One of my New Year’s resolutions is to refrain from writing about individual politicians and rather address issues from a bipartisan perspective.
One issue that affects South Floridians in particular, and all citizens of our country in general, is immigration and specifically “open” borders that admit most anyone who wishes to cross over into the US without proper documentation.
According to the media, currently, there are approximately 10-12 million undocumented immigrants in the country. There are proposals circulating around Washington, D.C. to admit an additional 22 or more such immigrants by simply opening our borders.
In my heart, I sympathize with these people, many of whom are fleeing oppression in their native countries, or worse. They are seeking a better life and most are willing to work to generate income and pay taxes. It’s hard to deny them this opportunity.
But, like all issues, there is a flip side to the argument on their behalf. The other side is that there are millions of Americans who cannot or do not make sufficient income to feed themselves and their families. If you include in this category those who served their country in the military and were wounded or mentally impacted by their service, the number of people requiring our help but not receiving it is staggering. If you live in South Florida, you see on the news nightly videos of food distribution lines in all South Florida counties and I assume that this is the case across all of Florida, and probably across the country. Unfortunately, not all those in need are helped because there is not enough food or money available. As a result, there are millions of Americans who cannot feed or care for themselves and their families and they go hungry and untreated.
Therefore, when an undocumented immigrant crosses our border and seeks and receives governmental assistance to relieve their hunger and be treated for medical issues, one American receiving similar aid can no longer be helped. It’s like a shepherd with a flock of ten sheep who can only care for that number and no more. When he comes across a lost sheep in the mountains he can only care for the additional animal if he dismisses or slaughters one of his existing ten. To bring the issue closer to home, what if the government’s assisting the additional undocumented immigrant requires withdrawing food and healthcare services to a family member of yours. Would you still favor admitting that immigrant?
I wish I could propose a viable solution, but I can’t. I just hope that those who are in a position to formulate a plan to deal with the issue consider all sides of the situation and not just rush into a game plan that turns into a disaster.