Who Should Foot the Bill?
Immigrants are pouring into the United States by the millions. They come here, not seeking freebies or handouts, but rather, for the hope of a better life. It seems that conditions in their home countries - mostly Central and South America, but also the Caribbean, Africa, and Asia - are pretty dismal. Poverty, violence, oppression, rampant crime - all the things that make life miserable. They leave behind their homes and friends and possessions, and make long, arduous, dangerous, expensive journeys, often for thousands of miles, to come to America, the Land of the Free, where their family has at least some chance for peace and stability.
If it were me, stuck in one of those hellhole countries, I’d probably do the same thing.
It would not be an issue if their numbers were meager. The United States, after all, is a nation of immigrants; only pure-blooded Native American “Indians” can claim no immigrants in their ancestry. These days, however, immigration numbers are off the charts - with no end in sight.
This influx creates a huge host of problems, starting with: what to do them? They need food, water, shelter, clothing, medical care, toilets, and more. These things cost money. Lots of money.
And they must be processed. They may or may not be officially claiming asylum, but either way, somehow, some way, they must go through the “system” where somebody is supposed to authorize, verify, and certify that their presence U.S. is legal. This system usually involves multiple steps, and can take years. And it all costs money. If the immigrants’ request to stay in the U.S. is denied, they must be deported. That costs money, too.
Due to an accident of geography, it turns out that states and communities along the southern border bear the heaviest immigration burden. And so some government officials are loading them up on buses and sending them north, so to, you know, spread things out a bit. A plausible idea, in theory at least; but it costs money.
The immigration system itself is terribly overburdened and time-consuming. For any immigrant, the outcome is uncertain. Therefore, many immigrants bypass the system and just sneak in. Preventing this requires that the border be hardened, reinforced, and enforced. And that costs money.
You can see where I’m going with this. The whole immigration mess is horribly expensive, and getting more so all the time. And who foots the bill? Why, we taxpayers, of course.
Side note: there are private groups, churches, and individuals who pitch in, providing immigrants with food and shelter and other necessities. It helps, but the needs are far more than what they can do.
But why in the world should we taxpayers be financially liable for all these immigration-related expenses? I doubt anyone voted in favor of it. For that matter, no politician that I’m aware of is truly for it either, and in fact, they all wish this problem would just go away
.So who should be footing the bill?
Actually the answer is obvious: it’s all the corrupt, inept, tyrannical, socialist, communist, fascist, worthless, ruthless governments running the nations where the citizens are fleeing as fast as they can.
These horrific, despicable governments are the driving force behind this mess, NOT the immigrants themselves, NOT the U.S. government, and certainly NOT the taxpayers.
If you’re still with me, let us address the glaring issue here: How the heck does the United States (or any nation) force some other nation to foot this bill (or any other bill)? Do I sound like Donald Trump, who promised that Mexico would pay to build the border wall - knowing full well that it ain’t gonna happen?
Perhaps we could put forth a United Nations resolution demanding financial liability on any nations causing excess emigration (note: some European countries face similar problems). Would such a resolution actually pass, and if it did, would it be enforceable? Readers, any ideas?
It’s high time for our elected officials to stand up and forcefully say what I have pontificated above! Even if it is of no help, putting this matter before the U.N. would still accomplish worthy goals: It would focus global attention, and global condemnation, onto the guilty party(s). It would give voters, and their elected officials, something or someone to point the finger of blame upon. That is certainly better than sweeping the immigration problem under the rug, like they do now.
It might even unite all Americans around a common cause.
But...I fear you are displaying a bit too much common sense than can be had from our politburo.
MIgrants pay thousands of dollars to the "coyotes" who sneak them across the border and then often leave them to die in the desert. Maybe the US should undercut the coyotes and simply charge admission to anyone who want to immigrate.