The New York Times last week decided to help its readers understand the legal status of the flood of Syrian refugees pouring into Europe with an article, “Migrant or Refugee? There Is a Difference, With Legal Implications.” The short article, meant to straighten out misconceptions, perpetuates them. This would not be so bad if it were some barely-read fringe blogger writing from a remote [sunny, temperate] American corner somewhere, but this is the New York Times! The article asks the…

This week the media presented us with heart-jerking stories of undocumented aliens facing deportation followed by amazing intercessions. When I was a child I used to watch Superman with George Reeves on TV. I remember one scene, I think it happened a lot, where a man was about to be wrongly executed. Superman busted through a brick wall of the death chamber and stuck his arm in the switch just as the arm was being lowered to execute the victim…