Immigrants, Refugees, or Invaders?

            All Americans came from someplace else. My ancestors came from England and Scotland – with a mixture of German, Swedish, and other blood. My husband’s ancestors came from England, Scotland, Norway, and Sweden – with a mixture of other blood. Even the ancestors of the Alaska Natives and the Native Americans came from some other place.

            Scientists tell us that the ancestors of some of the Alaska Natives came across the bridge from Russia. The Book of Mormon – Another Testament of Jesus Christ tells us that some of the ancestors of the Native Americans came from Jerusalem. Hence, it seems safe to declare that America is a land made up of immigrants.  

            Immigrants have been coming to America for hundreds of years. Columbus came by accident and found the Americas while he was searching for another route to India. The Spaniards and French came for the gold, silver, and other natural resources to take back to their nations. The Puritans and Pilgrims came looking for a place where they could enjoy the freedom to worship as they chose. They came with the intention of making America a better place.

            Early converts to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints – including my ancestors and my husband’s ancestors – immigrated to join with like-minded people and to build up “Zion” in America. When the Church of Jesus Christ had grown and flourished for many years, leaders encouraged new members to stay in their home countries and build Zion there. Even though the flow of new members immigrating to the United States has all but stopped, other immigrants continue to come.

            Some immigrants come to the United States seeking protection from persecution. Others come because they are afraid that they will suffer persecution because of their race, religion, nationality, or political opinion. Still others come with no desire to assimilate or contribute anything good. The United States is the last best hope for the world. It is much like a city that is built on a hill whose light shines forth so brightly that it can be seen for long distances. To people who are poor, mistreated, or persecuted America is a beacon of hope. However, to others it is a terrible place that must be destroyed.

            Americans understand why most immigrants want to come to America and are willing to share their nation with immigrants. However, the great majority of Americans do not want people to come to the United States illegally, and they definitely do not want to be invaded.

            When Americans see a horde of people marching from Honduras and through Mexico with definite plans to come to the United States, they are concerned. They see pictures of the marchers burning the American flag and chanting negatives things about America and President Donald Trump. They see pictures of the marchers carrying the flag of Honduras.

            Americans want to know who these people are and why they are coming to the United States. Americans want to know how and why this large group of marchers – somewhere between 4,000 and 14,000 in number – decided to come to the United States as a group. Who encouraged them to come? Who is paying for the buses, trucks, and other vehicles seen providing transportation? Who is providing food for them? Where are these thousands of people relieving themselves? Who is behind this march? If we let this huge group of people into the United States, what do we do with the next group that may be even bigger?

            It is only natural for Americans to feel some trepidation as they watch this large group of travelers – hating America and waving the flag of Honduras – travel toward the southern border. It looks like an invading army because it is made up of mostly young men, and President Trump has promised that they will be met by American soldiers. What are the soldiers going to do? Will they be any more successful in stopping the invaders than the Mexican soldiers are? Will American soldiers use bullets as well as tear gas? How many of our soldiers will be injured or killed in the process of guarding the border?

            The editorial board at The Deseret News says that the United States should show compassion towards these struggling people because they are “families fleeing gang violence and seeking hope for children,” people who are coming from a country “where the World Bank estimates 66 percent of the people are in poverty.” They say that “People don’t voluntarily endure such hardship unless their lives reach a critical level of desperation. They speak about the hope of a better life in the United States.” 

            The editorial board also believes that Americans should be concerned “about the need to handle these people in an orderly and humane manner if they should make it to the U.S. border.” A positive for this editorial is that they recognize that “the United States cannot allow thousands of people to storm their way in with no vetting.” However, they do not seem to understand that the United States does not have the capability of taking in every person who wants to come to America. They believe that it is wrong to separate little children from their parents as has been done in the past, but they do not offer a solution to the problem of what to do with the children while the parents are held for illegally crossing the border. They also do not offer a solution of what to do with those “parents” who are using a child or children only to gain entry into the United States.

            Since President Trump was “forced” by public opinion to do away with the policy of holding children separately, hundreds – and maybe thousands – of more families have come seeking admission or even crossing the border illegally. The compassion of Americans is being used and abused! I do not like the idea of children being separated from their parents for any reason, but I realize that it is sometimes necessary – particularly when parents break the laws of the land. We must protect the children, but I recognize that it is sometimes difficult to protect them when their own parents put them in harm’s way.

            I believe that the best way that America can show compassion for all people – Americans as well as people who want to come to America – is to build a tall enough wall to repel even an invading army. I believe that American politicians must pass laws that allow people to immigrate to the United States in a reasonable period of time. I believe that laws should be put in place to make entering the United States illegally very unpopular and uncomfortable. People who come illegally should not be rewarded in any way. The only way that Americans do the right thing is to vote out every Democrat who stands in the way of making America great again. Vote Republican!