Immigration and Our Southern Border

Immigration and Our Southern Border

The immigration question has been pushed to the forefront of the political arena by inflammatory rhetoric from some of the Republican Party candidates seeking the office of President. It seems there is a notion that such speech is good for America, or can get votes. I am not willing to join into this complete misrepresentation of the facts. I am, after all, interested more in people and in speaking peace then fueling the angry mob.

America has always been known for it's compassion and concern for those who are the victims of the violence of war. In many cases, we have gone way over and above to help those seeking escape from violence and the threat of death in their own country. Even recently, our president has suggested that we open our doors to 200,000 refugees from an area of the world where “Death to America” is as common as “Hello”.

Yet, to our south is one of the most violent areas of the world. Tens of thousands of refugees abandon everything and risk their lives, and rape, in order to reach the promise of safety and freedom in America. Yet, we treat them like vermin. What has happened to our Christian compassion and our American spirit? Why have we not found a solution to the needs of these people. Simply put, we first need to identify them as refugees and not just illegal aliens.

As president, one of my first acts would be to establish refugee status for those seeking safety and freedom. My next act would be to begin the process of establishing an “Ellis Island” facility (preferably on Mexican soil) where shelter and sanctuary can be provided and processing and education can be conducted to establish productive and legal immigrants. This facility would include processing work visas for those for whom work can be found.

Our nations agriculture industry is built on the backs of migrant/Mexican workers. My first job was at a large corporate farm called Hill Top Orchards in Hartford Michigan. I was one of only a couple non-Hispanic workers there. It wasn't that Hispanics were preferred, it was that the locals simply didn't want to work that hard. As often as they posted help wanted adds, the locals simply did not answer them.

As an adult, just 6 years ago, I drove forklift for a farm in norther NY. A cherry farm and processing plant. Even though the locals complained about the lack of jobs, they still wouldn't take the work on the farm. Most of the labor here was also Hispanic.

Here is my point;

These folk are human beings.

These folk are refugees.

These folk need to be made safe.

These folk need a place to be processed for citizenship.

These folk are vital for our agricultural processes.

And here is one very important point that no one seems to be willing to say:

This situation that results in thousands of refugees fleeing the violence of the drug cartels is born and bred in the United States of America. It is the voracious appetite for anything to alleviate the shallowness of empty lives that results in the huge industry that supports, and causes, the violence. This situation is the consequences of what some call a victimless crime, and is exasperated by laws designed to keep Americans separated from the drugs they want.

Yes, we need to secure our borders. But not from the Mexicans as much as from the ISIS and Al'Quada terrorists that are coming into the country.

Soon there will be hundreds of thousands of refugees from Syria and other countries both south and north of our very unsecured borders. That is a much greater threat to America then Mexicans who do not hate our nation and only want safety and a chance at a real life. I think we should help them.

No, not with welfare and government hand outs. This is a job for the church. We are already well prepared and organized to help in situations like these.

Working with the Mexican authorities and the US authorities, we could create safe havens in northern Mexico and staff them with volunteer missionaries and care givers.