Romney Wants to Penalize Immigrant Sanctuary Cities; Forgets Father Was Born in Mexico

It seems that Governor Bill Richardson isn't the only presidential candidate with a Mexican-born parent.

Republican candidate, Mitt Romney, can technically claim Latino heritage as well. His father, George Romney, was born in Colonia Dublán, Galeana, in the Mexican state of Chihuahua.

George Romney, father of Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney.

The elder Romney was born in a Mormon colony on Mexican soil that his parents had fled to, for lack of a better word -- sanctuary. That's why, it's rather ironic that Mitt, being the son of a man whose family fled to Mexico for sanctuary reasons, would authorize a plan to slash funding for American cities that declare themselves to be immigration sanctuary cities.

Mitt's campaign is mailing Iowa Republicans a mailer explaining his plan. One quote from the mailer says:

When America's major cities -- like New York, San Francisco and many others -- adopt sanctuary city policies, they serve as magnets for millions of illegal immigrants to cross the border and take advantage of these legal protections.

Funny how history has a way of repeating itself in the most unexpected way.

According to the book, Mormon Colonies in Mexico, published in 1938,

In the 1880s, as a precondition to granting Utah statehood, the United States government enacted laws to put a stop to the Mormon practice of polygamy.

Those who continued to practice this principle were forced underground as federal marshals roamed the territory searching for "polygs." In response, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints looked for safe places to send its members; many found refuge across the border in Mexico.

The book recounts how the Mormon polygamists soon had grown so tired of the constant pressure from the US federal government that several Mormon leaders discussed "surrendering at the same time, overwhelming the government with the proposition of jailing them all."

Instead, several hundred families made their way to Mexico and established several colonies. The book further states that local Mexican citizens and state officials in the state of Chihuahua tried to drive the polygamists out but they were spared by (drum roll) the Mexican federal government.

The Mormons lived in relative peace with their Mexican neighbors until the Mexican Revolution. Then their settlements were overtaken by the rebels and in 1912 the decision was made to send the women and children back to the United States. At that time, the Mormons numbered 4,000.

Very few if any of the Mormon population in Mexico ever took a decided interest in Mexican politics. They were content to be left alone to look after their own affairs, their chief aim being to build up and beautify their homes and subdue the wilderness that their children and unborn generations might come into inheritances of which they could be proud. At the time of the exodus, their aim had been well nigh achieved and the thought of being permanently uprooted and the earnings of a lifetime left to others had never entered the minds of these industrious and frugal people. Always, they had indulged the belief that Mexico was to be their permanent abode and with that thought in view they had builded well.

Substitute Mormon for Mexican/Latino, reverse the countries where people sought refuge and we see that history does repeat itself.

That the son of a Mexican-born Mormon would so easily forget or ignore his own family history is testament to the fact of how anti-(Mexican) immigrant hysteria has a stranglehold on common sense and has turned a humanitarian issue into a volatile political football.

If Governor Romney's grandparents had never gone to Mexico but had instead been imprisoned by US federal marshals, it's a safe assumption that Romney's father may never have been born.

By virtue of the fact that his grandparents crossed the US-Mexico border for sanctuary and the economic freedom to build a life for their family underscores the reason why governments must create dignified, reasonable and fair immigration policies, especially with neighbor countries.

It's all about humanity and the human instinct to survive, prosper and live life with a purpose for living.

Comments

[NABNYC]

One of the things I hate most about those people who support illegal immigrants is the complete lack of logic in everything they say. Romney's father was born in Mexico, and therefore he should support illegal immigration? There's no logic there at all.

Sanctuary: historically, providing a safe place for people who were in danger of being killed. Protect those who were being hunted by the Nazis to be sent to death camps. Protect people from El Salvador who had been targeted by death squads.

It's like the asylum laws: people need to show a well-founded fear of persecution or possibly even murder if they were forced to return to their own country.

The use of the term sanctuary to describe what's going on today trivializes the term. It's a big difference to say that Maria somebody has been here for 5 years working illegally, and does not want to go back to Mexico where she will make less money. Making less money is not the same as being at risk of being murdered. The entire argument is silly.

Go ask the citizens of Mexico, and their major cities, whether they are providing sanctuary for people from Guatemala who work illegally in Mexico. No, actually, they deport them.

