Not Equal
The Supremacy Clause of the Constitution gives the Federal government authority of immigration. With Donald Trump’s promise during his campaign to enforce the immigration laws, a case could be made that Trump was also given a mandate.
In the WSJ, William McGurn explains his view on the tragedy of Renee Good’s needless death.
The clear fact is that Good placed herself in grave danger by refusing to get out of her car as ordered.
You would never know that from the coverage. It’s breaking down as expected as each side retreats to its own camp. The Trump administration has backed the ICE agent who shot Good. The Justice Department is investigating Mr. Frey and Gov. Tim Walzto see whether either impeded law enforcement with public statements disparaging ICE.
Donald Trump is also threatening to invoke the Insurrection Act of 1807.
Shortly after Ms. Good was shot in the altercation with ICE, Mr. Frey said this: “To ICE, get the f— out of Minneapolis. We do not want you here.”
The American people have been behind President Trump in the past. This time, though, it’s different.
The coverage coming out of Minneapolis is eroding that support. Polls bear this out. A CNN poll said ICE is making American cities less safe. The same goes for a Wall Street Journal poll that found the effort to deport has gone too far.
What is missing, warns Mr. McGurn in the WSJ, is the understanding that the sides are not equal.
The president has the legal authority to do what he is doing. Those trying to interfere with ICE’s actions don’t. If ICE is really the problem, why is there no crisis in red states?
Although Mayor Jacob Frey seems to be riding high, McGurn wonders, is Frey right?
(There’s) the Supremacy Clause of the Constitution, which gives the federal government authority over immigration. What’s more, Mr. Trump promised to enforce the immigration laws during his campaign, so he can claim a mandate.
McGurn notes how the protesters are dancing on a fine distinction between expressing opinions protected by the First Amendment and preventing federal law enforcement from carrying out lawful orders.
