The irony of giving law enforcement credentials to people who already broke the rules.
By
Sarah Cowgill July 11, 2023 @ Liberty Nation News
Trailblazing
for progressives, Illinois House and Senate legislators have passed
House Bill 3751 and sent it to Gov. JB Pritzker’s sturdy desk for final
signature. The bill will allow Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals —
DACA — “to apply for positions as police officers, deputy sheriffs, or
special policeman.” But the governor seems paralyzed to make it
official: It’s been in limbo since mid-June.
Supporters of DACA individuals see
this as a way to engage immigrants in the process of American law, but
opponents don’t want undocumented people running about with firearms and
policing citizens.
Gun Grabbers Giving Aliens Guns?
“I
just want a small door (open) for a certain group of people to be able
to carry a gun. I’m not saying all undocumented people. I’m just saying
if you apply and you are accepted, let’s give you a chance to own, to
carry or possess a gun,” the measure’s Democratic sponsor Rep. Barbara
Hernandez said. “And maybe what the federal government can say is once
you retire, or once you’re out of the job for whatever reason, you don’t
have that ability anymore.”
Of course, no one can agree on who
should be able to carry a firearm in the United States. On the Alcohol,
Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) site
is a plain-as-day warning: “The Gun Control Act (GCA), codified at 18
U.S.C. § 922(g), makes it unlawful for certain categories of persons to
ship, transport, receive, or possess firearms or ammunition, to include
any person: who is an illegal alien.”
“Unfortunately,
it’s strictly symbolic,” state Rep. John Cabello, a Republican and
detective with the Rockford Police Department, said of the bill. “It
doesn’t do anything until the feds do something about the federal law.”
And
there is the rub: What’s the point? Viewed from a different angle, why
do so many progressive Democrats want to implement gun control
restrictions on Americans while trying to arm undocumented people? Seems
counterproductive at best.
In this weird start to the 2024
election showdown, is Illinois simply trolling for progressives’ votes
and following lockstep with a West Coast sanctuary state and East Coast
municipality: California and the District of Columbia?
They Did It for DACA
Hernandez
admits she got the idea from California, one of several states that
have passed similar legislation. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a law that
requires aliens and DACA folks to have only a work permit in the United
States to join the force. The revised law reads as such:
“The
bill would remove the provision that requires peace officers to either
be a citizen of the United States or be a permanent resident who is
eligible for and has applied for citizenship and would instead require
peace officers be legally authorized to work in the United States and
make conforming changes.”
The District of Columbia
also implemented similar changes to its Comprehensive Policing and
Justice Reform Amendment Act of 2022. It needs police and hopes that
DACA folks will want to swell the ranks, which could fast-track
citizenship.
“As an agency, we truly believe that a workforce
representing our community brings various ideas, experiences, and
perspectives. Together, this blend drives innovation and growth,” said
interim Chief of Police Ashan Benedict.
The city is down to only 3,400 metro police. The goal is 4,200 in 10 years: A nice carrot of $25,000 is offered as a signing bonus to get there.
Undoubtedly,
all Democratic calls to de-fund the police have taken a toll. Now it’s
time to fund DACA recipients to choose a career in law enforcement. And
Illinois seems to be okay with this new program. Blue Island Police
Chief spoke at the General Assembly in Springfield, revealing he had
one DACA recruit and was hoping for more. “It, at times, is difficult to
provide the services to the community without being able to communicate
with them,” Farr said. “It’s important that the Police Department
reflects the makeup of the community, and what better means do we have
than to recruit Hispanic officers.”
The pleas from law enforcement
had both sides of the political divide agreeing to push the legislation
forward and encourage Pritzker to sign it into law.
What you may
not know about the Illinois State Assembly is that even if Pritzker
washes his hands and vetoes the bill, Democrats in both chambers can
override the governor with supermajority power. And that will give
30,000 DACA recipients in Illinois a big checkmark in the American Dream
column.