Watch Out For Vitter

Louisiana Republican Senator David Vitter is in a major fight in the race for governor of Louisiana.

By Felicia J. Persaud

News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Fri. Oct. 16, 2015: Louisiana Republican Senator David Vitter is in a major fight in the race for governor of Louisiana. His campaign has been struggling in a state where some 6 percent is Hispanic and just over 100,000 Asians.

It is not a very populated new immigrant state – even though the current governor is the son of Asian immigrants. So Vitter is hoping to get away with a controversial new immigration alteration legislation that will target sanctuary cities.

The much touted term – used a lot since Kate Steinle was killed in California by a convicted immigrant – simply applies to some to cities in the United States that have policies designed to not prosecute unauthorized immigrants.

But smelling blood in the water since Steinle’s death, Republicans led mainly by Presidential front runner Donald Trump, have jumped on the end to sanctuary cities bandwagon as a way to show their right wing base they are tough on undocumented immigrants and immigration.

After all, no one wants “these darn immigrants” taking over now and becoming a majority!

But back to Vitter…

So now Vitter, to score points with his fellow right wingers, on October 6th, introduced the ‘Stop Sanctuary Policies and Protect Americans Act.’ The bill calls for withholding certain federal funding from sanctuary states or cities that fail to comply with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued detainer requests for undocumented immigrants.

That’s right – all undocumented immigrants – whether criminal or non-criminal. He proposes redirecting these funds to states and localities that follow the law.  Vitter is working with Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to have a vote as early as October 19th when the Senate returns from its recess and he’s backed by cosponsors and Presidential contenders: Sens. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and Ted Cruz (R-Texas), as well as Senators Pat Toomey (R-Penn.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), David Perdue (R-Ga.), Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.), and John Barrasso (R-Wyo.).

As Vitter tells it: “There is absolutely no reason that any U.S. city should be allowed to ignore our nation’s immigration laws and provide a safe harbor for illegal immigrants.”

This is worth repeating: “There is absolutely no reason that any U.S. city should be allowed to ignore our nation’s immigration laws and provide a safe harbor for illegal immigrants.”

Not criminal immigrants but all undocumented immigrants!

How irrational; how dim-witted, how ignorant!  The fact is that deporting criminal immigrants out of the country has been the Barack Obama administration’s mantra since it took the reins and the administration has deported more immigrants than any other President – Republican or Democrat!

The Vitter right-wing supported bill does not make any distinction between criminal immigrants and undocumented immigrants whose only crime is living and working in the US without working papers while supporting the economy of the U.S. through hard work and taxes.
As usual it is as short sighted and absurd.

It is time for the Latino and immigrant critics of Trump, including singer Julio Iglesias, to turn their anger against yet another Republican – David Vitter and ensure this bill goes nowhere!

Tell Vitter and company to find solutions not create further problems and look at the bigger picture – comprehensive immigration reform now not more legislation that chastises good, hardworking immigrants.

The writer is CMO of Hard Beat Communications, which owns the brands News Americas Now, CaribPR Wire and Invest Caribbean Now.