Captain Chaotica

When I suggested that President Donald Trump ... 

Show Boating Protests In Front Of The National Guard Since The 1960's

... would keep bloggers and journalists busy, I didn't realise we would be this busy.

Not content with altering world trade conditions and throwing it into utter chaos. Or putting primary health care in the US at serious risk, by allowing his US Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr (a prominent vaccine sceptic and head case), to "retire" (aka sack) all 17 members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (Acip) and review all existing vaccinations, a committee that issues official government recommendations on immunisations, he has now apparently decided to use the National Guard in US cities and states (all Democrat controlled), where illegal immigration is tolerated, and any physical resistance to the removal of illegal immigrants occurs.

These states and cities refuse to assist federal authorities in detecting, detaining, and deporting the millions of illegal immigrants in the USA and don't check their immigration status even after arrests for other crimes. This is despite the fact that these policies cost them votes, even in high density immigrant areas. 

It's believed that there are between 10 and 11 million illegal immigrants in the USA, a figure that has been the same for a number of years. These range from visa over-stayers and asylum seekers to those who have entered the country via undocumented border crossings. However, you can't avoid the fact that they are all illegally in the country and are breaking federal laws. Trump campaigned strongly on this fact and gained considerable support across all states and demographics for this stance.

However his policies, have led to clashes with the so-called 'sanctuary cities and states' and legal challenges being mounted against various aspects of President Trumps handling of the illegal immigrant problem. Some of these will undoubtedly lead to cases going to the US Supreme Court for decisions on the scope of presidential power, the rights of children born to illegal immigrants to automatically be US citizens, and the power to block some groups from entering the US (legally or otherwise).

But in the meantime, President Trump is pressing ahead with the policies that play well with his supporters (and some Democrats), despite the protests in Los Angeles (Dem), Boston (Dem), Philadelphia (Dem), and even Houston (Dem).

It's hard to see how this is going to end well, because it brings to the forefront the question of individual states' powers, versus US federal laws and presidential powers. Fundamentally, it asks the question, "Are individual US states entitled to break or ignore US federal laws?"

In the end you either you have immigration laws that are enforced, or you don't have any laws and risk chaos.