Immigration is a world-wide issue, as the vote in England on leaving the European Union made clear.
Donald Trump has made it a major issue here at home in the presidential campaign, adding a lot of heat, but shedding no light on it.
It a subject too important for that, one that warrants serious attention and thought. That is why I want to spend a couple of blogs talking about it, hopefully making it worth your while to read them.
To begin, we need to focus on two aspects of the issue constantly in the news: (1) securing our borders; and (2) the threat of Islamic extremists.
First, is it true that the government is doing nothing about securing the nation’s borders?
I understand we have tanks spread across the northern tier to shoot any Canadians coming into the U.S. illegally for being stupid enough to want to. (just kidding)
More seriously, according to the respected Pew Research Center, illegal immigration is now at its lowest level in more than two decades. That’s right. It is going down, not up.
The nation’s population of illegal immigrants tripled to 12.2 million between 1990 and 2007. Since then it has has dropped by 1 million. In addition, the typical illegal immigrant is now someone around 35 years of age or older who has been living here for 10 years. Only a few years ago most illegal immigrants were young males.
A Washington Post article about immigration quotes R. Gil Kerlikowske, Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, who said, “The border is much more secure than in times past.”
What about all the children being sent from foreign countries? Immigration officials have found that most of them have been sent here because of political unrest at home, a problem that has decreased on its own as Latin America has become less brutal and volatile.
The record shows that both President Bush and President Obama have done a great deal to secure our borders, adding money and people power to border patrolling, helping Border Patrol make better use of technology, and working with countries from which immigrants are coming to deal with the problem on their end.
At the same time, it is a persistent problem that never goes away, and helped in no way by silly ideas like building a wall to solve the problem.
I have actually seen the wall we have already built down in Arizona, something the Donald is apparently unaware of. I’ve parked next to the border patrol electronic surveillance trailer looking down on the valley where the wall stands.
My first response was to think how absurd it is to think a wall is going to solve the problem of illegal immigration. People can dig under it or climb over it in the dark, if they want to take the chance.
We can, of course, shoot them as they do, though I’m not sure we want the images of Border Patrol agents killing men, women, and children to be shown around the world.
The point is, building more walls would be a waste of money and would create the illusion of doing something about illegal entry into the country when it would actually do nothing. We need, instead, to keep doing what we are doing because it is working.
What, then, about Islamic extremists getting into the country?
The Donald says it’s such a problem that we need to ban all Muslims until we figure out what to do about the problem. The real problem, though, is figuring out what problem he is talking about.
According to an FBI report, from 1980 to 2005, attacks attributed to Islamic extremists stood at 6%. Attacks attributed to Jewish extremists was 7%.
According to the Triangle Center on Terrorism and Homeland Security, of the more than 300 American deaths from the time of the 9/11 attacks to 2013, 33 came at the hands of Muslim-Americans. None from Muslims who were not already American citizens.
Based on these facts and others to support them, the Donald is talking about a problem that doesn’t exist. He has chosen to talk about securing our borders whenever there is a mass killing when the truth is, they are two separate and distinct issues.
The problem comes in when either or both are politicized.
All that does is to reinforce the belief among some that America “is not the country it used to be,” and that illegal immigrants are the reason why.
The reality is this. The urgent need to protect our borders and the potential threat of a radical Islamic attack here at home have been vastly exaggerated. We are dealing effectively with both, while neither is a serious problem.
What is a problem is what to do about the nearly 12 million illegal immigrants who are currently living here.
That is the issue, and it will take good thinking to give a better answer than the knee jerk response that we should just send them all back to where they came from.
Next time we will explore what, if any, good thinking is being done on this issue. It’s too important to be ignored.
What is more, the person we vote for to be our next president will be the one who will have to do something about it, and their actions will make matters worse or better.
linnposts.com 
Jan – just heard commentary on Brexit. Specifically, more Brit’s voted to leave the EU than have ever voted on any issue in the county’s history. Yet, already, this politians and banks are trying to have a new vote. What is a democracy? What is a majority?
Was the vote in the UK achieved by an incredible propaganda campaign?
We have a lot of people in the US that the immigration issue has fired up. Not sure who will inherit this issue. Just know that a much less expensive propaganda campaign has brought the issue way forward.
In the end just hope the majority of our democracy will be heard.
Left off of my comment – look forward to your next Post.
Even more from me. Just heard John Kerry say our enemy is loosing and are desperate. Comments like this from our leaders, in the wake of several huge “successes” by our enemy, are inflammatory.
