The Democratic Party must take a firm stand against illegal immigration. The stories of people fleeing extreme poverty, hunger, crime, and/or gang violence in their native country are truly heartbreaking. Most Americans sympathize with their situation and support legal, NOT illegal, immigration. Instead of going through the legal process, immigrants are illegally crossing the southern border in such large numbers that the entire U.S. immigration system is now reaching a breaking point. U.S. Border Patrol agents, ICE detention facilities, and immigration courts are being overwhelmed, with no relief in sight. This crisis has resulted in extremely overcrowded detention facilities, with ICE reportedly forced to implement haphazard “catch-and-release” policies that leave impoverished immigrants in American communities with little or no support. Even undocumented immigrants who are arrested and then deported often just turn around and illegally cross the border again. For this seemingly endless cycle of immigration chaos to stop, we MUST first secure our nation’s borders. The U.S. immigration system can function in a structured and orderly fashion once we first stop the flood of illegal border crossings.
To stabilize the situation and staunch the illegal immigration flow, President Biden should mobilize federal resources to proactively secure the U.S. southern border. President Biden then needs to work with Mexico and Central American governments to (1) help them properly secure their respective borders, (2) establish and fund temporary shelters in those countries for immigrants who wish to legally immigrate to the United States, (3) using modern technology, create a streamlined method for immigration applications to be submitted and reviewed, and (4) establish an official schedule to transport and process the immigrants who have been approved to enter the United States. Given the huge volume, this all must be done in a structured, well-organized way. For a long-term solution, President Biden should work with Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador and Central American governments to identify and enact win/win economic development projects in those countries. Fewer people will want to emigrate if their local economy is strong.
To be a moderate Democrat means to be in the mainstream of America. Still, every political party has extremist elements, and the Democratic Party is no exception. A small number of so-called “reform” officials and activists seem to think most Democrats want to “defund the police”, “abolish ICE”, and implement “open borders.” Frankly, that is not the case. This radical rhetoric is not supported by President Biden, most Democrats, or the general public. Law-abiding citizens, especially those in gang-infested and high crime areas, want more police protection, not less. U.S. citizens, especially those living in South Texas and along the border, want more ICE border enforcement, not less. Securing our national borders should not be political issue; it is a core responsibility of the federal government and essential for our national security (to prevent drug smuggling, illegal immigration, human trafficking, organized criminal activity, terrorism, etc.). Let’s all come together and crack down on illegal immigration so we can refocus our time/attention/resources on facilitating eligible, LEGAL immigration. Making everyone obey our immigration laws to enter and remain in the United States shouldn’t really be that controversial. Elected officials who support radical, unpopular proposals, or who seem to ignore or condone unlawful actions, will ultimately be defeated at the ballot box (as well they should).
For more information on the border crisis, please click on the link below.
UPDATE 8/12/21: It's just getting worse - see links below:
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