Hundreds of thousands of illegal aliens cross our border each year and many of them are eventually released into the United States with no punishment. How does this work? In most cases, Customs and Border Patrol officials arrest those crossing the border illegally then release them days or weeks later. The reasoning for releasing such criminals varies. Some are released because there isn’t enough room to detain. According to Breitbart.com, in October of 2017, “The Department of Homeland Security wants to rent more space in jails in Chicago, Detroit, Minnesota, and Utah, to hold more illegal immigrants before their repatriation, according to a federal request to companies.” Others are released because of court rulings that demand the release of women and children after a certain amount of days.
The process of apprehending and holding illegals is confusing at times because it is determined by a mix of federal law, court rulings, and regulations from the executive branch. Nonetheless, many criminal aliens are captured, given a court date, then released into the United States. Some never return for their day in court.
On Wednesday, April 4 President Trump signed a proclamation to deploy National Guard troops to the southern border with Mexico. In a brief interaction with reporters, the president estimated that he would send 2,000 to 4,000 guardsmen. When announcing the specifics of this policy, Secretary of Homeland Security, Kirstjen Nielson said "Our current border security and immigration laws fail the American people. The system rewards bad behavior. It does not punish lawbreakers. It undermines our nation's economic interests."
The “system” Nielson is likely referencing is the one which releases illegal immigrants into the public, often to never be seen again.
The action of sending the National Guard to the border is not new. Both President Bush and President Obama sent National Guard troops to secure the southern border. How is this done? The action is taken under Title 32 of federal law which allows each state governor, with permission from the executive branch, to deploy troops to aid in defending America’s borders from those entering without permission. In this case, the illegal aliens are mostly coming from Central and South America.
The crisis on the southern border is both a constitutional and a humanitarian crisis. It is a constitutional crisis because the Constitution and federal law outline how aliens can enter the U.S. and become citizens. Allowing hundreds of thousands of people to bypass this process, creates a crisis. This is also a humanitarian crisis because hundreds of people die each year trying to cross the border.
America is the most generous country when it comes to immigration. As a nation, we allow hundreds of thousands of legal immigrants to enter the United States each year. This is something that makes America great. We welcome everyone, so long as they follow our laws.
What is going on at the southern border is a travesty created by decades of ineptitude in Washington, D.C. We desperately need an end to this constant surge of illegal aliens. It is not compassionate to allow hundreds of people to die and countless families to be separated because we fail to secure our border. Not to mention the countless women who are raped and abused by criminals, traffickers, and drug cartels. This is the tragedy of which most refuse to speak.
The solution? A border wall. One that President Trump has touted for several years. Our feckless politicians have failed to provide the money to build such a wall.
The upside of a wall? Illegal immigration will sharply decline, thus opening up the stream of legal immigrants. Ultimately, the more America can clamp down on illegal entries, the more we can open our doors to legal entries.
Currently, hundreds of thousands of individuals are cutting line. It is time to put an end to this cheating of the system and reward those who enter our country through just and legal means. No more rewarding bad behavior. This is the moral thing to do.
