POTUS needs Latino members

Disappointed that President Donald Trump has not yet seen fit to name a Cabinet-level or even high-ranking Latino to his inner circle. The nation's largest minority group, about 18% of the entire U.S. population is an integral slice of the American pie.

That lack of a Hispanic voice in the president's ear may be one reason his announced immigration policies are being greeted with fear and anger by so many Latinos. The language being used in promoting his policies is unnecessarily harsh and unforgiving.

For example, he has signed an order outlawing so-called Sanctuary Cities, and has vowed punitive action, like withholding federal funding) against any state or city (or church or university) that does not cooperate with federal immigration orders.

There are several obstacles to that policy's implementation.

1-Detainers

There is currently a federal court injunction against cooperation by local jurisdictions when it comes to "Immigration Holds" on purported undocumented immigrants. In other words, it is illegal for a local law enforcement officer in the jurisdictions covered by the Illinois Federal Court order to cooperate by holding an undocumented immigrant (a "Detainer") absent an arrest Warrant.

2-Sanctuary Cities

To withhold federal funding, the Supreme Court has found that conditions on funding must be "Reasonably Related" to the purpose of the funding. In other words, you cannot withhold funding on say highways or schools if you have a problem with law enforcement. And does President Trump really want to withhold money from New York or Chicago or Los Angeles law enforcement.

3-Border Wall

A 20 foot high Border Wall is $200,000,000. A 21 foot high ladder is fifty bucks. It will stop Juan and Maria the fruit pickers. It won't stop the El Chapo's of the world, the tunnel building billionaire drug dealers. Having stated the obvious case vs the wall, I am resigned to its construction. If folks want to use limited infrastructure dollars to build it instead of schools, bridges, tunnels or roads, so be it. Elections have consequences, the pro-wall'ers won.

4-Dreamers

If the Trump Administration mounts a "Deportation Force" to round up the otherwise law-abiding "Dreamer" kids now enjoying deportation deferrals, I am pledged to resist in every legal way. Brought here through no fault of their own, they are currently living in terror of the unknown and whether their entire way of life is in jeopardy.