Leadership? NOT!

According to the Whitehouse website, the mission of the Department of Homeland Security is as follows:

"The primary mission of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is to secure the homeland and protect it against conventional and unconventional attacks in the United States. DHS also leads response efforts to natural disasters, administers our Nation’s immigration system, ensures the safety of America’s waterways, and helps stop illegal drugs from crossing our borders. Effectively performing these functions requires coordination and a focused effort across all levels of government and throughout our country."

Michael Chertoff, the president's man charged with leadership over the DHS, the individual assigned to protect our nation from foreign invaders, is a tremendous disappointment in my opinion.

Following the defeat of Senate Bill S. 1639 (A bill to provide for comprehensive immigration reform and for other purposes.), Mr. Chertoff, speaking on Fox News Sunday, essentially scolded the Senate for failure to pass this bill. He said, "We're going to continue to enforce the law. It's going to be tough.We don't really have the ability to enforce the law with respect to illegal work in this country in a way that's truly effective."

Wait a minute here. I am confused. Don't we already have laws on the books authorizing him to deal with this problem? Uh ... yes ... we do!

There are three, very comprehensive Federal laws already on the books dealing with the issue of illegal aliens.

1952—the McCarran-Walter Act:

• Outlined deportation procedures
• Established a quota system and politically based criteria for entry if legal immigrants

1986—The Simpson Mazzoli Act of 1986:

• Signed into law by President Ronald Reagan
• Criminalized the act of knowingly hiring illegals
• Established fines and penalties for those employing illegals

1996—The Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996:

• Established increased criminal penalties for immigration-related offenses
• Enhanced border enforcement and the expediting of deportations
• Laid out requirements for legal immigrants to have at least three employment authorization verifications
• Restricted non-citizens from acquiring public benefits
• Imposed new requirements on sponsors of relatives for immigration
• Eliminated the "suspension of deportation" practice, which had allowed illegal aliens without a criminal history protection from deportation
• Imposed new rules for immigrants choosing “voluntary departure” as a means to avoid deportation and being barred forever from returning to the United States

In addition, the U.S. Constitution, Article IV, Section IV, clearly defines the role of our Federal government:

"The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government, and shall protect each of them against Invasion; and on Application of the Legislature, or of the Executive (when the Legislature cannot be convened) against domestic Violence."

When a president takes the oath of office, he swears to uphold the Constitution (Article II, Section I):

"I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."

Michael Chertoff works for the president. His job is to help the president defend the Constitution.

So just what is the problem here, Mr. Chertoff? It sure looks to me that you already have plenty of weapons in your arsenal. Are you telling us that we need a NEW law to help us enforce the old laws?

I just don't get it.