Whatever happened to principle and adherence to the rule of law on the Left?

Nicholas Kristof’s column today essentially excuses illegal immigration because–well, his father almost had to commit marriage fraud to get here. From his column:

We need empathy, and humility. My father, a refugee from Eastern Europe, was preparing a fraudulent marriage to an American citizen as a route to this country when he was sponsored, making fraud unnecessary…
What most defines the 11 million undocumented immigrants in America is not illegality but undaunted courage and ambition for a better life. What separates their families from most of ours is simply the passage of time — and the lottery of birth.

But the fraud would have been apparently OK–to Kristof, a necessity, if you will–because all that matters is getting what you want.

Apparently because his father was willing to commit fraud back then, it means that we should quit worrying about immigration illegality today.

Like I asked: Whatever whatever happened to principle on the Left? Unless expedience has become principle. Come to think of it…