Memo to the campaign staff of President Joe Biden’s re-election campaign: Fix the border.
There’s a lot of anger and angst in the hinterlands over immigrants from mostly Central America crossing into Texas, Arizona and California. I have determined this from the dozens of e-mails and texts received after a column early last month about some presidential candidates alleging refugees are being escorted here chiefly to vote in the November election. As if border agents are merely travel agents.
That is a lie frequently told, and I tried to point that out as the path to eventual U.S. citizenship (and the right to vote) is a hard road to follow. This link spells it out: https://www.uscis.gov/citizenship/learn-about-citizenship/10-steps-to-naturalization.
Many, many readers — quite a few from the last crimson strongholds in Prussian-blue Illinois — refuse to acknowledge that it is rare, indeed, that noncitizens vote in federal elections. One reason for not voting is that immigrants would imperil their in-country status and risk deportation.
It is more likely U.S. citizens will commit vote fraud. Like the Republican Party official from Georgia who professed Democrats stole the 2020 election through vote fraud. Yet, he was convicted late last month of illegally voting nine times over several years.
Surely that was a one-off in the annals of true Americans committing felony vote fraud.
Still, there remain extreme doubters who parrot their leader’s claim of nearly 10 million people illegally crossing the southern border into the country in the past year. Federal figures say just over 2.5 million people stopped at the border have been allowed into the U.S.
They are to appear in immigration courts or report to Immigration and Customs Enforcement to find their future status. Another 2.8 million were arrested and deported. In February, according to figures from Customs and Border Protection, Border Patrol agents made 140,644 arrests of people attempting to enter the country between legal border crossing points.
But the data is of little matter to those who already have their minds made up. I offer a sampling of what I received from readers. Left out are those calling me all sorts of nasty names my late mother would certainly not agree with.
Such as one from David in Libertyville: “All a person has to do is lie on the form about being a citizen. Massive opportunity for election fraud. If you think the citizenship question would be a serious bar to stop illegals from voting, then please send me some of whatever it is you are smoking.”
Eva from Arlington Heights, herself an immigrant, said I ignored that “these ‘migrants’ paid thousands of dollars to those wonderful, kind drug cartels to transport them to this country. I would think that you should donate at least half of your wealth to offset the billions we are forced to pay to support these illegals. Shame on you.”
Steven from Naperville wants me to take odds for a free meal if the new arrivals vote on Nov. 5: “If the current migrants flooding over our southern border are eligible to vote sooner than a few years from now, as you said, or during this November election, then you buy me a steak dinner at Sullivan’s in downtown Naperville.”
Kevin, who didn’t include his hometown, is one of those livid Americans: “We just love an open border and let‘s let them all come in ILLEGALLY and vote ILLEGALLY and suck our system thru our taxes for rent, food, health and education at a rate never seen before so complete idiots like you can print total nonsense. You are all warped and have the street smarts of a newborn.”
Brad, who also didn’t include his hometown, accused me of being cozy with the Biden administration: “You focus (in lockstep with mainstream media) on Mr. Trump’s assertion that the reason for the open borders (does anyone in the Dem party bother to refute that the borders are open?) is to create a Democratic voting class.”
One reader didn’t sign his name, but pointed out: “We had a secure border when Mr. Biden became president. He rescinded all the executive orders that provided this security. While I cannot fathom your reasoning on this issue I do have a very nice oceanfront property in Ottawa which you might be interested in.” I assume that land is on the Illinois River and not on the Ottawa River, near the Canadian capitol.
Another afraid of including his name said I am “a biased clown.” He added, “How many illegal immigrants have you taken in? I think I know the answer.”
A handful took my side, like Jeff: “Congrats on a really fine article about Trump and the truth about migrants and voting. The loudest voices right now are the ones we need to stand up against.”
And Joe reminded me that we remain a nation of immigrants: “As the grandson of immigrants (three arriving in the 1890s, one in the 1700s), I thank you for your insight and compassion. How can it be that vast numbers — just about all of us — have forgotten how we got here in the first place?”
Exactly.
Charles Selle is a former News-Sun reporter, political editor and editor.
sellenews@gmail.com.
X @sellenews
