.jpg)
For Your Consideration
Mike Lowry
The long border with Mexico has made it difficult to stop illegals and the Border Patrol has had a long hard job. The problem has grown in recent years.
Illegal immigration initially tended to come from Latin America. Liberal groups and organizations advised people to claim “asylum” when entering the United States and organized “caravans” that began flooding the border during the Obama administration.
When Trump was elected, illegal immigration was becoming a major issue. Trump ran on a program to build hundreds of miles of border security walls. He also negotiated with Mexico to accept the “Remain in Mexico” policy, making “asylum” claiming immigrants wait in Mexico for their hearing instead of being allowed to be released into the country when holding facilities got full. Prior to the Remain in Mexico policy, immigrants were given a paper telling them to report for a hearing in some cases three or more years in the future and release into the country.
Then Biden and Harris were elected. Things on day one changed for the worse! They ended all of the Trump restrictions that were working to control the illegal migration. The word went out that the American border was open and people from over 175 countries joined those from Latin America pouring into the country.
Illegal immigration has been long against the law. U.S. Code 1325 calls for a person illegally entering the country to be subject to prison time and fines. The Congress and Senate have not voted to revoke this law. The people have not voted to repeal the law. The Supreme Court has not ruled the law unconstitutional. But the Biden-Harris administration and Democrats have taken steps to ignore this law and other immigration laws, making a major problem into a major crisis.
This crisis has caused an increase in illegal drugs pouring into our country and killing our citizens. Unvetted illegal immigrants have added to the crime problem. It puts a strain on medical services, housing, school, and social welfare costs. They are also contributing to a lower standard of living for American citizens and harming legal immigration.
The cost to the state of Virginia has been high. The Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) put the cost to the state of Virginia for the 260,000-plus illegal immigrants in the state at $1.9 billion! While illegal immigrants contribute about $265 million in state tax revenue, this leaves Virginia taxpayers having to cover the over $1.8 billion difference!
But Virginia has also had increased crime. About 950 illegal immigrants are in Virginia prisons and jails. Governor Youngkin recently noted nine out of 10 of the prisoners have previously been arrested for felonies, including murder, rape and violent assault.
The majority of illegal immigrants Virginia came from El Salvador, home of the MS-13 gangs. They have made their mark in crime in Virginia including five MS-13 members convicted for killing two teens aged 14 and 17 hacked to death with machetes. An autistic 20-year-old woman from Virginia was killed in Maryland by a 17-year-old MS-13 member.
Crimes committed by illegals in Virginia are too long to list here. But when you read about crimes committed by illegal immigrants, remember they are here because of the Biden-Harris policies and supported by Democrat political officials who only now in an election year have become concerned and offered the so-called Bipartisan Immigration Reform bill that had only four Republican senators supporting it. All other Republicans, joined by several Democrats from border states, voting against it. The bill did worse on a second vote.
The Democrats in Congress are opposing a bill that would ban illegal immigrants from voting in elections. A similar law was defeated in Virginia by Democrats in the state legislature. Why? They want illegals voting in our elections?
If you are concerned about illegal immigration, why would you vote for a failed “border czar” and vice president of the administration that has made the immigration problem a major crisis? Thoughts for your consideration.
