Tough on illegals

Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt's position on illegal immigrants is clear: He wants Missouri's laws and enforcement activities to plainly signal that undocumented residents are not going to be tolerated.

To that end, Blunt already has asked state law enforcement officers to check the immigration status of anyone who is incarcerated. So far, he said, more than 100 illegal immigrants have been turned over to federal authorities. He has pushed for state law enforcement officers to be deputized so they can enforce federal immigration laws. And he has sought tighter oversight of state-financed construction projects to contractors that get state incentives so they don't hire illegal immigrants.

In a visit to Cape Girardeau last week, the governor announced another step to crack down on illegal immigrants. Although Missouri already has procedures to keep illegal immigrants from obtaining a driver's license, Blunt would like to see a law passed that would specifically prohibit illegal aliens from getting licenses and set penalties for those involved in violations of the proposed law.

In addition, Blunt is proposing laws that would penalize individuals who are in the state illegally and punish those who help illegal immigrants obtain licenses.

While Blunt's proposals may seem like overkill to some, the fact is that governors and state legislatures elsewhere are leaning the other way, favoring the granting of the rights and privileges to illegal aliens that are afforded to citizens. As long as Blunt is governor, he wants the opposite message to be crystal clear.