For Hispanic Votes Not Real Immigration Reform

By Alicia Colon

How clever of President Obama to recruit a Hispanic with absolutely no credibility on the immigration issue but who looks really hot. Eva Longoria, the Desperate Housewife on ABC TV, was born in Texas and may be of Mexican heritage but she hardly speaks for all Hispanics when she said that failure to pass an amnesty bill was costing Obama support in the Hispanic community. She's another actress who confirms Truman Capote's opinion that actors are dumb. Actually what he said was, "The better the actor, the more stupid he is." Having seen Ms. Longoria's body of work maybe she's just a little dumb but very naïve to believe that President Obama has any intention of reforming immigration laws.

Rosario Dawson is another Obama recruit who has more of my background as she was born in New York City and grew up in the tenements as I did. Other recruits included Jose Diaz-Balart born in Ft. Lauderdale and an anchorman for Telemundo; America Ferrera and Maria Elena Salinas both actresses born in Los Angeles. None of these celebrities have a clue about how the rest of the country feel about illegal immigration but we're supposed to be thrilled about the amnesty issue because Obama thinks he can get us to reelect him. Ha!

I'm not being lazy by having others write my column for me this week but I've selected statements from two conservative Hispanics, one a Mexican immigrant and the other a New York Puerto Rican, because they speak very well for all us who love this country and feel blessed to be here.

#1: I am a conservative Hispanic. I came to the US in 1966 at the age of 3. My parents came from Guanajuato Mexico and we lived in Tijuana for about a year before we came across the border to the US.

My current view on immigration is 1) seal the border. I would even like to see it militarized. 2) institute e-verify. 3) a comprehensive immigration policy created. Maybe one where employers sponsor an immigrant and pay some of the fees to give them legalized. 4) ALL CONVICTED Felons deported (I have no sympathy for felons. I am 48 years old and I NEVER committed a felony). If you have a felony that wasn't downgraded in a plea, as usually happens, you are one bad person. 5) a deal where Mexican prisoners in American jails are transferred to Mexican jails (I'd even pay for it - Mexican jails are horrible and cheaper).

We don't have the same kind of immigrant we had back in 66. Mexico is no longer the third world country it was (save for the border states with a transient population) when people came over for a better life. Mexico now has the 8th largest economy in the world. My family in Mexico lives VERY well, coming from poverty. The draw today is in large part the social services they get and a super porous border. I know of people that commute regularly from Tijuana or Ciudad Juarez without visas. Our liberal policies have destroyed black families and now Hispanic families.

We let our immigration policy deteriorate and now we are hesitant to enforce it at all. I want people to follow a process that is fair, but I want a process, not just blanket amnesty every couple of years.

#2 From a fellow New York Puerto Rican.

I am against any reform that does not address border security and enforcement. Also, I do not think we should be coddling illegal immigrants regardless of where they come from. Our immigration laws are not to be trampled. They are laws much like criminal and civil laws. You break them, you pay the price. Our immigration laws are not the problem. The problem lies with nations who send their citizens to us, who promote such policy with disregard to our laws and our sovereignty. The other part of the problematic equation is with our political and business leaders who quietly accept this illegal immigration wave for cheap labor with careless disregard for the American workforce. Our nation abolished slavery 150 years ago, but finds it acceptable to shortchange Americans and legal resident aliens with illegals. Not acceptable and not Constitutional. Why do we complain to the Chinese when they use cheap labor to produce goods they ship to us, but our leaders allow illegal alien cheap labor to cut our fruits and vegetables and cook our foods at fast foods? The double standard is too unctuous. The USA has a dearth of leadership. It's no longer about American morality as it was back in the 1950s but American commerce at any cheap cost today. I don't make political decisions based on my ethnicity, but on my Americaness. Namely, What is good for the USA? There are millions of Hispanic conservatives who agree with me.

There really are millions of us but the mainstream media is only interested in hearing from La Raza, a government funded leftwing non-profit that lobbies the Senate for open borders and amnesty for illegals. Whenever New Yorkers for Immigration Control and Enforcement (www.NYICE.us) shows up to protest illegal immigration this group is ignored by the press even though its members include Hispanics and blacks. They have been physically attacked in NYC by liberals objecting to their signs urging border security.

For proof that we exist look no further than last November. We are the ones that elected Marco Rubio to the Senate and Brian Sandoval and Susana Martinez to the governorships of Nevada and New Mexico. We are now the largest minority group in the nation and we still do not have any one to represent our interests. That's because we are Americans and don't need a special interest group with a secret agenda that only wants government funding.

My opinion on immigration should be just as valid as those celebrities that the president schmoozed with and I agree with my fellow correspondents. Secure the border first. Anyone who does not understand that since 9/11 is a moron. Forget amnesty. Overhaul the Immigration and Naturalization Service and replace the agents who rubberstamped visas for terrorists and deported worthy immigrants. Cancel the diversity green card lottery and instead examine each applicant thoroughly. Funnel money into revamping and modernizing the INS so the process is efficient and quicker.

As long as the Democrats remain in power, the problem of illegals will not go away unless we enact voter fraud measures.

To all those Hispanic celebrities that drink this administration's Kool-Aid - "You Do Not Speak For Us."

Alicia Colon resides in New York City and can be reached at aliciav.colon@gmail.com and at www.aliciacolon.com