Whether the fear is rational or not, it is certainly real.
There was always a reason why immigration has to be kept under control. One of the major reasons is because we know NOTHING about these new arrivals who have entered by clandestine means, and until they reveal their presence by some means, including, and most particularly by, the commission of some criminal activity, there are few means of even identifying them. There is also the danger of importing some communicable diseases along with their physical presence, and the even greater danger that the person crossing the border has malevolent intent, either against an individual, or some agency of our government, part of a plan of invasion and disruption of our domestic tranquility.
None of the consequences of illegal entry end well.
The people of the United States of America are not unmerciful. There is the very real possibility that those fleeing across our border are victims of persecution in their homeland, and as refugees they are taken in for at least temporary respite. But no such refugee has uncontested right to remain here, and if possible, every attempt should be made to ascertain that the refugee actually is subject to persecution, and is not merely fleeing the properly ordained laws of the home country.
This circumstance is much more rare than has been attributed, and is frequently combined with an effort to circumvent or defraud the normal immigration process.
This is an example of “Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.” Heavy shame is falling upon the people of America, and certain of their leaders.
Thanks for very well-written post that succinctly gets to the heart of the matter. If you will, I'd like to further quote from President Calvin Coolidge since the words of this great Conservative harmonize with yours:
American institutions rest solely on good citizenship. They were created by people who had a background of self-government. New arrivals should be limited to our capacity to absorb them into the ranks of good citizenship. America must be kept American. For this purpose it is necessary to continue a policy of restricted immigration.
It would be well to make such immigration of a selective nature with some inspection at the source, and based either on a prior census or upon the record of naturalization. Either method would insure the admission of those with the largest capacity and best intention of becoming citizens. Those who do not want to be partakers of the American spirit ought not to settle in America.
This is from his 6 December 1923 address to Congress.
We do know a lot from various random looks, and it isn’t usually pretty.