Left-wing activists and Democrats in Congress continue to place blame on Republicans and the Trump administration for all the ills of the world.
For them, any decision made by the current administration is met with rage and disdain as if the current issues facing our nation were nonexistent prior to the presidential election in 2016.
In typical fashion, the left and their allies in the mainstream media are using a heartbreaking crisis to further their agenda – but they don’t have their facts straight.
President Trump heavily campaigned on the need to protect American citizens by securing our nation’s borders.
Earlier this year, the administration announced a zero-tolerance policy on illegal border crossings that caused the tragic, but necessary, separation of families who were caught and detained.
Since then, the left and their allies in the mainstream media have made it their mission to place the entirety of the blame for the current immigration policy crisis on President Trump.
But they neglect to recognize the facts of the matter — and the long road paved by previous Democratic administrations – that have led us to this point.
President Bill Clinton introduced several changes to U.S. immigration policy beginning in 1996 in order to curb the influx of illegal immigrants pouring over our borders.
The Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act increased the number of felony crimes that illegal immigrants could be charged with when caught crossing into the country.
Not only was the consequence deportation, but these immigrants were often detained during the process while their children were sent to separate facilities.
Clinton also sent troops to the border and doubled the budget for Border Patrol officers as a part of Operation Gatekeeper.
And President Obama, the left’s favorite guy – always untouchable by the media and free from rebuke of any sort – deported more illegal immigrants than any other president in our nation’s history.
In 2014, Obama told ABC News:
“Our message absolutely is: Don’t send your children unaccompanied on trains or through a bunch of smugglers. That is our direct message to the families in Central America. Do not send your children to the borders. If they do make it, they’ll get sent back.”
Of course, neither Clinton nor Obama faced the backlash on these policies that President Trump has faced. This has been an ongoing crisis that fell in the current administration’s lap.
By simply enforcing laws that were implemented by previous administrations, Republicans have been portrayed in recent weeks as the evildoers in the minds of the left, ripping crying children from the arms of their parents.
But what about the immigrant parents who were warned time and time again not to bring their children into the country illegally? First by Obama himself and then by Attorney General Jeff Sessions earlier this year.
The instructions were clear – parents would risk being separated from their children to deter attempts to cross the border that endangered the very lives of innocent children. Attorney General Sessions said at the time,
“If you are smuggling a child then we will prosecute you, and that child may be separated from you as required by law. If you don’t like that, then don’t smuggle children over our border.”
But did these parents heed the warnings and put their children first? They knew the dangers and consequences and committed a crime anyway. Mommy Underground previously reported on the warnings given to immigrant parents earlier this year.
President Trump has now signed an executive order set to immediately take steps to keep families together. Part of the order authorizes the use of millions of dollars earmarked for border security to expand and build new family detention centers.
Fox News reported:
“As specified in the order, families will not be detained together when doing so would pose a risk to the child’s welfare,” the statement read in part. “Additionally, as was the case prior to implementation of the zero tolerance policy on May 5, family units may be separated due to humanitarian, health and safety, or criminal history in addition to illegally crossing the border.”
But the order is only a temporary solution to a crisis that is overwhelming our nation, bringing gangs, drugs, and other crime into our nation to endanger our own citizens and their children.
The debate is already raging on passing permanent legislation, and the Democrats are digging in their heels to fight Republicans on real reform.
The left would like nothing better than to open our borders to every illegal immigrant who wishes to live in the U.S. Illegal immigrants refuse to follow the legal process toward gaining entry and eventual citizenship, and they continue to risk the safety of their children by making a dangerous journey.
Every American is heartbroken over the fact that innocent children are suffering. But the situation is not unlike a parent committing a crime and being sent to prison, thus being separated from their children during incarceration.
No one wants to see innocent children suffering, but laws are in place to protect us all and no one is above them.
For now, Trump’s executive order should offer some temporary relief to keep families together while illegal immigrants are processed at our borders.
But the larger crisis continues – the left will continue to fight against any type of immigration form that does not suit their agenda, and immigrants will continue to illegally cross our borders and jeopardize the safety of their families – and ours.
What do you think of the backlash the current administration has faced for policies that were started by previous administrations? Do you think Congress will work with President Trump to find a long-term solution that protects our own citizens? Leave us your thoughts.