Are some laws worse than others? Morally questionable? Are some laws okay to break, sometimes? There are speed limits posted in (usually) regular intervals along the highway, yet, many people still speed. Sometimes I see police officers speed too. Living for more than thirty years now, I have had plenty of conversations with people where they had admitted to speeding themselves to a few miles over the speed limit or more. Thus, through my own empirical experience living in the United States, it seems that some laws are seen as ‘less’ mandatory than others by the average American.

And though people of the U.S. will decry those who break the law (as per illegal immigrants) – it is not ‘perfect lawfulness’, which those such people would want out of those around them, not if they are okay with even ‘low’ speeding, which by itself is breaking the law. If it is not perfect lawfulness which is sought and practiced, it is then ‘general lawfulness’ instead, or the ‘spirit of lawfulness’. If speeding is low on the ladder of lawfulness, that must mean things are high, no? Murder and assault, and the like, are likely at the other end.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is better funded than most nations' militaries. The crime of being in the nation illegally is being taken exceptionally seriously, even against those who would otherwise be generally lawful. On top of that, ICE is even deporting people illegally, people who have orders by U.S. judges – those who weigh lawfulness – orders which forbid deportations. In a recent BBC interview by interviewer Layla Khodabakhshi of an Iranian Christian man named ‘Majid’ who was forcibly deported by ICE even though he had orders by a U.S. judge which forbade it, Majid revealed that he ran from Iran because he was persecuted for being Christian.

The BBC reported that dozens of Christian Iranians were placed on a flight by ICE, in shackles, and deported to Iran, to a place where “Death to America” is chanted from the highest tower, and Christians are persecuted.

Christians on the political right in the United States (Charlie Kirk, Lauren Bobert) have both stated in the past that they believe in the combination of the Church and State. Though the number of Christians worldwide continues to slide, and though a Christian State is wanted, the political right will still send Christians to a country with a plethora of human rights abuses.

So, illegal immigration is more important than even legal(ness?) If ICE ignores the orders of a judge, it makes their activity illegal. And, if following the rising desire on the political right to make the U.S. a Christian state among declining numbers of Christians, then this is even more illogical. If they weren't paying taxes, then make them pay taxes – but in Majid’s case, he had a court order to stay, so he was known about by the government.

Many Americans seem to ignore their own general lawfulness, demanding perfect lawfulness from others, even when it is contradictory to their own goals and aspirations. That extreme level of funding that the ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ gave ICE should have instead been given to the FBI and police stations around the United States, and those many billions of dollars to schools to expand and hire more teachers. Perhaps, maybe to have it so the children of the U.S. stop eating that cold slop that they serve them day after day. Who expects their children to develop the healthiest brains with what they are served?!

Education, both morally and intellectually, is what lessens crime before it happens.

Should some people be deported? Yeah, send those who have committed horrible crimes back to where they came from, Christian or not. But illegal immigration? Especially enforced by people who illegally deport people?

Lo, I say unto you that the irony is lost.

Austin Petak is an aspiring novelist and freelance journalist who loves seeking stories and the quiet passions of the soul. If you are interested in reaching out to him to cover a story, you may find him at austinpetak@gmail.com.

Opinions expressed by columnists in The Daily Record are not necessarily those of its management or staff, and do not constitute an endorsement or recommendation. Any errors or omissions should be called to our attention so that they may be corrected. Contact us at news@omahadailyrecord.com.