By BARBARA SIMPSON
What does it take to be a citizen of the United States? Does it make any difference whether a person is “legal’ or “illegal”? In fact, what does that really mean and is there a difference?
Yes, there is a difference between a person in this country legally and one who is not. At its most basic, if the person is here illegally, he is not entitled to the benefits of American citizenship.
If they are born here, they are a citizen. If not, it will depend on how they got here, under what circumstances and do they have authentic paperwork authorizing their being here.
As it stands now, we are being inundated with people from countries across the world, crossing our southern border and, in essence, being allowed to get in and stay here with no legal repercussions. In fact, it appears that we are welcoming these illegals. The White House doesn’t refer to what’s happening as “illegal immigration” – – but calls it “irregular” immigration.
Oh.
Perhaps President Biden thinks that presents a better feeling about what is going on, but in reality, we are letting illegals in, providing them with a means to get to all corners of the country by plane or bus — paid for by the feds — get settled in those states and fade into the regular, legal population.
Despite all that, they are still illegal aliens, and it appears the Biden administration doesn’t care.
It is known that the feds are providing that air and ground transportation to illegals after they cross the border. They are flown to a variety of states across the country and dropped off — leaving them to the local governments to deal with.
The latest Biden budget reduced funding to Immigration and Customs Enforcement by eight percent and, as is becoming more known by the public, Biden plans to eliminate “Title 42” in May. That’s a plan put into effect by the Trump administration which allowed border officials to keep immigrants out — those who were sick or had other issues felt to be dangerous. It’s reported some 10 million were kept out because of COVID. That protection will go away under the Biden plan.
It’s clear that illegals know about the change and are heading to the border expecting a welcome mat. The masses of people heading to the border reflect that. If there is no change in our policy, then that welcome mat is exactly what they will face. Brandon Judd is the president of the National Border Patrol Council. He recently was quoted as saying he’s “never seen morale any lower” than it is now.
An example of what they face is that border agents had 160,000 encounters with illegals in February of this year, compared to 37,000 in 2020. It’s getting worse, and he said that his people will be overwhelmed and, ultimately, the cartels will control our borders.
Just what we need — as if the tons of illegal drugs and weapons the cartels already bring into the county isn’t bad enough.
Under this new system, it will get worse.
Now, when the agents encounter the illegals, they given them a notice to appear at a certain date to an ICE officer. Most don’t.
Nonprofits, including Catholic Charities, help them with a place to stay — hotel reservations, health screenings, meals — and travel instructions. Now, they also get computer tablets and smartphones from our government instead of ankle bracelets, supposedly to help keep track of them.
It’s also reported that many are given $400 debit cards from an agency of the United Nations, to help them with expenses. Inasmuch as the U.S. funds most of the UN, we pay for that too!
As for what states are doing — it depends, but one example is New York. It is extending Medicaid to illegals over the age of 65. Last year, New York put in the budget $2.1 BILLION for retroactive payments to illegals who were unemployed during the pandemic!
Again, taxpayer money is going to people who are not citizens.
And then there’s California, which has an estimated 2 million illegals, and 1 in 16 wage earners in the state is an illegal. It was reported in the San Francisco Chronicle that legislation has been introduced to provide unemployment benefits to illegals who have lost their jobs. It’s AB 2847 and is called the “Excluded Workers Pilot Program.” Under it, illegals who lose their jobs would get $300 a week for up to 20 weeks and it would cost the state an estimated $690 million, money from the general fund.
The bill is authored by Eduardo Garcia (D), an Assembly member from Coachella. His rationale for the bill is a classic:
“We’re trying to make sure that our safety-net programs are there to help all people in need by making everyone eligible.
“We’re trying to prevent people going into debt, expending their entire life savings, becoming homeless and hungry.
“We estimate that 1 in 16 wage earners in California is undocumented. Those workers generally earn lower wages and have more financial insecurity than other employees.”
California is also generous in how they deal with illegals who are new to the state. The health department has rented hotels in San Diego (which is on the border) — not low-end hotels, but, for example, the Four Points Sheraton and a Ramada Inn.
It must all be a pleasant surprise for an illegal from a poverty-stricken country. No wonder they want to come here: It’s like a fully stocked candy store and it’s all free!
“Free” for them, but we pay for it and it’s getting more and more expensive.
Despite all the nice talk, the reality is that all this is ultimately paid for by American’s who hold down jobs of their own and pay taxes for the privilege.
It’s more than sad that we have a government that doesn’t seem to care about the fairness of that.
Remember that the next time you vote.
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