New York Wants Illegal-Immigrant Teachers

Defying federal law, the state of New York is preparing to allow illegal immigrants to become licensed schoolteachers in 700 districts. According to Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia, the state does not want to “close the door on their dreams,” which has to rank as one of the most absurd justifications for bad policy in recent memory.

“They are American in every way but immigration status,” said Elia.

That’s cute, but that’s like saying they’re doctors in every way but educational status. Being “American” isn’t some nebulous term used to describe someone’s experiences and beliefs; it means you’re a U.S. citizen. Of course, when you buy into the idea that you can define your own gender, every other term is up for grabs. Who needs laws? We can just let bleeding-heart liberals determine what’s right and wrong according to the whims of their emotions.

“They’ve done everything right,” said Elia. “They’ve worked hard in school, some have even served in the military, but when it’s time to apply for a license, they’re told, ‘Stop. That’s far enough.'”

Liberal logic at its best right here. We didn’t bother enforcing the law at any of these other junctures, so why start now? These people are so radical on this issue that you can’t even sarcastically suggest letting illegal immigrants vote in U.S. elections; that’s exactly what they want!

New York officials are free to ignore federal immigration law due to President Obama’s 2012 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals order which protects illegal immigrants who meet a certain set of criteria. But in Obama’s own words, DACA amounts to nothing more than “prosecutorial discretion.” It only overrides the law to the extent the Justice Department is willing to ignore it. The next president can rip it to shreds on his first day.

That’s tougher to do, though, once these immigrants become entrenched in the system. Democrats want to create a system where anything less than blanket amnesty would cause utter chaos. Not that all the blame goes to them – Republicans have wavered between being political doormats and active accomplices. When one of their own presidential candidates suggested actually enforcing the law, they wrote him off as a racist kook. And then they have the gall to tell people he’s not a conservative. If “conservative” is defined as “embracing liberal policies ten years after the Democrats,” then what is the point?

The New York Board of Regents, which also wants to put illegals to work in pharmacy, dentistry, and 52 other licensed professions, played a sad violin for these foreigners. “Most of these individuals have no current mechanism to obtain legal residency, even if they have lived most of their lives in the U.S.”

Cool. Most Americans have no current mechanism to legally kill their neighbors, even if they really, really want to. The law doesn’t magically disappear just because you perceive it as unfair.

Well, it shouldn’t, anyway.