For those who believe the immigration crisis at the southern border only involves people crossing illegally from Mexico, Central America, and South America — you haven’t been paying attention.
Several news outlets have reported Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents recently apprehended more than 550 African “migrants” in Texas.
Daniel Horowitz, writing for ConservativeReview.com, explained that 314 were from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC, formerly Zaire), 130 from the Republic of Congo, 101 from Angola, six from Cameroon, and one each from Gabon and Niger.
Americans have ample reason for concern, in my view.
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Currently, the DRC is “experiencing the worst Ebola outbreak ever.” Some 2,025 cases have been confirmed.
Of those, 1,357 people have reportedly died.
The U.S. should also be worried about the 1,500 Congolese who’ve died of measles out of the 87,000 cases reported in that country.
Even though these illegal immigrants warrant our sympathy, they present a legitimate health risk to people living legally in America.
So what does a smart nation do when such people violate its borders? I’m not sure; while Americans might be a smart people, when it comes to immigration, America has a dumb government.
Well, that’s true at least of Congress, which refuses to protect its citizens and legal alien residents.
President Donald Trump is trying, but Congress simply won’t cooperate with him. The Democrats have an excuse: Everything is about politics for them. Everything.
What about the Republicans who resist helping the president with immigration?
We can’t deny that the Republicans controlled Congress for President Trump’s first two years.
We can’t deny that immigration reform did not happen.
We can blame the Democrats for their part, as the crisis has gotten worse due to leftist judicial activism and congressional Democrat inaction and “resistance.” But the Republicans had a great chance and it seems they blew it.
Even Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), whom I respect and normally support, recently bristled at Trump’s Mexico tariff immigration strategy. It’s a strategy to which Mexico seems to be responding.
Sen. Cruz should be the last person to make things harder for the president. “These African migrants were seen dropped off at bus stations in San Antonio, Texas,” according to Horowitz. This is obviously home to Sen. Cruz’s constituents.
If massive numbers of people breaching our border do not prick the conscience of leftists, shouldn’t the health issues alone cause Democrats and Establishment Republicans serious concern? In a recent seven-day stretch, CPB picked up 20,274 illegals — a record.
Aside from Ebola and measles, Horowitz reports there is a mumps outbreak, with dozens of cases already reported in Pinal County, Texas.
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Also, with the protracted collapse of Venezuela’s socialist government, “the country is experiencing outbreaks of all sorts of diseases.”
In increasing numbers, migrants have been heading to the U.S. from the latest nation to be devastated by socialism. Recently, immigration agents caught 47 Venezuelans entering the U.S. illegally.
The illegal immigrant problem is so bad that San Antonio requested Portland, Maine, agree to accept some of its African immigrants.
Portland leaders, already overburdened with legal and illegal immigrants, mostly from Africa, refused. They said they cannot handle any more immigrants, legal or illegal.
Think about that. Illegal immigration also causes injury to those legal immigrants, as each body consumes resources, whether legal or illegal.
The illegal immigrant problem is so bad that San Antonio requested Portland, Maine, agree to accept some of its African immigrants.
Reuters also reported that President Trump recently said he is considering granting asylum to Venezuelans fleeing political oppression with “refugee or temporary protected status” to come to the U.S. That’s fine; I feel bad for the Venezuelan people, even though they initially voted in their own socialist demise.
Socialism always sounds so good on paper — in reality, not so much.
After all, regrettably, there are millions of Americans who support Democrat presidential candidates who are willing to do the same in the U.S., if they get the chance.
But doesn’t the glut of illegal immigrants make it more difficult for those legitimate asylum seekers to come to America from that once prosperous nation turned socialist slum? Even in America, resources are finite, especially when illegal immigrants are being deposited in poor, rural towns as well as in overburdened cities across America.
Maine’s refusal to accept more illegal immigrants is curious. The lack of “northern hospitality” comes despite the fact that the new Democrat governor, Janet Mills, has declared, “Welcome Home” to Maine … to all people from anywhere.
That sting she may be feeling from Portland’s rebuffing of San Antonio’s plea for help — it might be a bit of reality biting her (and her fellow pro-illegal immigrant Democrats) in the face.
Steve Pomper is an OpsLens contributor and retired Seattle police officer. He has served as a field training officer on the East Precinct Community Police Team, and as a precinct mountain bike coordinator. This OpsLens piece is used by permission.
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