--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't think you get that ask unless you…" description: "\"I don't think you get that ask unless you first enforce the law, and demonstrate you secured the border. And still whatever this does to our hearts, an..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/008/steve-king-10383_asks_i-don-t-think-you-get-that-ask-unless-yo_761568.jpg" --- # I don't think you get that ask unless you first enforce… ![“I don't think you get that ask unless you first enforce the law, and demonstrate you secured the border. And still whatever this does to our hearts, and it tugs on mine, too, but the most important thing is to restore the respect for the rule of law.” quote by Steve King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/008/steve-king-10383_asks_i-don-t-think-you-get-that-ask-unless-yo_761568.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/008/steve-king-10383_asks_i-don-t-think-you-get-that-ask-unless-yo_761568.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/008/steve-king-10383_asks_i-don-t-think-you-get-that-ask-unless-yo_761568.jpg) > “I don't think you get that ask unless you first enforce the law, and demonstrate you secured the border. And still whatever this does to our hearts, and it tugs on mine, too, but the most important thing is to restore the respect for the rule of law.” [Steve King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-king/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Enforcing law and securing borders is presented as prerequisite to moral respect for legal order. **In simple terms:** Law enforcement first, then respect. Key Takeaway Secure borders, then uphold law. Themes law order nationalism Mood authorious defensive Type political controversial When to use this quote - immigration policy - border control - public discourse - legislative debate Key Concepts sovereignty security political rhetoric Questions to Reflect On - How does border security affect civil liberties? - Can law be respected without strict enforcement? A Different Perspective May overlook human rights concerns and nuanced policy solutions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Borders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/borders/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Immigration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/immigration/) [Important things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important-things/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect/) [Rule of law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rule-of-law/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [I worked 30 years to try to restore respect for the rule of law because of Ronald Reagan's amnesty in 1986. And I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-king/i-worked-30-years-to-try-to-restore-respect-for-the-rule-of-law/) [Steve King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-king/) > [I'm not saying abolish group work - I think there's a time and a place for people to come together and exchange ideas, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cain/i-m-not-saying-abolish-group-work-i-think-there-s-a-time-and-a-place/) [Susan Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cain/) > [For those broadcasters who are less than responsible, the FCC needs to have sharper teeth to enforce the law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-upton/for-those-broadcasters-who-are-less-than-responsible-the-fcc-needs-to/) [Fred Upton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-upton/) > [There are some situations where the police need to have adequate resources on hand in order to be able to go into a situation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-wheeler/there-are-some-situations-where-the-police-need-to-have-adequate/) [Ted Wheeler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-wheeler/) > [When you have to pass a law to make a man let me have a house, or you have to pass a law to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/when-you-have-to-pass-a-law-to-make-a-man-let-me-have-a-house-or-you/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [“The power to enforce the law, which carries with it the equally salient power not to enforce the law, is a president’s most imposing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-mccarthy/the-power-to-enforce-the-law-which-carries-with-it-the-equally/) [Andrew McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-mccarthy/) > [We need not only an executive to make international law, but we need the military forces to enforce that law and the judicial system…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-cronkite/we-need-not-only-an-executive-to-make-international-law-but-we-need/) [Walter Cronkite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-cronkite/) > [I am not a proponent of the death penalty, but I will enforce the law as this Congress gives it to us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-holder/i-am-not-a-proponent-of-the-death-penalty-but-i-will-enforce-the-law/) [Eric Holder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-holder/) > [“When you were trying to enforce law and order, it was difficult to explain that the rules did not actually apply to you personally.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-follett/when-you-were-trying-to-enforce-law-and-order-it-was-difficult-to/) [Ken Follett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-follett/) > [Finally, a good prosecutor knows that her job is to enforce the law without fear or favor. 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Humphrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hubert-h-humphrey/) > [I'm sometimes asked why it is that for 30 years we seem to have trouble in the United States enforcing the rules against illegal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chertoff/i-m-sometimes-asked-why-it-is-that-for-30-years-we-seem-to-have/) [Michael Chertoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chertoff/) > [Trying to enforce our out-of-touch laws is as foolish and impossible as trying to enforce a law requiring that water flow uphill.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-polis/trying-to-enforce-our-out-of-touch-laws-is-as-foolish-and-impossible/) [Jared Polis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-polis/) > [So the first task of a police force is not to fight crime and enforce the law. It is to establish legitimacy with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/so-the-first-task-of-a-police-force-is-not-to-fight-crime-and-enforce/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [If the Biden administration won't enforce the law, let's empower those that will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-tuberville/if-the-biden-administration-won-t-enforce-the-law-let-s-empower-those/) [Tommy Tuberville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-tuberville/) ## More by Steve King > [I worked 30 years to try to restore respect for the rule of law because of Ronald Reagan's amnesty in 1986. And I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-king/i-worked-30-years-to-try-to-restore-respect-for-the-rule-of-law/) [Steve King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-king/) > [If Jews in the name of their religion were killing Americans, then I think that would be an appropriate comparison. 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By the way, they always have been, and more so now than ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-king/muslims-are-a-part-of-the-fabric-of-this-country-by-the-way-they/) [Steve King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-king/) > [If we have an element of Americans here that reject western civilization, and that's a big element, that reject western civilization, then what have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-king/if-we-have-an-element-of-americans-here-that-reject-western/) [Steve King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-king/) > [It is not proven, it's not science. It's more of a religion than a science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-king/it-is-not-proven-it-s-not-science-it-s-more-of-a-religion-than-a/) [Steve King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-king/) > [Muslims are absolutely integrating into the United States. 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And suddenly forever seems like too short a time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-andreas/there-is-nothing-more-i-ask-of-this-life-than-this-moment-exactly-so/) [Brian Andreas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-andreas/) > [Success will come when the societal attitude changes and not a single woman in America asks herself the question 'What did I do?'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/success-will-come-when-the-societal-attitude-changes-and-not-a-single/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [The most fundamental question we can ever ask ourselves is whether or not the universe we live in is friendly or hostile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-most-fundamental-question-we-can-ever-ask-ourselves-is-whether-or/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [The rich people are apparently leaving America. They're giving up their citizenship. 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