Open Borders And Covid And Crime
By Joe Guzzardi
The open border between Mexico and the United States, plus an amnesty for several million illegal aliens that congressional Democrats are determined to pass, could jeopardize America’s sovereignty. To some, that statement may appear extreme. But a quick look at current events proves that, through the sheer numbers alone, preserving sovereignty is at stake.
The latest border bulletin from Axios reported that an overwhelmed Customs and Border Protection released into the general population, without notices to appear in immigration court, about 50,000 illegal aliens. Freeing aliens at the border without notices is unprecedented. CBP ordered most to check in at a nearby Immigration and Customs Enforcement office, but only 13 percent showed up. Government officials predict that in 2021, more than 2 million foreign nationals will cross the border into the U.S.
Local law enforcement said that border populations in Texas and New Mexico must be alert to “gotaways,” those that elude capture, and to look out for perilous encounters with armed and dangerous migrant smugglers. Encounters can be deadly. La Salle County, Texas, has 8 to 10 daily car chases while, in the last few months, two mass-casualty events have occurred. One smuggling crash killed 13 in California, and another killed eight in Texas.
Many of the released aliens are COVID-positive, and Catholic Charities housed the infected illegal immigrants in local hotels. At a time when mask mandates may be returning in the U.S., even for vaccinated Americans, the Biden administration’s callous disregard for citizens’ public health is shocking. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott summoned National Guard and, under his state authority, ordered troops to arrest aliens encountered illegally at the border. And Hidalgo County Judge Richard Cortez implored the Biden administration to stop releasing COVID-positive illegal immigrants into Texas. The aliens’ ultimate destinations, what they’ll do next and how they’ll survive is information that, if known to the administration, isn’t shared with the public.
Despite the deepening border crisis, Congress is aggressively pursuing an amnesty for several million illegal immigrants. Congress is fiercely determined to reward millions of foreign nationals who have broken the nation’s laws, and plans to include in its legislation amnesty for deferred action for childhood arrivals (DACA), temporary protected status (TPS) holders, migrant farmworkers and essential workers, an undefined category. In all, between 5 and 10 million illegal immigrants could be put on Green Card and citizenship path. Amnestied aliens would receive lifetime valid work authorization that allows them to enter the labor market to undercut American workers.
Leading Democrats know that a stand-alone amnesty bill would never get 60 Senate votes. Instead, their scheme is to include amnesty in the annual budget reconciliation bill which needs only 50 votes to pass, the exact number of amnesty-supportive Democrats. The Senate parliamentarian is authorized to strike unrelated language from any legislation, and amnesty and budget matters are distinctly dissimilar. But the GOP shouldn’t get its hope too high that the parliamentarian will come to its rescue. Elizabeth MacDonough is an Obama-appointee who serves at the pleasure of the Senate Majority Leader, Chuck Schumer. For more than 30 years, Schumer has been a nonstop amnesty advocate, and he may be unwilling to let arcane Senate procedures stand in his way.
Open borders plus amnesty would ensure that nationwide K-12 schools would become more overcrowded and hospitals overburdened, with skyrocketing population growth, among other resulting negative impacts. Sooner rather than later, the released border crossers will get Green Cards and join amnestied aliens in their ability to petition nuclear and nonnuclear family members to come to America, an equation that would create an unsustainable American nation.
Biden, his cabinet, Schumer and many others know the negatives of their two-pronged open borders/amnesty plan. They simply don’t care if Americans lose their jobs, get COVID or have to tolerate endless population growth and the resulting degradation of the environment.
Perhaps most significant: Previous congressional amnesties never for a minute slowed illegal immigration. Amnesty didn’t solve unlawful entry. Instead, encouraged by the always-present prospect of a new amnesty, aliens were incentivized, and kept on coming.
Joe Guzzardi is a Progressives for Immigration Reform analyst who has written about immigration for more than 30 years. Contact him at jguzzardi@pfirdc.org.
Open Borders And Covid And Crime
Open Borders And Covid And Crime