Law Enforcement & The Left

By Gary L. Bauer

We got another glimpse into the left-wing mindset over the weekend. And no, this isn't about the Grammys.

I'm referring to the alarmist reporting all weekend long about recent immigration raids. There were headlines about "Trump's Deportation Force." There was over-the-top rhetoric about "11 million people living in fear." There was also a gross lack of context.

Here's the bottom line: Our immigration laws are being enforced and the left can't handle it. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials launched routine "targeted enforcement actions" in half a dozen states. This was not a new "crackdown."

There was nothing unusual about these actions, aimed at getting violent criminals off the streets. Just consider this excerpt from a CBS affiliate in Los Angeles:

"Of the 160 arrested, about 150 had criminal histories, while five more had either been previously deported or had 'final orders of removal.' Many of those arrested had prior felony convictions for 'serious or violent offenses' including child sex crimes and assault. The arrestees . . . were 95 percent male."

Similar raids took place during the Obama years. The difference is that this time the criminals won't be released into our communities. Our laws will be enforced. The illegal immigrants will be detained and deported.

What is unusual is the rhetoric that the media, many on the left and some politicians are using to denounce what is otherwise normal law enforcement activity. People are being worked into a frenzy and may employ violence against ICE officers.

If that happens, the responsibility will fall on those who stoked such fears, namely an irresponsible media and a progressive left that is urging resistance to everything President Trump does.