Don’t encourage sanctuary

The Jan. 7 Spokesman-Review editorial title “Keep law that gives immigrants sanctuary” seemed to conveniently refrain from using the word “illegal” before immigrant. In fact, I did not see the word illegal in the whole editorial. Even in the Jan. 6 Spokesman-Review article referring to the Monday Spokane City Council “sanctuary” debate, the paper showed its disdain for the word “illegal” when it stated that a speaker “spit out the words illegal alien.”

But the rule of law is what this issue is about. Are we going to be a nation of laws, or a nation that enforces only the laws that certain people like? If citizens of the United States do not like a law, they should work to change it, but until then they should obey the law.

Just because the president of the U.S. refuses to enforce federal law in regard to illegal entry, or because other cities become sanctuary cities, that does not justify the city of Spokane encouraging immigrants to enter and reside in the U.S. in violation of U.S. code.

Wayne Lawson

Spokane