Stephen Dinan and Jerry Seper report:
The nation's strictest immigration crackdown went into effect this week in Oklahoma after a federal judge refused Hispanic and immigrants rights groups' attempt to block it.
The new law prevents illegal aliens from getting driver's licenses, denies them every possible public service or benefit not required by federal law, gives state and local police the ability to enforce immigration laws, and, beginning next year, requires employers to check new employees' identities through a federal database.
"It is the toughest state-level immigration reform bill in the nation," said state Rep. Randy Terrill, the Republican who wrote House Bill 1804, which became law on Thursday. "The judge has effectively validated this approach, and he has effectively given the green light to other states to begin to proceed with measures that are similar to House Bill 1804."
As important as the new law was this week's decision by U.S. District Judge James H. Payne, who rejected immigrants rights groups' request for an injunction. In his ruling on Wednesday, Judge Payne said the groups didn't have any evidence to support their claims of harm.
Via Hot Air, here's a video report from KOCO-TV in Oklahoma City:
— Robert Stacy McCain, assistant national editor, The Washington Times
Comments (3)
It is good to see we have a state where people understand the centrality of the principle of the rule of law to the American system of free government.
In the book "The Rule of Law in the Wake of Clinton," Senator Fred Thompson said: "The importance of the rule of law cannot be overstated. In our country the rule of law is the foundation for every institution. In many countries the chief drawback to the formation of a prosperous and civil society is the absence of the rule of law."
The rule of law means that everyone in the nation is subject to the law, and the law is subject to the nation's citizens.
The two mechanisms by which law functions to preserve life, liberty, and property--neither of which can stand alone--are LAW ENFORCEMENT, with its physical and deterrent effects, and RESPECT FOR THE LAW.
The American political tradition and its underlying religious tradition hold that each of us has a serious moral obligation to obey the law, and that in democratic societies the occasions on which we may, or must, disobey the law are very rare.
Lincoln said "reverence for the laws"--never violating them and never tolerating their violation--should be "the political religion of the nation."
Many Washington politicians prefer votes. Many businesses prefer the unfair advantage of cheap illegal labor. Illegal immigrants want to keep what they acquired by exempting themselves from the law, and committing felonies using false documents to obtain employment.
Posted by Steve of Mission Viejo | November 3, 2007 7:30 PM
I am so happy to see that some people in the great USA has the will to do some thing that is right....Washington is playing both sides for the votes. They will never act. It is up to the citizens of the country to inforce the laws.
Thank you
Posted by fred nawrot | November 4, 2007 7:48 PM
The illegal immigration debate is irrelevant. Folks, this issue is not about controlling our borders. It has EVERYTHING to do with controlling everyone of us, legal or illegal, and our children, in the United States. The REAL NATIONAL ID law which President Bush signed in 2005 will take effect next May. Every US resident will have to be registered, every state will have its database linked to all other 49 states, AND our ID Cards will be compatible to the British ID Cards (agreement signed by Bush and Blair)...since UK is part of EU...EU ID Cards will eventually be compatible with ours. Hence we are setting up a GLOBAL system of control. Don't believe me...look it up for yourself.
Posted by PJM | November 5, 2007 10:17 AM