When we are young we are told to be wary of strangers, that it’s better to not trust someone you don’t know, to stay away rather than take a chance. This is exactly why our borders must be secured. We have no idea who’s coming into this country. Sure, they could be a mother seeking safety for her child, or a young man simply wanting to earn a living, but they could also be a murderous psychopath.
All other immigration issues are secondary to border security. Without secure borders there is no basis from which to design immigration “reform” measures or consider amnesty. Why would we want to grant amnesty to people we know nothing about?
For illustration, consider the following…
Picture a town hall or city council meeting discussing the issues of immigration, amnesty, border security, etc. The floor being opens for public comments. A public representative approaches the podium:
“Thank you for being here and thank you for giving me a chance to voice my comments.”
“I’d like to ask you some questions. But before you feel like I’m putting you on the spot. I’m going to give you the answer. The answer is, ‘I don’t know.’ That’s right. For each question I’m about to ask, the correct response is, ‘I don’t know.’ So. My questions…”
“Of those people who are in this country without documentation, how many entered in possession of firearms?”
“What’s that? You don’t know? Ohh. Ok. Next question…”
“Of those people who are in this country without documentation, how many have a debilitating drug addiction?”
“You don’t know? Hmm.”
“Of those people who are in this country without documentation, how many are violent felons?”
“You don’t know that either? Wow.”
“Of those people who are in this country without documentation, how many have a communicable disease?”
“Don’t know?”
Wanting to control immigration isn’t driven by xenophobia or bigotry, it’s about safety. It’s about valuing the security of your neighbors and their children. It’s about trying to make sure we don’t allow people into our communities that will cause us harm.
Doing anything less is tantamount to declaring open season on our friends and neighbors.