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Feb. 19, 2024 Editor, The News-Gazette: Your editorial of Feb. 14 inaccurately states that one political party reversed its position on the “border compromise” recently considered by the Senate. The characterization by the media that Senate Republicans rejected legislation which would control illegal immigration is completely inaccurate.
The “border compromise” legislation would completely fail to meet the demand of the American people to control illegal traffic at the border (not that legislation is needed, because the president currently has all the statutory authority he needs to control illegal border traffic).
Consider the much-hyped emergency closure authority provision that traffic between ports of entry (POEs) can be shut down if the number of encounters there exceeds an average of 5,000 a day for a week. Setting aside the fact that no reasonable person believes that illegal entry by more than 2 million unvetted people a year is good for the country, the following are some of the loopholes in that provision: 1. Only citizens of Canada and Mexico count toward the 5,000 person ceiling (illegals from the 50-plus other countries who represented 67 % of the illegal border traffic in 2022 are not counted), 2. Emergency procedures cannot be exercised more than 270 days in year one (decreasing to 180 days in year 3) and on days when emergency closures are not in place there is no limitation on illegal entries, 3. If emergency procedures are ever exercised, POEs would have to accept a minimum of 1,400 illegals a day (there are 25 POEs on the U.S.Mexico border, so the border is never actually closes to illegal traffic), 4. Persons claiming certain emergency situations must still be admitted between POEs during an emergency closure, and 5. The president has complete discretion on when to waive the emergency closure.
The rest of the legislation is filled with similar provisions which facilitate illegal immigration. Anyone who supports the Senate “border compromise” (e.g. Virginia senators Kaine and Warner) is an advocate for continuation of President Biden’s open border policies which allow entry of millions of unvetted illegal aliens into this country annually. STEVE HODAPP Rockbridge County
