In late January, Mexican citizen Edgar Tamayo died by lethal injection in Texas, convicted of murdering a 24 year old police officer. The execution marked the start of a new year of capital punishments in Texas. The death occurred despite the persistent calls by Mexican officials for a halt of the sentence, claiming that a treaty between the United States and Mexico allowed for the inmate to contact the Mexican embassy for representation. At the same time, Amanda Knox wept in her Seattle home, as an Italian court convicted her in a 2007 murder of her former roommate, a case that she had been acquitted of in 2011. She has served four years of a 26-year sentence in Italy. Now, according to U.S law, she claims that she could not be tried again for this crime. Yet, she committed it in Italy, and their law codes must remain sovereign– or do they?

The Constitution exists as the highest law of the land in the United States. No Supreme Court ruling, executive order by the President, or legislation passed by Congress can even dent the Founding Father’s writing from the 19th century. Knox was tried in Italy, where the Constitution has no sovereignty. Yet, many people call for her release, claiming double jeopardy. Where does American law stop, and other laws take into effect? The bloated sense of entitlement taints the world view of American citizens, as their hypocritical nature calls for sovereignty in other lands, but denies it for foreign nationals in our own country. The state of Texas refused to hear Mexican authorities calls for action, with the Mexican authorities claiming a treaty would allow their own citizens to have proper representation for their own country. Yet American authorities state that Knox should walk free, just because of American law.

America’s history with immigrants often brings memories of bloodshed, improper imprisonment, and even torture. When does Washington address the treatment of foreigners in our country, and entitle them to the rights of their native country? Americans who live abroad should abide by the laws of the land, and we should honor these codes. If we don’t, the backlash of our harsh punishment will likely come back and hit even harder.