Why Do Americans Feel Guilty?

            Why do Americans feel guilty about the enforcement of immigration laws? Most Americans understand that the United States has the sovereign right to decide who comes into the nation and who remains. Yet, many of those same people are torn about the efforts led by President Donald Trump to deport many people who enter or remain in the U.S. illegally. Why do people feel guilty about enforcing the laws of the land in which they live?

            With the enforcement procedures in recent Department of Homeland Security memos, most of the 11 million undocumented immigrants are eligible to be deported. ICE officials make the final decisions as to who will be deported and who will be allowed to remain in the United States. Undocumented immigrants are being deported, even those who are going to court. They will not be allowed in the U.S. until the law says they can come legally.

            I do not understand why non-citizens think that they have a right to live in our country simply because they want to live here. I do not understand why they are so upset with the U.S. enforcing immigration laws. They know that they are not here legally. They know that they broke the law. They should know that there are consequences to having broken the laws of the United States. Yet, many of them seem unwilling to accept those consequences.

            I believe the United States has the sovereign right to establish laws about immigration and to enforce those laws. At the same time, I have compassion on the good people who came here illegally but have been law-abiding residents since their arrival. I have compassion on children who were brought here by illegal parents seeking a better place to rear their family.

            Yet, the compassion I feel for the good people who are being deported cannot rob the justice required for breaking the law. There are immigrants who take the time to immigrate legally. They sometimes wait years and pay thousands of dollars for this blessing. Why should people who come illegally receive the same blessings as those who immigrate the right way? Americans should not feel guilty for enforcing the laws of the land, even though everyone should feel some compassion for the people in the desperate circumstances.