Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson has some interesting views about illegal aliens.

CNS reports on a speech Johnson gave to the US Conference of Mayors - itself, a notorious group supporting "sanctuary cities.":

Speaking at the United States Conference of Mayors on Friday, Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said the approximately 11 million people who are in the country illegally have "earned the right to be citizens."

"An earned path to citizenship for those currently present in this country is a matter of, in my view, homeland security to encourage people to come out from the shadows," said Johnson, in what he remarked was one of his first public speeches since being confirmed as the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) chief in December.

"It is also, frankly, in my judgment, a matter of who we are as Americans," he said, "to offer the opportunity to those who want to be citizens, who've earned the right to be citizens, who are present in this country--many of whom came here as children--to have the opportunity that we all have to try to become American citizens."

Wha? The overwhelming majority of us don't need the "opportunity" to "become American citizens" because we were born here (or legally entered the country and naturalized) and are already citizens. Methinks Mr. Johnson is taking that empathy thing a little to far.

"An earned path to citizenship for those currently present in this country is a matter of, in my view, homeland security to encourage people to come out from the shadows, to be accountable, to participate in the American experience, the American society," he said.

Most illegals live openly in the US, sending their kids to public schools, getting free health care and food stamps, and generally thumbing their noses at any enforcement efforts. Why we should now, in addition to all that, allow them to become citizens is beyond me.

There is no doubt that legal immigration is broken and we need to fix it. But a "path to citizenship" for lawbreakers shouldn't be part of the deal.