Much is being debated in Congress regarding immigration. Because I am an immigrant I thought I would add my two cents worth.
I entered this country in 1962 with the required documents at the border, and obtained a green card after showing that I had the ability to support myself and my family. If I had found a way to enter by another unofficial route, and without the necessary documents, I would have broken the law. (Note: undocumented workers have broken the law.) After paying taxes and keeping a clean record for several years, I obtained my American citizenship in 1971. I still value that privilege highly.
Let's shift the subject a little to get a better perspective on immigration. Suppose Joe is a shoplifter. As he leaves the store with his stolen loot he trips on the curb breaking his leg. Should we show compassion to him? Absolutely! Let's call an ambulance and have him cared for. But should we overlook the fact that Joe broke the law? I think we'll all agree that he should be punished. Then what about those who broke the law by entering the country illegally? We should show them compassion, but also recognize that they broke the law, and there must be consequences.
John Wayne could not have said it better: "When you allow unlawful acts to go unpunished, you're moving toward a government of men rather than a government of law." Several notable people including President Obama have said that we are a nation of laws. Some of those laws are immigration laws. Yet many progressives are openly defying them, for example by declaring sanctuary cities. There have been instances where illegals have been deported several times, but have found protected havens in these cities. One such is currently under investigation for killing two policemen. He smiled in court saying he wished he'd killed more.
So what about compassion? In 2007 the USA accepted tens of thousands of people from El Salvador on a temporary compassionate basis after that country suffered from a massive earthquake. Those temporary refugees are still here enjoying the benefits of this country. We cannot continue being the benefactor of every distressed country any more than we can be the policeman of the world. Just as our military would be overextended, so would our ability to minister to the unfortunate. In addition it should be noted we are already the most generous country in the world, both nationally in foreign aid, and also individually with mission trips and private donations.
Although Mexican immigration has declined slightly (6%) in the last year or so, immigration from Honduras and El Salvador has increased substantially. Those countries generally have very low educational levels. (I wish President Trump would not use such salty language to describe them.) Much of those immigrants' earnings - if they have jobs - is returned to their home countries. In El Salvador a significant part of their national economy is the part played by repatriated funds. If those immigrants do not spend their money here, they do little to help the US economy.
One of our founding fathers, Thomas Jefferson, put it this way: "The first consideration in immigration is the welfare of the receiving nation." So we should ask ourselves if a proposed immigrant can add benefits to this country. This is why a merit based immigration system that is used by several other countries makes a lot of sense for us. It does not discriminate on the basis of national origin, and is color blind. That system would add to the well-being of this great nation.
