Is There Really A Crisis At The Southern Border?
by JR
If you listen to Trump and the boys, the U.S. is suffering from an infestation of creatures invading from the southern regions of North America. No not iguanas, people.
Like many things in this world, this is a matter of opinion. It is true that every year hundreds of thousands of people attempt to cross from south of the U.S. border into the United States, either to find work, to seek political asylum, to seek a better life for themselves and their families, or even potentially to commit crimes. The reputation of the United States as a beacon of freedom and opportunity is a strong attraction for people who have little, and that describes many of those from the troubled lands of Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala.
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Donald Trump campaigned as the antidote to this infestation or plague, with "build the wall" being his second most popular theme song, behind only "lock her up", and Trump realizes that his MAGA aura relies on him being hard line on immigration.
But, may we ask, why? What is the crisis that exists now that puts our "national security" at risk? It is true that someone could conceivably transport "weapons of mass destruction" over the border into the US, but it is also true that millions who live here already have the opportunity to create such weapons as well.
The "crisis" is not a military one , or a matter of urgent "national security", it is more a matter of psychological distress and failing pride in ethnic identity. If a couple hundred thousand brown immigrants can waltz into the US from the south every year, it will only be a matter of time before America becomes majority hispanic. It could be a long long time, but if the influx never stopped surely America would brown. Since many white people tend to believe that this is a "white" country , having hundreds of thousands or millions of brown people come here uninvited is a big deal. This is understood.
We still have to ask though, what is the crisis NOW? What caused President Trump to order that children and babies be separated from their parents when apprehended on US territory? Explaining this is the easiest part of all. Trump had told his followers that his tenure as president has all but shut down illegal entry into the US. Throughout 2017 he said this often and at that point there was some truth. Last year illegal entries on the southern border were way down from previous years.
This year though that has no longer been the case. Apprehensions of illegal immigrants crossing the border is back up to the level it was at during most of the 2010's. Thus Trump was in danger of being compared to , gasp, Obama. Also, and more importantly, Trump's plan to wall off the border has died on the vine. He is in danger of being seen as impotent in regards to his major campaign pledge to his white nationalist political base. No wall, and the "infestation" is proceeding. Even growing a little.
But why is there a crisis today , as opposed to the past, let's say a time when MANY MORE people crossed the border illegally from the south. Although the political right liked to mock Obama, for the most part illegal entries were down during the Obama years from what had gone on previously.
The number of immigrants living in the U.S. illegally is at its lowest in more than a decade and, for the first time in years, has probably dropped below 11 million.
A new study by the Center for Migration Studies estimates that 10.9 million immigrants are living in the country without authorization. That is the lowest level since 2003 and the first time the number has dipped below 11 million since 2004.
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I suspect most of it is forward thinking preventative measures. The real crisis is if the Dems get power one day and decide to legalize them. They will be eligible for all kinds of government assistance. Probably better to boot them now as a precautionary measure.
This has always seemed like a manufactured "crisis". I do think that we need to have a fair but strict policy about immigration, so as to make it fair for people who are from other countries trying to immigrate to here who aren't able to walk in, but is it a "crisis" requiring what trump did this week? No, it is not.
It certainly is not a manufactured crisis to those of us who live smack on the border and have to deal with illegal aliens, drug and human smugglers on a daily basis 24/7/365! I have illegals running the alleys behind my house every night rain or shine. I know this for a fact because I have seen them on my video monitoring gear and my three dogs bark up a storm when they pass through the neighborhood. It never ceases to amaze me hoy so many on the left are unable to see or refuse to acknowledge the victims on this side of the border who are the citizens and legal residents who routinely have their houses broken into, especially the farmers and ranchers who live in the many rural areas right on the border. You do not hear many on the left bemoaning the destruction of property left behind in the wake of said illegals and smugglers. You don't hear about the slaughtered livestock and pets killed for food. You do not hear about the impact on the livelihood of said farmers and ranchers. And most of all, you do not see or hear about the mountains of trash left behind on peoples property in the wake of their passing through whom the property owners are left to deal with along with broken fencing. While I do sympathize with the plight of those coming north to our borders to make a better liver for themselves and their children, what the left just does not want to hear is that illegal is still illegal and where does the line in the sand get drawn? Sadly, there is no clear cut answer from the left as to why those of us on the border should have to bear the brunt of their bleeding heart attitudes and not care about those of us here legally that are just as much victims of the very real illegal immigrant crisis!
Sorry, my comments were meant in reply to bbl-1 rather than you.
Not disagreeing with anything you said. I know that is the situation. But, there is a reason these people are fleeing their native lands. If America can help fix those problems, these problems will also be fixed.
Punishing people for seeking security and safety is...…...not really very American, is it? Aren't we better than this? Or not?
The 'border crises' is manufactured.
The rise of right wing extremism is real. People like DJT need enemies and scapegoats to shield their lust for authoritarianism. The weak and insipid are the prime silage.
There is indeed. The crisis is that without those immigrants we would be facing a population shortfall and in 30 years there wouldn't be enough workers to support all the retired and children in the country. We need those bodies because Americans aren't producing them.
Labor shortfall in the US? Really? Are you implying that immigrant labor is needed because 'white trumpers' are either to stupid or too lazy to fill the labor markets?
Yes. Americans aren't meeting the 2.1 kids in order to maintain a stable population. Without immigrants we would be seeing stagnant at best, but most likely negative population growth.
I didn't suggest that at all. Immigrant labor is needed because Americans aren't having enough fucking kids (aka future workers) to prop up the demands of all the programs we like.
Just saw on Maddow.
The department of justice wants the military to send JAG down to the borders to prosecute people.
So now we will have the military doing this and now will have to be paid for by the military.
Supposedly, Trump also pulled the funding for legal aid in immigration cases. Not sure if this is true. But...…………….