The Providence Journal published an editorial by Alexandra Filindra which conveniently ignores facts related to illegal immigration and Governor Carcieri's executive order.  Here is the editorial in a nut shell: There's nothing wrong with illegal immigration, and if you try to do anything to stop it, they'll get even.  Of course, it is also peppered with distortions that need to be addressed.

     Ms. Filindra begins by discussing the fear among foreign born Rhode Islanders.  I find this hard to believe, since I don't know one foreign born Rhode Islander who fears the Governor's executive order.  It could be because my friend's are a little smarter than the people Ms. Filindra knows.  They are well aware that the executive order does not apply to naturalized citizens and legal residents.  They are here legally, they have nothing to fear, and they know it.  Ms. Filindra and the ministers council should spend more time actually educating their friends and congregations about who the executive order affects, rather than misrepresenting the Governor's intent.  Of course, there are probably many illegal aliens who are  rightfully fearful of the executive order.  If this is the case, perhaps they should move to another state or their country of citizenship.

     One of Ms. Filindra's problems with the executive order is its reliance on E-Verify.  As a fellow at Brown University's Taubman Center, I would have assumed that she would be familiar with E-Verify's true effectiveness.  Ms. Filindra states that E-Verify is an "error-prone federal program."  This couldn't be further from the truth.  Nearly 97% of those who are checked by E-Verify are approved to work immediately.  Of the 3% who are not, they tend to be people who either don't know they can contest the finding, or are illegal aliens.  Again. education about the process will solve the problems that exist.

     Finally, we have this disturbing assertion regarding the 2010 Census:

Rhode Islanders may soon pay dearly for the scorn that the governor showed to his immigrant and Latino constituents. A vocal minority within the Latino community is counseling Latinos to boycott the Census, due to take place next March and April. According to the Rev. Eliseo Nogueras, of the National Coalition of Latino Clergy and Christian Leaders (NCLCCL), immigrants should sit out the Census as punishment for political leaders such as Governor Carcieri who have shown little regard for the community’s issues and concerns. If Rhode Island loses a seat in Congress, the argument goes, state leaders will start taking immigrants and Latinos more seriously.

The threat of a Census boycott is one that state and local leaders must take very seriously not only as an indication of the prevailing mood within the Latino community but also because of the consequences it can have for Rhode Island.


     Ms. Filandra also goes on to acknowledge the importance of the Census when she goes on to write:


Rhode Island’s schools, hospitals and low-income families depend on Census numbers for the determination of federal funding. A substantial undercount in the 2010 Census will hurt all of us, but it will be especially devastating for poorer neighborhoods and school districts. A study by PricewaterhouseCoopers estimated that as a result of the 1 percent undercount in the 2000 Census, Rhode Island stood to lose more than $4 million in federal funding between 2002 and 2012. If the undercount is larger next year, the state will lose a lot more funding. These are funds that our children absolutely need.


     Of course, if we lost a Congressional seat and federal funding, it would't be the fault of illegal aliens who boycott the Census, it would be Governor Carcieri's.  On one side we have people who break the law, and on the other we have a man doing what is right for the State of Rhode Island.  Who do they blame? The guy following the law, of course. 

     Of all the troubling aspects of this editorial, the worst is the liberal tendency to throw everyone into one group.  Ms. Filindra talks about the foreign born people affected by the executive order.  This is nothing but a ruse to confuse the argument.  The executive order has nothing to with foreign born citizens or legal immigrants.  It is a way to make Rhode Island inhospitable for illegal immigrants in order to raise the standard of living for the rest of its residents.

     With one of the highest unemployment rates in the nation, Rhode Island's legal residents are in need of jobs.  If it weren't for an influx of illegal immigrants who ignore our laws, perhaps they would be employed.