Biden not 'faithfully executing' the law

It's worth recalling the definition of an oath: "a solemn appeal to a deity, or to some revered person or thing, to witness one's determination to speak the truth, to keep a promise."

When it comes to the open southern border it could be argued — and should be argued by more members of Congress — that the president has violated his oath, which is reason enough for impeachment.

Immigration laws passed by Republicans and Democrats in Congress and signed by Republican and Democrat presidents are being ignored and thus violated by this president and his Homeland Security secretary, Alejandro Mayorkas. Last week's visit to Mexico by Mayorkas and Secretary of State Antony Blinken was window dressing and will solve nothing.

It's also worth being reminded of what immigration laws say: "Any alien who (1) enters or attempts to enter the United States at any time or place other than as designated by immigration officers, or (2) eludes examination or inspection by immigration officers, or (3) attempts to enter or obtains entry to the United States by a willfully false or misleading representation or the willful concealment of a material fact, shall, for the first commission of any such offense, be fined under title 18 or imprisoned not more than 6 months, or both, and, for a subsequent commission of any such offense, be fined under title 18, or imprisoned not more than 2 years, or both." None of those penalties are being imposed, incentivizing more to come.

Pictures of the flood of migrants making their way to the U.S. on foot and by other means — hundreds of thousands of them — are evidence our immigration laws are not being faithfully executed by the Biden administration. Some estimates put the number of undocumented migrants currently in the U.S. at 11 million. Cities, including "sanctuary cities" like New York and Chicago, are being overwhelmed. Appeals by their Democrat mayors to the president are ignored.

Some conservative commentators — including me — suspect that the motive of especially Democrats is to "import" future votes for their party. They say that's what "a path to citizenship" is about. A cynic might say that migrants, who are receiving so much free stuff at the expense of U.S. citizens and our tax dollars, will vote for Democrats out of gratitude and to keep the benefits coming. Listening to interviews — mostly on Fox because other media are ignoring or downplaying the crisis — it is clear that many, if not most of the migrants, are coming to America for economic reasons, not because they are being persecuted in their home countries. This cannot continue or the economic strength of America that draws them here will be weakened.

The New York Post recently reported (with pictures) some migrants in New York going door-to-door asking for money, food and clothes. Panhandling has moved from street corners to private homes. How long will that be tolerated?

History proves that when nations fail to control their borders they cease to exist or are greatly diminished in their character and purpose. What about the rights of citizens born in America? Some migrants who obeyed the law and entered the country legally are understandably angry at those who did not.

The United States is unlikely to be an exception to the judgment of history. If the president and Secretary Mayorkas are not impeached, it will be a sign to future migrants that nothing will impede their march to America.

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Cal Thomas, America's most-syndicated columnist, is the author of 10 books.