OPINION:
There used to be a time when Republicans stood for certain non-negotiables — free markets, lower taxes, limited governments and yes, law and order at the borders.
Then came Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner.
And all the Republicans go — whaat?
The Republican — repeat, Republican — governor just signed a bill into law limiting the ability of police to work with feds on immigration.
Specifically, the new law “prohibits police from searching, arresting or detaining someone solely because of immigration status, or because of so-called federal immigration detainers,” ABC News reported.
Local authorities ostensibly can still contact federal immigration folk and hold illegals in jail cells if there’s a criminal warrant for their arrest on file. But come on, now. What Rauner really signed was a sanctuary bill.
He can spin it however he wants — and boy, did he. His side argues the bill is far from a sanctuary measure because it still allows for communication between locals and feds, and it makes clear the state has to abide federal law.
But that’s smoke and mirrors. The fact that the language is nebulous enough to be having the debate over whether it’s sanctuary or not is proof in itself that it’s sanctuary enough to be interpreted by any leftists at the local levels — the first responders on law enforcement — as permission to protect and shield illegals.
“This took months and months of difficult negotiations,” he said, during the highly touted, highly celebratory bill signing, complete with mariachi ban performances and speeches. “[But it helps Illinois] continuing to be a welcome state.”
Welcoming state — that’s code for Hey Illegal, Come Here. It’s the language Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel uses when he insists his city will stay a welcome refuge for illegals, no matter what President Donald Trump does in terms of border crackdowns. It’s the defiant rhetoric New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio screams when he symbolically middle-fingers the White House on immigration controls.
But Emanuel and de Blasio are Democrats — so yeah, that’s what they do. Flout the law and flaunt their progressive-socialist-globalist selves.
Rauner?
Once more, for the people in the back of the room: he’s a Republican.
Go back to Paragraph One, the part where it says Republicans are supposed to stand for law and order — “republic” is in the name, for crying out loud — not democratic wispy-winded will of the mob. Did Rauner not get the manual?
Illinois may be heavy on the Democrats, and Rauner may simply be trying to do some good ol’ fashioned politicking to save his poll numbers. But stepping toward Democrats on border security is not a winning platform.
And hey now, lookie here — Rauner is indeed up for re-election in 2018.
From Politico, December 2016: “Illinois Gov. Rauner drops $50 million into 2018 reelection bid.”
Seems he’s trying to walk both paths, simultaneously — Democratic and Republican. What a perfect time for a primary candidate to emerge.
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