Obviously this issue is a concern to me.
Sorry for being so outspoken!
You never need to apologize, Edmund. In fact, if what you wrote is being outspoken, then the rest of us have been yelling. Don’t ever hesitate to share your thoughts.
Immigration, particularly of Mexicans & Muslims, is one of those subjects that appeals to emotions, and is therefore great for rabble rousing, and the knee jerk reactions that follow. Congress’ record on dealing with immigration is abysmal, at best. So what’s new?
Not much, Wally, and you’re right. That’s the problem. Too much politicizing, not enough rational action.
The topic of immigration normally ties in with terrorism. Saw the previews, tomorrow night at 9 pm, Megan Kelley file on Fox, Special on Terrorism in America. it is a composed of a large panel which is comprised of all types, liberals, military, conservatives, victims, Muslims etc. Lots of different viewpoints, should be interesting.
Only conservatives link immigration with terrorism as a way to ramp up people’s emotions. That way no reasonable road to solving the immigration problem is possible. These are two separate issues that have connections, but are anything but the same.
Given the number of Syrian refugees that are coming in and projected to come in, immigration and terrorism are totally related. They cannot be vetted or documented because there are no records where they come from. Lots of young males are coming through that way. Safe Syrian refugee camps in Syria would be a much better idea. Think of the USA as your home, you do not want uninvited people coming in and staying and living off of your income.
You state your opinion as if it is a fact. Give the statistics that verify young Syrian males are coming into the country without being vetted. I don’t believe that for one minute.
According to Time Magazine: “Multiple law enforcement, intelligence and security agencies perform “the most rigorous screening of any traveler to the U.S.,” says a senior administration official. Among the agencies involved are the State Department, the FBI’s Terrorist Screening Center, the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security. A DHS officer conducts in-person interviews with every applicant. Biometric information such as fingerprints are collected and matched against criminal databases. Biographical information such as past visa applications are scrutinized to ensure the applicant’s story coheres.”
Given these facts, your implication that we are letting Syrians (and everyone else) without vetting them. That is simply not true.
The Syrian refugee problem is because of the civil war there. Many conservatives think the US should put troops on the ground there as well. That will really help things. The fact is, the French said one of the Paris terrorists might have gotten in France posing as a refugee. That has not yet been verified. But that is the only possible case of that happening, yet you are ready to claim they are trying to get into the US by the dozens. No responsible government would base a policy on that kind of unfounded claim.
I say again, immigration and terrorism are two separate issues. They may intersect, but they have to be dealt with separately. The 12 million illegal immigrates living here already are not a terrorist threat. To link the two issues does them and the nation a disservice.
Maybe we should tear down the walls around the White House. I heard they just added another 3 feet to the top. And the guards have guns there, too!
(My comment didn’t print, so I repeat here). Then maybe we should take down the fence around the White House. It was very recently raised 3 feet higher than it previously was. And there are guns there too!
Just a simple reminder of that which is inscribed on the Statue of Liberty:
“Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”
It seems many have forgotten the principles upon which this nation was founded.
I’m looking forward to Part 2, Jan. Good stuff!
Thanks, Rollie, for reminding all of us of this often forgotten statement on the biggest symbol of freedom we have.
Not that that poem is not a good one, it’s awesome, but none of our “founders” we’re probably still alive when it was written. So we were already “founded”. We keep preaching false history!
Your comment makes no sense. Everything about and on the statue was intended to symbolize the American victory of independence that has been won a century before. Guess you think the quote was a throwaway line that had no meaning or significance. What intellectual contortions you conservatives will go through to make a point.
This country was founded on/with our constitution. Not a really good and meaningful poem. That this conservative happens to agree with!
Rollie said and I quote, ” It seems many have forgotten the principles upon which this nation was founded.”
This poem has nothing to do with how/when/why our country was founded and since the youth have not been taught history they might just might think that this is part of our constitution. I’m just trying to set the record straight.
If you want to quote how/when/why the principles of this country being founded then quote the founding documents. That’s all.
We conservatives are learning from the best!
JM: It seems conservatives are trying to rewrite our history. During the Age of Mass Migration (1850–1913), the United States maintained an open border, absorbing 30 million European immigrants. We are the grandchildren and great-grandchildren of immigrants. Unless you are of native/indigenous lineage you are here because of an open immigration policy. We are a nation of immigrants. That is the simple the truth of our history.
Amen to that, Rollie, but he will no doubt have a reply to that as well.