letter to the editor

Fix it and fix it now

Mon, 02/12/2024 - 2:45pm

    Dear Editor:

    Our federal government, under current law, has the power to control our borders. They are not helpless, paralyzed, or forced to watch hundreds of thousands of crossings. A recent Rasmussen poll shows that almost 2/3 (65%) of likely U.S. voters describe the current situation as an “invasion of the United States.” It’s a problem the voters want fixed.

    This crisis is a political choice made in 2021 when the Biden administration took office and abandoned the border control effort. Remember, in 2020, we were well on our way to border security and to restoring the historical standard. That standard ensured our country had the resources to accommodate the new arrivals and protected both the health and safety of the arriving immigrants and our citizens. Think Ellis Island.

    The new law being debated in Washington is a distraction, a political show, and an excuse to play the blame game and do nothing. It simply moves the problem a few months into the future as the issues are debated in Congress and the press. Even if enacted and enforced, it includes “5,000 crossings a day averaged over 7 days” (35,000 a week) as a threshold that requires action. The voter has spoken, they want it fixed and fixed now. Who is listening? 

    Joe Grant

    Wiscasset