Crisis/catastrophe/chaos/disaster at the US southern border

For those of you who are familiar with the popular movie, “Field of Dreams,” please pardon my choice of title, but I think it is appropriate to the content of the blog.

The information in this blog is derived primarily from various TV programs presented by Fox News, plus reportage in the NY Post.

In my opinion, anyone with a pair of eyes and an open mind can see that the situation at the southern border is ………, well, there are no words to describe it adequately. Catastrophe, crisis, disaster, calamity, FUBAR. Any or all of these apply. Pick your own description. Every day on the news (at least those outlets that report the real news) we are treated to the site of a caravan of illegals blithely strolling over the southern border or wading across the Rio Grande into the waiting arms of US Customs and Border Patrol personnel. Right before our very eyes the barriers at the border, the barriers that every other country in the world enforces stringently, or in some cases ruthlessly, has turned into a turnstile. Right before our very eyes, the country that had not been invaded since 1812 is being invaded. Not only is there no resistance; there is encouragement.

In my view, the Biden Administration’s official policy is “come one, come all.” We don’t need to know who you are, where you came from, why you are coming, or anything else about you. You may be a legitimate refugee seeking asylum, but you may also be a criminal, a human trafficker, a drug dealer, COVID-infected, or a terrorist. We don’t know and don’t need to know. This inane policy has aligned the Biden Administration with the likes of criminals, such as MS-13, drug cartels, human traffickers, and terrorists. Either (1) they are too dumb to care, (2) they support those entities, or (3) they think the American people are too dumb to notice, and too apathetic to care.

In Biden’s speeches he has made it clear that if you can make it here you can stay. VP Harris, Jen Saki and others in his administration have consistently denied there is any catastrophe/crisis/disaster/calamity/FUBAR at the border. In essence, their response to any mention of the problem is “are you going to believe what I tell you or what you see with your own eyes?” It was funny when the late Groucho Marx said it, but it is not funny now.

Many representatives of the administration have explicitly stated it will not only let you in but your whole family as well. Also, we will give you free medical, free education, welfare, and anything else you want or need. In actuality, it will provide more for you than it does for its own citizens. Think about that for a minute. How insane is that?

In addition, many migrants will also be able to vote, surreptitiously and illegally, of course. You will not be deported, even if you commit a crime, multiple crimes, even murder. Sounds like a great deal. If the Dems have their way soon the whole world will be living in the US. As it is, presently we have no idea of how many immigrants are living in the US illegally, nor the amount of illegal drugs they have brought in. The estimate of 20 million persons we hear all the time is obsolete and laughingly understated. The quantity of lethal drugs is unknown, but many law enforcement officials have opined it is enough to kill millions.

The Constitution states clearly that maintaining border integrity is the responsibility of the federal government. In fact, one might argue that it is its most important responsibility. It has been said that “if you don’t have [borders] you don’t have a country.”

In my opinion, by its actions (or inactions) the feds have abdicated that responsibility. In effect, by refusing to enforce immigration laws Biden has betrayed his oath of office. One of Biden’s first actions was to sign executive orders to reverse President Trump’s immigration policies, which had been very successful. This included, among other things, halting the construction of the border wall and reversing his “stay in Mexico” policy. Therefore, in my opinion, and that of many others, the border states now have the right, indeed the responsibility, to “step up” and protect their citizens and property. That brings us to the primary theme of this blog.

Recently, Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced that Texas would build its own border wall. The wall would be funded by a combination of excess state funds, for example, from the Department of Criminal Justice, and private donations. He intends to (1) seek the cooperation of local landowners where necessary, and (2) increase the number of border control agents. He characterized the situation in border communities in Texas and other states resulting from the unchecked flood of illegals as a “carnage.” He added that “homes are being invaded, neighborhoods [have become] dangerous and people are being threatened on a daily basis. Truly, it has become the “wild, wild West.” He is confident the state has the authority to arrest and prosecute migrants for such crimes as trespassing, vandalism, robbery, and assault. He added, make no mistake [about it], “the border crisis that we’re dealing with right now is a direct result of the open border policies that have been put in place by the Biden administration.” He is not alone. Reportedly, other border-state governors are considering joining in.

