Partridge letter: Illegal aliens

Could someone please explain why people are demonstrating for the “rights of illegal aliens,” given that illegal aliens don’t have any such rights? Given the belief that “the undocumented” are entitled to the same rights as United States citizens, why are they demonstrating?

Of course, the problem is that noncitizens don’t have the rights of citizens.

Every person, regardless of citizenship, is entitled to basic human rights and constitutional rights. They are not entitled to the right of suffrage. The problem we face with regard to illegal aliens is not that they are not being accorded the rights of citizens, but that they are not entitled to citizens’ rights. There have been times that such rights have been accorded foreign nationals, but not in the United States since 1995. This battle is being fought on the wrong front. Demonstrators do not have the power to change the law. Only the elected officials of the Legislature can do that.

This story was originally published March 3, 2017 at 7:18 PM with the headline "Partridge letter: Illegal aliens."