Invasion of Migrants

            There is a group of people from Honduras traveling towards the southern border of the United States. They claim that they are escaping violence in their home country and seeking asylum in the United States. Mexico offered asylum, homes, jobs, and other benefits, but few of the migrants accepted the offer. This refusal shows that they are not true refugees but invaders intent on entering the United States illegally.

            Meanwhile, Donald Trump insists that the members of the caravan will not enter the United States, and Kirstjen Nielsen, Trump’s Homeland Security, repeats his promise. James Mattis, Trump’s Secretary of Defense, is taking steps to make sure that the President’s promise is kept. He says that barricades and active duty troops are heading to the U.S.-Mexico border to stop the caravan of 7,000 migrants from entering the U.S. 

            There are approximately 2,000 members of the National Guard currently on the border, and more troops are on their way to provide reinforcement. The number of forces being sent has not yet been decided. Trump promised to send 800 soldiers, but there are also reports that Mattis requested 1000. As this writer understands the situation, the soldiers will not actually interact with the migrants but will provide logistical assistance such as air support and equipment including vehicles and tents.     

   

            Vice President Pence said last week that the caravan of migrants was formed for political purposes and is being funded by leftist groups. The president of Honduras told Pence that the caravan was organized by political groups within Honduras and funded by groups outside of Honduras, including Venezuela. Pence said that American citizens understand that the caravan was not formed spontaneously by vulnerable people.

But it was organized by human traffickers and leftist groups that are, in effect, taking vulnerable people – many elderly, families, children – and marching them north without regard to their safety to make a political point and challenge the sovereignty and the territory of the United States.

            If this statement is true, then the “caravan of migrants” is actually an invading force with the goal of overwhelming the United States. Normally, a defending nation would put their military on the border and shoot to kill the invading army. Such an act by the United States would surely bring wrath from all other nations!

            I do not believe that the U.S. military forces will shoot the invaders, so I am concerned about America’s ability to stop them. Without a wall to stop the invaders and without using ammunition, how can border patrol, backed by soldiers, stop this force of 7,000 and keep them out of the United States? After all, the invaders did overwhelm Mexican soldiers and tear down a fence to enter Mexico. With the end of their journey so close, they definitely will be willing to exert all their energy.

            I felt some relief when I read that the military was bringing barricades, and I hope that they arrive before the invading army does. I do not know what type of barricades Mattis is bringing, but I hope that they are bigger than traffic barricades. The horde of invaders is made up of mostly young men who could hop over traffic barricades without any problem!

            I hope that the end result of this caravan and others is to show politicians that America needs Trump’s wall. If there was a wall that could not be breached along the border, many of the human traffickers, drug smugglers, and fake refugees would be stopped, and others would be discouraged. In addition, there would be fewer troops required to guard the border and less injuries or deaths for them. Common sense says that the answer is building tall, strong wall!