Even some Dems are weighing in. For example, Henry Cuellar, a liberal Democrat who represents a border district in South Texas and who normally is a staunch supporter of the administration agrees that the current policy is failing. Appearing on the far left news program, “Morning Joe,” he opined that the Biden Administration must “do more than just talk.” It needs to enforce the country’s immigration laws, which it has not been doing. He decried the morality of encouraging immigrants, especially women and minors, to place themselves in the hands of dangerous smugglers/criminals and trek thousands of miles to the US, a journey on which many will be brutalized, raped and even killed. He urged it to follow thru on deportations. Furthermore, he stressed Biden and/or Harris must actually visit the border to observe the situation firsthand. He specified, that a “staged visit is not enough.”

It should be noted that Harris, whom Biden told the nation was put in charge of resolving the border crisis has yet to actually visit the border. When queried by the media, she has disingenuously stated she will do so, but she has been vague as to when. Her ducking and dodging has fooled few people. Clearly, in deference to her far-left supporters, she is reluctant to do so. Instead, she visited Guatemala in order to get at the “root cause” of the immigration crisis. Her visit was a diplomatic disaster. The enduring soundbite was her hollow warning to would-be migrants telling them not to come to the US. They “would not be welcome” at the border. Her comments pleased no one; It drew criticism from her far-left base (such as AOC), moderates, and the president of Guatemala himself.

Furthermore, Cuellar expressed the same point as that denoted above, that, in reality, that the Biden Administration’s policies are supporting terrorists, smugglers, human traffickers and drug cartels who want to enter the country illegally. In particular, he stated that smugglers are making up to $8,000 per person, and over the years the total has run well into the billions. Whatever Cuellar’s motives for speaking out it seems his common sense and desire to protect his constituents has overridden his political bent, which I applaud.

Predictably, Abbott’s plan has drawn some criticism. For instance, the NY Times has expressed doubt on the legality of his plan and pointed out that he would likely face strong opposition from private landowners in border areas who had resisted prior attempts to have their land seized by eminent domain. In the same article, it quoted Domingo Garcia, the president of the League of United Latin American Citizens, which it characterized as “one of the oldest Latin civic organizations in the nation” as labeling Abbott’s plan “illegal, unconstitutional and immoral.”

According to Fox in just the month of May some 180,000 illegals were apprehended, and that that doesn’t count the ones that evaded apprehension. Moreover, the Texas Department of Public Safety reported an 800% increase in the quantity of fentanyl intercepted, which it reported was enough to kill in excess of 21 million Americans. 21 million! And that was just the amount intercepted. How about the amount that got through?

CONCLUSION

I am not the only one who thinks the Biden Administration’s immigration policies have been a disaster. The latest polls back me up. For example, the latest Harris-Harvard poll shows decisively that the people want our immigration laws enforced, and they blame the Biden Administration for creating the current crisis at the southern border by failing to do so. According to the poll, which was reported in The Hill and elsewhere, Americans want stronger borders by 85% to 15%. Roughly, 2/3 of the respondents felt that Biden’s policies “encourage[d] illegal immigration. 68% opined that aliens who crossed the border illegally should be deported. Furthermore, the latest Rasmussen poll disclosed that 66% of respondents considered the situation at the border to be a “crisis” with Biden to blame. Only 20% said it was not.

Let’s cut through the political BS and employ some common sense.

1. Of course, we need strong, effective borders. Any country would.
2. Of course, one of the key elements in a strong effective border is a wall.
3. Of course, they work. Why else did China build the “Great Wall.” Why else did the Vatican build its various walls? Why else do the wealthy and the privileged live in communities protected by walls and security guards?
4. To assert otherwise is disingenuous and insulting.
5. Of course, we need to be cognizant of who enters, why, and from where. The purpose is not racist as some claim, but for the security of the country and its citizens.

Quiz questions:

1. How long is the Great Wall of China, and how long did it take to build it?
2. When was the original Vatican Wall completed?

See answers below.

I maintain that Biden and his minions are on the wrong side of this issue. To some extent, currently, they are benefiting from voters’ focusing on other issues, such as rising crime, the economy and the prospect of inflation, but those distractions will not last forever. More and more voters are catching on to the real situation. The polls are speaking loudly and clearly. The will of the people cannot be denied or ignored indefinitely. The border crisis is untenable.at the present time. At that point, it will be interesting to see the Dems change their tune. After all, like all politicians, their primary goal is to get re-elected.

Quiz answers:

1. Approximately 13,000 miles. Approximately 2,000 years. Think of all the manpower it took to complete it.

2. 852, but there have been several additions since.