Tuesday, February 11, 2014
Split-Second Justice As U.S. Cracks Down On Illegal Immigration
Most people, including me, do not know about this new streamlining process in the U.S. courts. People who immigrate to the U.S. illegally are punished as if they committed a federal crime to potentially deter future immigration hopefuls. This program was started under George W. Bush and has grown under Obama. In December, the number of deportees reached 1.9 million. The program seems to work to deter immigrants from trying to re-enter, but there isn't significant evidence right now. What do you think about these decisions being made in a matter of minutes? These sentences can place immigrants in jail for up to 2 years, which prevents them from finding jobs and working to get their families a better life.
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The issue of immigration is one that I struggle to come to terms with. On the one hand, I believe that we are a nation of laws and that these laws must be enforces (without the rule of law, we are in deep trouble). On the other hand, these are not violent criminals, but are merely people who are trying to come to America in order to make a better life for their family and themselves. Considering these two opposing viewpoints, I believe that we must make it easier to come to America, but also must secure the border and stop those who are currently attempting to cross into America from crossing. I struggle, however, with the so-called “assembly-line justice” which allegedly “compress[es]… a decision about someone’s future in a minutes, seconds, when the circumstances of each case are so different.” I would need to see more information in order to develop an informed opinion on the subject.
ReplyDeleteAmerican laws and Americans processes are for American citizens. I have no problem with immigrants as long as they follow the correct protocol, but if you expedite our legal system, we'll expedite yours.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Mr Albarrán in saying that convicting people in minutes or seconds is unfair. By taking up the least possible time to convict is ridiculous seeing as our country and people are always fighting for rights. Even though the immigrants aren't American citizens, we should still acknowledge their natural rights as a human being.
ReplyDeleteI think that there has to be some consequence for immigrants who come into our country illegally, but this "streamlined" process doesn't seem like the best way to do this. The program doesn't even display substantial effectiveness, which is shown through the massive amounts of immigrants that are caught trying to reenter. I think that it would be better to focus on immigration reform and trying to prevent the problem of illegal immigration in the first place.
ReplyDeleteI'm upset with this practice, disappointed in the Obama administration, and unsure exactly how to deal with immigration. This definitely doesn't sound like due process and I don't care if they're not American citizens or it sometimes scares them enough not to come back. It's bad policy and it shouldn't be happening.
ReplyDeleteAlthough illegal immigration is a serious problem, convicting people in such a short amount of time is unfair and extreme. I personally am not very educated or informed on immigration, but this article and the streamlined process shocked me. There has to be a better method to fix the ongoing problem. I also agree with Katie that we should target preventing the problem, rather than fight it with this process.
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree with what Katie said in her response about how Operation Streamline does not seem like the best choice in the fight against illegal immigration. When I read about how Judge Velasco said "[his] goal is 30 minutes" in giving 70 migrants their sentences, I was kind of surprised that the statistics on the effectiveness of the program were either limited or didn't show a whole lot of difference from other processes. I agree that immigration reform has to be a priority. The fact that people with different circumstances are having decisions made as if all the cases are the exact same needs to be changed.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I feel that the record of thirty minutes might not have been the right choice of words, I feel that we should be hard on illegal immigration. It is illegal and unfair to the many people who take the time and effort to become legal citizens. It is no easy task to become a legal citizen and being able to just sneak in offends me. Everyone needs to follow the rules.
ReplyDeleteThis "Operation Streamline" is only a bandaid on a much more serious problem that requires a great deal more attention. It needs for Congress to pass a reformed immigration bill in order for this problem to be resolved, but that requires for the House and Senate to move past its partisanship in order for this to ever happen. What actually bothers me about this piece is that these judges try to make these trials as short as they possibly can in order to punish the people caught and convicted of illegal immigration. The fact that Magistrate Judge Bernardo P. Velasco has given himself this record of 30 minutes, shows to me that this is all he cares for his fellow humans.
ReplyDeleteI am somewhat conflicted in this issue. I agree with much of f what my classmates have said, and even from opposing viewpoints. I agree with Ian, that people can't be allowed to simply sneak into our country, but it also pains me to hear that someone's future can be decided in a matter of seconds. Although realistically, these migrants know what can happen when they decide to cross the border, maybe at least this way, they have a limited sentence, and it could be the best option in most cases. The migrants are, after all pleading guilty. It doesn't sound like they are trying to make much of a case. In the end, I am not as knowledgeable about the subject as I should be to take a firm stance on the matter.
ReplyDeleteThis is a tough issue for me to comment on because I am not very up to date on immigration issues outside of this article. From what the article states about Operation Streamline, it doesn't seem fair even if it does meet minimum legal requirements. There needs to be laws preventing people from entering the country illegally but it seems wrong that they are being "sentenced in seconds." Hopefully there will be more talks of reform once more people read articles like this one.
ReplyDeleteI'm not an expert on immigration or immigration reform, but I do know that when people come into this country illegally that it's simply not a cool thing to do. I don't have a problem with people who come into the country legally and follow all the required steps into becoming citizens; but I don't think it's fair that people can come into the country illegally and become citizens. Operation Streamline may not be perfect and it might not be a long term solution, but for now, it's working.
ReplyDeleteLike Bob and Kevin I don't know much about immigration laws, and this article is some of my only background. I understand the issue of people entering the country illegally, and how it's a problem, but I think there could be a better way to deal with it. I'm not quite sure what that is, nut it seems extreme that these people are sentenced in seconds. They have good intentions, but there could be a better way to go about it.
ReplyDeleteI don't believe that the Obama administration should be slammed to much for "Operation Streamline." President Obama has made it clear that he wants Congress to reform the current immigration laws. Since Congress has not done so, it appears he is just working with the laws set in place by his predecessor President Bush. Obama wants to make cracking down on immigration a part of his legacy. With only two years left, it appears he's making do with the situation he has.
ReplyDeleteI understand that we do not have the time or resources to look at every case subjectively and in detail, but this "operation Streamline" does not seem like the answer. There has to be a more efficient way to deal with the individual cases. That being said, although this process seems unfair to individuals, the Obama administration shouldn't be criticized too harshly. Like Josh said, the administration is working with laws already set in place.
ReplyDeleteI think "one size fits all" programs like this, especially when the plan is incarcerations that span for years long, are really bad policies. Immigrants that break laws should maybe get a little more punishment or something, but I think that their rights need to be respected. Maybe there's no legal obligation, but there is a moral one.
ReplyDeleteI understand that the courts are trying to be as efficient as possible, but 25 seconds per detainee seems a bit ridiculous. I mean, these are the lives of 70 people that you are directly affecting, and to only give 25 seconds for a persons life just shows how much people care for other people. And the streamline plan can't be the affective if years after it was put into place there are still many people being caught each day.
ReplyDeleteI understand that the courts are trying to be as efficient as possible, but 25 seconds per detainee seems a bit ridiculous. I mean, these are the lives of 70 people that you are directly affecting, and to only give 25 seconds for a persons life just shows how much people care for other people. And the streamline plan can't be the affective if years after it was put into place there are still many people being caught each day.
ReplyDelete