Fear and Immigration

As with nearly every subject, the Republican Party is dreadfully wrong on immigration.  It seems to me their entire is FEAR - be afraid of immigrants, be afraid of Hispanics, be afraid of Muslims, be afraid of children, no matter what, be afraid, be very afraid. But the only thing to fear is exactly how many Americans subscribe to this fear mongering and racism.

And yes, the party’s attitude on immigration is completely and totally racist. Why? Because the only immigration that the ever care about involves people with darker colored skin.  In fact, the second part to Trump referring to “shithole countries” was a remark about why don’t we get more people from Norway.  “Shithole countries” as a term to describe human beings who want to make a better life for themselves, people who go through an extensive vetting process and on average turn out more successful.

It’s also not about illegal immigration at all, because the Stephen Millers of the administration also want to restrict legal immigration. That’s what the “shithole” discussion was about. They simply don’t want more browns in this country.  Even to the point of arguing against reuniting families.  Supposedly the party of “family values” want to end what they call chain migration, but what is really called family reunification.  Because what we know is that people who immigrate with family members around do better. They integrate better, they succeed more, which is why this process exists.

Speaking of families, let’s not for get that the Trump administration has been systematically orphaning the children of people trying to come here.  Let’s make that more clear - TAKING CHILDREN FROM THEIR PARENTS AND PUTTING KIDS IN CAGES.  That whole process hasn’t been resolved.  We took the kids, deported their parents, kept the kids, and then claimed we couldn’t find the parents.  I do mean “we”.  Because it was done in your name, in my name, in our name.  The kids that are return have suffered severe mental trauma at our hands.  The “family values” party really, really sucks at “family values”.  Which is really odd considering how many times the Bible tells us to care for the immigrants among us.

A lot of the families that the Republican Party so gleefully ripped apart were seeking asylum.  Asylum is an entirely legal process where you come to the border, turn yourself in to an immigration officer and request asylum on the basis of persecution or fear of your home country.  It’s legal.  We destroyed families who tried to do things the legal way.  Not every petition for asylum is granted and those people are sent away. But it a legal process, agreed to by international treaties.  I make the point about asylum, because the “terrifying caravan” that has WALKED from Guatemala is the current fear mongering of the President and the reason 11 Jews are dead.

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The Caravan started walking during Holy Week to leave their home marred with violence to seek a better life in America. It started as like 7000 men, women, and children. That whole number won’t make it here - they receive asylum in the other countries along the way or give up.  But the ones that do, turn themselves in and request asylum.  Poor, tired men, women and children are now a political scare tactic of the President and Republicans.  For this, the President wants to send more troops to the border than we have in Afghanistan and has said that we could “open fire” on the children.  ON CHILDREN. I would rather send blankets, water and food, and let an immigration judge hear their request for asylum.  

But then again, I’m not the racist asshole sitting behind a Presidential desk.  Nor am I sitting on a couch on Fox & Friends continuing to spew this hateful garbage.  Recently, the President said that George Soros was paying for this caravan.  He’s not. But let’s look at it.  George Soros is a prominent Jew - most people don’t know who he is, but the white supremacists do.  The President’s lie was previously being spread around on Neo-nazi websites and one guy decided he would do something about it and killed 11 Jews in a synagogue and wounded 4 police officers.  That horrific event happened before the President gave it a megaphone.  You can’t say he didn’t know that it was dangerous rhetoric.  People have died and he supported the argument of the crazy guy.  Because he wants to pander to white supremacists.  He thinks that if he gets the white supremacists and you on the same side, then he will win.  That’s who he is grouping you with.  

That’s were the birthright citizenship comes from.  The 14th Amendment is clear.  If you are born in the United States, then you are a US citizen by birth.  It is clear as can be.  The Neo-nazis and the president point to the “jurisdiction clause” saying that illegal immigrants are within our jurisdiction.  Except that they most certainly are.  If an undocumented person commits a crime (which they do are a far lower rate than the current administration), then they can be prosecuted as they are within the jurisdiction of the US.  If they have a child here, then that child is a US citizen. It also comes down to this.  Even if you disagree with how the parents got here.  It has nothing to do with the child.  We do not punish children for their parent’s sins.  Now, if Trump can write an executive order striping the citizenship away from the children of undocumented parents, what is to stop him from striping the citizenship from legal immigrants? But it doesn’t seem like a good idea to argue that you can change the Constitution with a pen.  If he did it, it would be struck down immediately.  But that’s not the point.  It is a hat tip to racists.  It’s using their language.  Giving their arguments the appearance of legitimacy.  This is why white supremacists have become so emboldened under the Trump administration.

We can have a legitimate discussion about immigration, numbers, etc. We can debate an unnecessary $25 billion wall paid for by American tax dollars. But unfortunately, you have to get through all of this other crap first.  Because real debate aren’t the arguments the Republicans are making.  Republicans want you to be afraid of brown people.  They think that you will vote for them if you are afraid.  These choices aren’t hard.  Do you want to be a part of the party of fear and hate, or the party of hope?  Unfortunately, the Republican Party is no longer the party of Lincoln, Reagan, McCain or even the Bushes.  It’s the party of Trump and his hate is their hate.  Again. You might not hate immigrants, you might be mad about tearing families apart, or disgusted with the racist rhetoric.  But if you vote for the Republicans, then you are affirming exactly that.