American lawyers, when admitted to practice law, swear, or these days affirm, that they will uphold the laws and Constitution of the United States.  Moreover, every state has promulgated its own laws — laws that attorneys practicing within that state must also swear to follow. 

In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, every active practicing attorney must take 12 credits of Continuing Legal Education (CLE) courses annually — two of which must be on ethics.  This CLE requirement varies by state. 

Somebody forgot to tell the presenters of a Constitutional Law Symposium I attended, held in Philadelphia in 2007, that they were supposed to be presenting a CLE that upholds the law, not trashes it.  Typically, constitutional law CLEs cover an update on recent Supreme Court decisions, analysis of a decision's impact, or analysis of a specific part of the Constitution itself.

On this day, the panel comprised law school deans and constitutional law professors from Pennsylvania law schools and those from three adjoining states.  The course was attended by approximately 200 lawyers.  Television personality Larry Mendte emceed the videotaped forum. 

The presenters at the CLE immediately set up their true agenda by asking, with a show of hands, how many attendees had already broken some sort of law that morning.  Almost all the attendees raised their hands; I did not.  At least, on that morning, I had not broken any traffic rules.  Their intent was obvious: everyone breaks the law, albeit in little or large ways, so their subsequent blatant advocacy for breaking immigration laws was okay — a logical step on the continuum of breaking "dumb laws" that didn't fit their narrative and with which they didn't agree. 

When I couldn't stand the gall of the bait and switch anymore, I asked the deans how it was possible that they, as lawyers and heads of prestigious law schools, who had taken oaths to defend the Constitution of the United States, federal laws, and the laws of their respective states, could advocate such flagrant lawbreaking.  Not a single one answered.  Sadly, I did not receive much approbation from the attendees, either.  Only a handful talked to me after the class ended to express their agreement.

Americans have raged against the legal injustices that abounded during Justice Kavanaugh's judicial

farce of a Supreme Court nomination hearing.  They have raged against the lawless foundation of the Mueller investigation that needlessly dragged on for interminable months.  The anguish continued during the lawless and partisan impeachment farce.  Yet the lawless injustice of these three craven ordeals is not the worst offense lawless lawyers and their vicious Democrat minions have heaped on the American people, as nightmarish as those have been. 

Sanctuary cities, elevating illegals' rights above those of American citizens, brazenly flouting laws and lawlessly refusing to assist federal enforcement agencies in punishing criminals and diminishing crime, and facilitating censorship and thuggish mob behavior are worse.  They demolish a fair judicial system, eviscerating America's rule of law, and steal unfathomable wealth from the American people and bestow it on illegals, illegally. 

Crime in Philadelphia, including murders, has spiked, as have the crime statistics in all the other Democrat-controlled sanctuary cities and counties.  Interestingly, while these ignorati clamor for gun control, attacks by knife are proliferating.  Inner-city neighborhoods, inhabited by illegals from third-world countries, are littered with glass, their police stations armed posts encased in iron bars, and the scattered commercial establishments identified only in foreign languages.  These exist scant distances from the über-expensive, glittering high-rise condos that are ing out the middle class.

The Democrats shed crocodile tears over poverty, minimum wages, and broken inner-city schools.  More money, they cry.  Wealth inequality, they proclaim.  But more money is not the answer to the problems their feckless programs have created and perpetuated.  What does one expect when millions of poverty-stricken, uneducated, and law-breaking illegals flood these very inner cities that the Democrats welcome and facilitate with huge handouts?

The retired American citizen, who has worked for decades, receives an average monthly Social Security check of between $1,400 and $1,500 per month.  Under Obama's presidency, the cost to feed and house an illegal minor was between $4,000 and $5,000 per month.  The economic costs surrounding all aspects of illegals continue to be staggering. 

Especially egregious is the creeping demise of the rule of law in California.  There, illegals are even allowed to obtain law degrees and practice as lawyers.  Spanish is the predominant language in over 50% of the public schools.  Tent cities and attendant filth proliferate. 

In many other states, driver's licenses are doled out like candy to illegals.  These licenses are the golden passport to welfare and food stamp handouts, as well as the opportunity to vote.  This is the Democrats' ultimate hypocrisy, if their bottom is even possible.  In the Democrats' endless campaign for free stuff and social justice (wealth redistribution), they have created the entire woeful system they cynically rail against.

Who believes their tired excuse that by not enforcing federal immigration laws, the local police garner more illegals' cooperation in enforcing other criminal prosecutions?  Baloney.  Foreigners come from countries that fear or ignore law enforcement. 

Thankfully, President Trump is pushing back on the lawlessness and devastating attack on extant federal laws.  By denying New York State driver's license–holders access to airport fast pass and global entry, he is proclaiming: no more.  He is backing up his proclamation with federal agents flooding the Democrat-controlled sanctuary cities in a strong effort to enforce federal immigration laws.  Four more years of Trump's presidency, and one hopes this scourge on American cities will be over.

Lynne Lechter is an elected member of the Pennsylvania Republican State Committee, an international lawyer, and a litigator practicing in Philadelphia.