For decades, America’s southern border has been virtually non-existent. On a map, one would be able to easily identify the border between the United States of America and Mexico. But having an agreed upon border and enforcing that border are two different discussions. The problem that America has faced is that in most places there is no physical barrier to stop or hinder illegal border crossings.
What has this lead to? It has led to millions of illegal border crossings over the past few decades. What happens to those who cross our border? In large part, those aliens are processed and then released into the U.S. mainland. This is because of various court rulings and the fact that the government has limited detention facility space to house these criminals.
Today, America has a minimum of 10 million illegal aliens living in the U.S. according to the Pew Research Center. Some immigration experts have suggested that it is much more than 10 million and even could be more than 20 million. Of the illegal and legal immigrants that are living in America, in 2012, 51% “...used at least one welfare program during the year, compared to 30 percent of native households. Welfare in this study includes Medicaid and cash, food, and housing programs.”
The Center for Immigration Studies report continues, “The heavy use of welfare by less-educated immigrants has three important policy implications: 1) prior research indicates that illegal immigrants are overwhelmingly less-educated, so allowing them to stay in the country creates significant welfare costs; 2) by admitting large numbers of less-educated immigrants to join their relatives, the legal immigration system brings in many immigrants who are likely to access the welfare system; and 3) proposals to allow in more less-educated immigrants to fill low-wage jobs would create significant welfare costs.”
What kind of American Dream with liberty for all ends up where the government supports you or where a shrinking portion of working America supports those who don't, won't, or can't? Or is that the Democratic plan where illegal immigrants and current American citizens become legally enslaved and indebted to start voting for a “bigger government” so they can continue to receive benefits? The long-term effect is the collapse of America as we know it, and a government so big we lose more and more freedoms.
This illegal immigrant problem is an injustice that affects legal American citizens in three major ways. First, the American taxpayer is footing the bill for the millions of illegal aliens who reside in the United States. Second, the illegal immigrants who hold a job are working at the expense of an unemployed American citizen. Millions of Americans each year struggle to find a job and thus remain unemployed for weeks, months, or even years. Lastly, the drugs and crime (see here) that flow across the southern border is overwhelming. This has a devastating effect on American families.
There are many people to blame here. The judges, lawmakers, and of course the illegal aliens themselves are to blame. Washington has failed to secure America and build a wall along the southern border.
In 2015, candidate Donald Trump came into the equation and he campaigned and promised America that he would end this travesty by securing America’s borders and punishing those who trespass. Two years into his presidency and after much patience, the president has had enough of the political games in Washington. The president understands that the voters who sent him to Washington expect him to follow through on his promise to secure our country. This is why the president has refused to continue signing budget legislation that fails to secure the border. By shutting down the government, Donald Trump has forced Democrats into negotiations on this matter. This was one of his last options to force the issue.
A border wall is effective. Israel built roughly 150 miles of fencing along its border with Egypt and illegal immigration decreased by 99 percent. Other countries with barriers have shown a similar success.
It should have never got to this point. Washington should’ve already fixed this problem. But since we are where we are, I support President Trump and his decision to fight and do whatever it takes to stop the open border policies that negatively affect the American people. The president is simply carrying out his oath of office to “faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."
Editor's Note: This blog's photo is from August 15, 2008, in Granjeno, Texas, as construction workers create a border wall just north of the Rio Grande River.