[nopomo]

Ms. Trevino assumes that anyone who opposes illegal immigration is not a humanitarian. However, for most people, the reasons for opposing an open border are not due to a lack of compassion, nor are they due to racism; it"s all about resources. In this respect, it"s incredibly disingenuous to compare a small group of 4,000 who settled 100 years ago to the several million who have come in the past 10 years. Illegal immigration has stretched the resources of California too thin, damaging the infrastructure. Education, healthcare, housing, the criminal justice system, and the nonprofit sector have all been drained and pushed to the limits, leaving citizens with substandard services. Based on observations of the crumbling infrastructure, I doubt that the contributions outweigh the costs, but would love to see a comprehensive analysis. Granting citizenship would not add that much to the money to the pool either"they are mostly low-income and would qualify for EITC. We have to be practical with our resources and draw the line somewhere because right now, the low-income citizens of the state are paying the most for this open border policy. I would choose to adopt a humanitarian policy towards American citizens in need first.

[Viper]

Deal with this fact:

72% of Americans are against Sanctuary Cities.

A majority now favor the wall.

40% of hispanic citizen dont support the open borders either. The gangs/crime impact their lives more than most.

Illegal immigrant children now have a 70% drop out rate, taking down our schools and a very high gang membership now. There are no factory jobs like 40 years ago for the uneducated to work in at good pay and then raise their children to new levels as in past days. And the huge numbers has depressed wages in Farming, Construction, landscaping, meat processing and etc.. such that those jobs are now subsistence jobs only. Remember a 30 year old today makes less than his father did when he was 30 years old.

We were their lifeboat, but the life boat is overcrowded... and now all are at risk of drowning. You cant send jobs out of America and then have jobs left for the illegals indefintely. Illegals actually have a 40% unemployment rate ( of course that like those who are self employed dont show up in unemployment numbers).

Regards

[Miamiman]

For starters Maria, your title should read Penalize ILLEGAL Immigrant Cities...

The Mormons left to Mexico because they feared religous persecution. Gee, that sounds familiar. I am not a Mormon, but they have the right to practice their religion. There was no law in Mexico stopping the immigration from Utah back then.

I live in Miami where immigration is a hot issue. Many of the illegal's here did great when the housing market was booming. Now with no jobs, the crime rate here in Miami-Dade County is staggerring. Many are illegal immigrants.

Maria, muchos de los immigrantes que estan aqui en los Estados Unidos legalment, no quieren los illegales tampoco. Eso es la verdad

[BlackJAC]

Let's also remember that Mitt himself hired illegal immigrants to work on his lawn.

http://romneyfacts.org

[BrooklynC]

I always thought that Romney's father quit his Republican campaign for president when he claimed that he had been brainwashed on Vietnam and was laughed out of politics. Could it have been that he was actually running illegally, having been foreign born?

[middleoftheroad]

It's apples and oranges and Im not supporting Romney, I'm supporting Obama. The illegal immigrant issue has changed over the last 10 years, in my opinion over security more then jobs. So why not just say that you are for open boarders and dont care who just walks into the country and that the US govt has NO RIGHT to finger print and process them. Ms. Trevino, I suggest you trying to walk into Canada and see how far you get without papers, maybe try to get a Canadian Drivers L... OR ASK A GUATEMALAN HOW WASY IT IS TO SNEAK NORTH INTO MEXICO LOOKING FOR A BETTER LIFE? I dont care how many Mexicans want to come into the country, its just that they should be processed and we should KNOW WHO THEY ARE. Is that so wrong?

Also, why not start putting the blame on the REAL problem, which is MEXICO ITSELF! It has great coastlines, Hot looking people, industry (hell, much of it used to be ours), tourism, oil, great food,art and music....SO WHY DO THEY NEED TO COME HERE? Corruption! 200 families run the show and rip everyone else off...YOU PEOPLE NEVER TALK ABOUT THAT...You care about Mexicans? THEN FIGHT THE MEXICAN GOVT, NOT THE US'. We should want to sneak INTO Mexico, not the other way around!

[alambique]

Making immigration your main campaign issue rather than the war is just plain stupid. For one, give me examples of the jobs you want that illegals are doing now. Hypocrites. The jobs you want went overseas, dumbasses. Blame outsourcing and NAFTA, not Pablo y Maria.

