Thread: First battle is to regain border control

Georgie Anne Geyer: First battle is to regain border control

05:04 PM CDT on Monday, April 26, 2010

Can someone answer for me what should be a simple query about the future of the United States?

The question deals with illegal immigration and America's all-but-open border with Mexico. It is informed by the facts that the U.S. has a 10 percent unemployment rate, and that in the last three years more than 22,000 people have died in drug-related violence in Mexico, including Americans, while Mexicans are pouring into the U.S. from drug-ravaged border cities.

The question: Why should there be any disagreement between Democrats and Republicans, or between conservatives and liberals, or between Northerners, Southerners, Texans or Illinoisans, on controlling illegal immigration?

The fact, lost once again in the emotional hullabaloo over the issue, is that controlling the pandemic movement at the border is a need of such importance that one can only wonder at any judgments against it.

Last week, Arizona's governor signed a bill effectively making it a state crime to be an illegal immigrant. The state's most influential politician, Sen. John McCain, as well as respected Sen. Jon Kyl, both Republicans, not only immediately supported the bill but called upon President Barack Obama to deploy 3,000 National Guard troops to the Arizona border with Mexico, their argument being that the nation's borders must be secured before the White House pursues any broader immigration bill.

The term the two senators are using is "operational control" of the border – which the U.S. no longer has. In the last four months, the aggressiveness of Mexican and other illegals trying to cross the border has increased exponentially. They are now more frequently armed and they intentionally try to run American drivers off the road because police are required to stop pursuits if American citizens are endangered.

Consider that between 11 million and 20 million illegals are already in the U.S. and Latin gangs are exploding in numbers all over the country, and one would think there is sufficient cause for a country to act in a serious manner to protect its citizens. But, no.

So where are we as the Obama administration prepares to take on immigration reform?

First, McCain and Kyl are absolutely correct in their analysis. If any policy is to be effective – and not simply another "amnesty of 1986," which only opened the door to millions more illegals – our borders must be secured first.

Second, supporters of restrictions on illegal aliens ("illegal" – get it?) are absolutely right when they say that the United States, in particular the Congress, is not protecting its own people.

Third, the situation is becoming more serious by the day. Before, we were facing questions of population numbers, of the rights of citizenship and employment and of criminality. Now we are facing close to all-out war with the Mexican drug cartels, who are moving to "El Norte" itself.

It is far past the time that the U.S. government begins protecting American citizens and controlling entry to our land, instead of arguing sentimentally for the rights of foreigners. We must realize that it has nothing to do with being conservative or liberal, but everything to do with being commonsensical Americans concerned about our future.

Georgie Anne Geyer is a Washington Times columnist.

http://oneoldvet.com/

www.dallasnews.com

Originally Posted by jean

Georgie Anne Geyer: First battle is to regain border control

I think both sides of this issue agree with this, yet no one has done one thing to stop the flow of illegal aliens, drugs ect. into this country and regain control of our borders.

They have been saying this for 30 years, yet the border is worse than ever because a few greedy, grubby Americans who want cheap labor and cheap votes have prevented interior enforcement.

Originally Posted by bigtex

Originally Posted by jean

Georgie Anne Geyer: First battle is to regain border control

I think both sides of this issue agree with this, yet no one has done one thing to stop the flow of illegal aliens, drugs ect. into this country and regain control of our borders.

I'd say the recent action by Arizona is one thing.

Not to mention that our side has been trying to do something, but keeps getting thwarted by the Open Borders Lobby. If it wasn't for our side fighting it, there would have been another amensty in 2007.