It’s the ‘illegal’ part that is so very dangerous
To the editor:
I have often thought that if we have to have a discussion and debate about the aspects of illegal immigration, then we have lost the argument already. It seems so obvious and so clear that the real and serious fallouts from illegal immigration are so grave that one should not even have to argue the point. To be clear, I speak of “illegal” immigration, not the legal immigration that most immigrants utilize. America is a nation of immigrants, mostly legal, so we must be very clear on the difference between legal and illegal, and the disasters that await our country if illegal immigration goes unchecked. Legal immigration is a great thing for our country, but illegal immigration is an extremely grave and dangerous problem for our country. It is unfortunate that the case even needs to be argued about illegal immigration.
During the 1980s, President Ronald Reagan said that if a country cannot control its own borders, then it really is not a country. In a speech on the Senate floor in the 1990s, Democrat Senator Harry Reid said that only an insane country would offer a reward for being illegal as Reid condemned the policy of anchor babies. President Teddy Roosevelt’s view on legal immigration versus illegal immigration was also quite clear. Near the beginning of the 20th Century, T.R. stated that every immigrant coming to America “must be treated on an exact equality with everyone else,” and “cannot be discriminated against because of creed, birthplace, or origin.” However, T.R. added that this is “predicated on the man becoming in very fact an American, and nothing but an American.” There can be no hyphen and “no divided allegiance here” for the immigrant coming into America. Roosevelt closed with, “we have room but for one flag, the American flag.” Most believe that this policy, this theory, this goodwill seemed to work pretty well for America these last one hundred years.
America is at war right now. We are in a war against Radical Islam. We ignored this up until 9/11. On 9/11 we were shown that the Radical Islamists were serious about their war against America and Israel as well. One simply cannot imagine that during WW II, anyone of a serious responsible maturity would call for open borders with Germany, Italy, or Japan. It would have been thought ludicrous and possibly even traitorous to propose that we have an open border, non-government sanctioned entrance into America, from the Axis Powers of Japan, Germany, and Italy. Still today, during our War on Terrorism, we have leaders calling for open borders as they turn a blind eye to the real and obvious dangers of illegal immigration. One would have to ask why these leaders, especially during a time of war, would want open borders and illegal immigration into our land? One would think the potential answers to the question of openly allowing illegal immigration are very troubling for the future sovereignty of our nation.
If we are allowing open borders and illegal immigration in our country, is there not a very big chance that Al-Qaida, ISIS, and other terrorist groups know this? If sleeper cells are smart enough to bring down the Twin Towers on 9/11, they are certainly wise enough to read the papers and figure out that the political leadership class in Washington, D.C. is not going to enforce our borders. The political class in our nation’s capital is refusing to follow the federal laws in regard to border security. Radical Islam knows this. Al Qaeda knows this. Iran knows this. It seems almost suicidal for our leadership to allow this. If one were to tell FDR or Truman during WW II, or tell Reagan during the Cold War, that we have leadership in our country allowing open borders that endanger our national security, they would simply not believe it. They would feel that this, especially during a time of war, is akin to treason. Why in the world would leadership in D.C. today want to make our borders less secure, especially during a time of war?
It is important to reemphasize that we are a nation of immigrants. We were built on immigration. Legal immigration is one of the key factors that has made America so strong, so dynamic, and such an exceptional empire. Yes, an exceptional empire. Second to none. But that is legal, government sanctioned immigration, not the illegal, no one knows for sure who is coming into our country, illegal immigration. Legal immigration is very powerful and strong; illegal immigration is very dangerous and quite possibly suicidal. One must wonder whether a “Balkanization” of the American territory is what some political entities and special interests groups are scheming for.
When the political class of leadership chooses not to enforce federal law something is quite wrong. When those who have taken an oath to the U.S. Constitution willfully ignore it, something is very nefarious. Some have said it is because the Democrats want cheap votes, while the Chambers of Commerce want cheap labor. All the while the Republican leadership in D.C. seems scared of its own shadow. One would almost feel better if this were the case and it were not something worse than these two selfish motives. But some worry the goal of illegal immigration is much more sinister. When some cities choose to be Sanctuary Cities, and not follow federal law, and the Feds do nothing, one must wonder what is really going on. I would have to believe that if a city chose not to follow the Civil Rights Acts of 1964 and 1965, the Feds would rightfully step in immediately. And they should. When a city, on its own, chooses not to obey federal law and nothing happens, anarchy awaits. Maybe that is what some political leaders and special interest groups want. We have a President in the White House today, our Chief Executive Officer of the Executive branch, who refuses to enforce and budget for the executive federal laws already on the books in regard to border security and national sovereignty.
This all might be happening because some have a guilty conscious to America’s greatness and empire. It might be happening because our president believes that most of the world’s problems were caused by the United States and he is simply tilting the playing field in the opposite direction for an apology world-wide. It might be because too many people are back into a 9/10 mode where they see no threat from enemies abroad. It might be happening because some special interest groups see illegal immigration as great for them and their economic bottom line. Whatever the reason, whatever the motive, whatever the goal; throughout the annals of history, countries and empires do not last if they are not in control of their borders and their sovereignty is impotent. Those empires and those countries who have given up their borders are in the history books of old, not in the current events of today.
Andrew William Coy
Fort Myers