And for all you folks grumping about how much money we spend on "them damned illegals", take a gander at the amount we spend on the war on terror.

Want better roads, want better pay, want better health care? Stop the war. Don't let the idiots who ran up the bill fool you.

nuff said.

[Viper]

IT is against Federal law for cities to declare themselves as such Sanctuaries. Its against federal laws to assist illegal aliens. Its Federal law that when a city violates that law and supports a criminal activity, that the government cuts its funding.

We all rightfully complain about George Bush breaking the FISA laws and a host of other illegal activities... an yet so many think there are laws they can break and support others doing same. You are no better than GEORGE!

You cant have it both ways. George BUSH is wrong, and you are wrong on harboring illegals.

World population increased 400% in last 100 Years. Now using 30% more resources than earth can regenerate. 1.8 billion too many people. Lets support this unsustanable growth by being a release valve for Mexico and the Catholic church or other countries.

No use to conserve energy or protect the environment if your are supporting/facilitating over population and the destruction of the environment. Give up on the PRIUS, no need to cut enery use in half, if population doubles!

Regards

[MARTYB]

Why are so many people blogging on this site so willing to give rights, priveleges,and amnesty to criminals who essentially cut in front of thousands who are trying to get to the US legally? Who DEMAND rights they have not earned and wave a foreign flag while doing so, why is that? I live in one of the so-called "sanctuary
cities" and i'm telling you it is not a picnic, the murder rate is always in the triple digits, turf wars, mistaken id, corruption at the DMV (?!) selling drivers license's to illegal aliens. A police force so stretched it can't deal with the native knuckleheads, let alone the ones who should not be here to begin with and people like the blogger want them legitemized?!

[dgscol]

It is only a matter of time until the country will deal with this situation. The illegals know this all too well. The money could well be used for their expulsion and the arrest of those providing assistance to them.

It is good to know that Romney is serious about their removal. I suggest they construct a double fence with land mines inbetween, which is standard fare for the protection of a buffer zone.

It is good that we are not outsourcing the R&D on the fence project, for if we hired the Chinese to do this work, they might well devise a long earthen wall.
It should be interesting to see what kind of cars they might design!

[DatelessNerd]

Let me get this straight.

Because some Mormons relocated in Mexico in order to practice customs illegal in the U.S., America should open its borders to unlimited numbers of illegal immigrants who undercut wages and destroy America's middle class.

Gee, why didn't I think of that?

[researcher]

the illegal problem is all based on human greed.

mexican greed as the elitists in mexico send their poor and uneducated to america to help them keep their elitist status.

american small business wants them for cheap labor.

demos want them for the votes.

catholics want them to fill their pews.

repubs lobbyists want them for their cheap labor.

greed has karma soon will be harvest time for what we sow we reap.

they only want a job as their country is more interested in keeping their elitist status than helping their people.

kind of like what america has become. elitist of haves and have mores and have nots. with the have nots gaining lots of mo.

[mommadona]

Mitt Romney is one twisted "pater".
Mitt tortured his dog.
Mitt has one of the scariest smiles I have ever seen.

[provoice]

The pro-amnesty crowd has tried very hard to confuse the issues at hand here, and have been remarkably successful at it... at least with the most feeble-minded.

First of all, America, like Mexico, is a nation with LAWS. Sneaking across the border in the dark of night and buying false documents is illegal. Hiring illegal aliens is illegal.

We have tens of thousands of illegal aliens in our jails and prisons because they broke OTHER laws regarding things like armed robbery, rape and drugs.

Our government has done several studies of the "undocumented aliens" we have in our jails and prisons and MOST have been arrested at least three times and some as many as a dozen times for the SAME crimes that landed them in our jails and prisons to begin with.

Next of all, we have hundreds of thousands of our CITIZENS out of work, while illegal aliens take their jobs for a fraction of the usual rate of pay for those jobs.

Finally, we HAVE NINE EXISTING visa programs for hiring temporary foriegn workers who go through the legal channels when a proven need arises.

There is absolutely nothing "racist" about wanting our country protected from illegal invaders... however, I think it is "racist" to suggest that there IS.