Legalectric

Oh, I love it when people are obviously paying attention and holding others accountable for their boneheaded ideas! Yes, BONEHEADED! (after all, this is a family blog…) That’s a kind description of the report, “The Impact of Illegal Immigration on Minnesota,” and whatever agenda is behind it.

For example, look at Rep. Jim Knobloch’s plan:

Rep. Jim Knoblach, R-St. Cloud, said Tuesday he would introduce legislation next session that would try to prevent cities from enacting ordinances that limit the role of police in enforcing immigration laws.

“Especially in this time of war, we should not be discouraging law enforcement from enforcing the law,” Knoblach said.

Thankfully the Mayors of St. Paul and Minneapoils are united in their opposition, and understand the need for separation of city and federal law enforcement, and they want their city police forces to remain independent, not federal puppets. Here’s the entire story: Plan backs immigration queries

Today’s STrib has a couple of responses to the Gov’s assault on immigrants.

Nick Coleman hones in again with: A second scolding: Governor, do your research, please An excerpt:

But first, let’s talk about a Norwegian sailor named Johannes Larsen, who jumped ship in New York City and became an undocumented American. Larsen was the maternal grandfather of former Attorney General John Ashcroft, author of the Patriot Act, now a professor at Regent University, which calls itself America’s “pre-eminent Christian university.”

That’s right: Ashcroft is a descendant of ship jumpers. How does that eagle soar, pal?

This information is preserved at the West Norwegian Emigration Center on the island of Radoy, near Bergen, Norway, and was brought to my attention by a reader. I called the museum and confirmed it with historian Jahn Sjursen, who prepared a family history for Ashcroft when the attorney general visited Norway in 2003.

“He jumped off ship,” Sjursen said. I gasped: “Was he an illegal immigrant?”I think he did the paperwork and got [to be] American later,” Sjursen said.

Maybe there was an amnesty for illegal Norwegians. Or maybe they were rounded up and sent to North Dakota. (Hey, someone had to live there! But they’ve been sneaking into Minnesota ever since.) At any rate, I was relieved to know that Johannes Larsen finally got his papers. There would be a big stink if a law professor at America’s pre-eminent Christian university (note to Georgetown and Notre Dame: Keep trying!) was sent home to Lutefisk Land.

Mary Turk: A slap at immigrants, and unfair to boot

Pandering to prejudice, the report speaks in alarmed tones about a 32.7 percent increase in the number of noncitizen students from 2001-02 to 2002-03. The small print reveals that the increase totals fewer than 4,000 students, that it is by far the largest increase in any of the four years covered by the report, and that the increase from 2002-03 to 2004-05 was only 5.3 percent. The damnable lie comes in the scare tactic of implying that a flood of immigrant students threatens Minnesota’s schools.
…
Lies, damn lies and statistics — this report adds up to a distinctly un-Minnesotan call to fear those whom we should be welcoming as valuable contributors to our stable and diverse community.

From the Duluth News Tribune: State clamps down on illegal immigrants

On KSTP: Illegals costing taxpayers

And from the Bradenton Herald, where a high of 74 is expected tomorrow, where many Minnesotan’s emigrate, and where I imagine Minnesota candidates campaigning among the MN refugees is a lucrative activity: Illegal residents cost state $175M

And City Pages: Maybe immigrants aren’t so terrible after all

And Ethnic Trends blog

‘Tis the season… Joy to the World… ahhhhhhhh, makes me proud to me a Minneeee-snowt-an.