Federal immigration authorities estimate that 1.1 million illegal immigrants will attempt to cross the U.S. border in fiscal 2019, ending Sept. 30. Despite Mexico implementing tougher border controls, the immigrant flows from Central America have continued unabated, where failed states of Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador do little to stop citizens from the long trek north to the United States. Neither the White House nor the Congress has an answer what to do about the endless waves of immigration seeking entry into the U.S. After first denying the border crisis, Democrats have now accused the Trump administration of causing the problem, warehousing immigrants at the border like caged animals. While border detention centers need work, little has changed at Immigration and Customs Enforcement [ICE] detention facilities since former President Barack Obama.
Border problems didn’t start when Trump was sworn in Jan. 20, 2017, with immigrant lawbreakers detained in similar conditions under Obama. Yet Democrats choose to use immigration as proof of Trump’s heartless approach to the problem, blasting the president for building more border fence. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) shut down the U.S. government Dec. 22, 2018 to Jan. 25, 2019 over their refusal to give Trump any border fence funding. Pelosi and Schumer thought they had a winning political issue, keeping 800,000 government out of work. When the shutdown ended, Trump got his funds to build out his border fence, proving the shutdown was a farce. Senate Homeland Security and Border Protection Committee Chairman Ron Johnson (R-Minn.) said 1.1 million will cross the border in 2019.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection made contact with 905,026 immigrants, with 694,229 crossing into the U.S. illegally this year. That number was more than double illegal crossers in 2017 at 310,000. Democrats had denied the border crisis until the data became undeniable. Democrats insisted the border crisis was manufactured by Trump to pressure Congress to fund his border wall. With over 683,178 already crossing in fiscal 2019, that number is due to climb to 1.1 million by Sept. 30. Johnson confirmed that the number exceeds the total of 683,178 that crossed illegally in fiscal 2018, showing the escalating nature of the border crisis. Only by creating more effective barriers can the U.S. expect to see any change in the massive numbers attempting to cross the U.S. border. Long-term fixes involving economic development in Latin American countries have proved useless.
With all the immigration flowing to the U.S. border, ICE has recorded, 495,000 children and family units. “As of June, first nine months of this year, 495,000 children and family units have come to this country. If June’s pace continues, we’ll be over 700,00,” Johnson said. No one in the White House or Congress knows what to do to stem the flow of illegal aliens crossing the U.S. border. If detention facilities can’t keep up with the sheer volume of immigrants, it’s not the White House’s fault. “Given this flow, no one should be surprised that Border Patrol stations are well beyond their capacity,” said Johnson. Election Year politics has used the border crisis to score political points, when the crisis has been brewing for decades. Johnson wants Congress to stop pointing fingers at the president and work on comprehensive immigration reform to help fix the problem.
No comprehensive immigration reform can deal with the failed states South of the Border, unable to sustain hungry populations, where jobs are sparse and wages low. Fixing the economies of Central and South America would take more than the Marshall Plan to rebuild Europe after WW II. “Rather than point fingers at the brave men-and-women of DHS [Department of Homeland Security], who have done their best with the limited resources we have provided them, members of Congress should be acting on legislation to solve the underlying problems,” Johnson said, not realizing that the problem is far bigger than bipartisan legislation. Democrats want to blame Trump but have no answers for how to fix the problem. Johnson can’t believe that Congress can fix what’s wrong with the failed states South-of-the-Border, rife with unemployment, corruption and gang violence.
White House, Congress and Mexican authorities can’t stop immigrants from fleeing from war-torn, gang-infested countries, unable to provide gainful employment to its starving citizens. With the national debt and budget deficits growing and the U.S. faced with its own economic problems, there’s not enough resources to fix the failed states South of the Border. Acting Homeland Security Secretary Kevin McAleenan said ICE detention facilities in the Southwest can hold about 4,000 detainees, currently holding 6,000, while holding 19,000 in June. Arrests dropped from 132,000 to 94,000 in June, attesting to the help Mexico’s given to stop immigrants from reaching the U.S. border. Whatever the numbers, there’s no quick-fix in sight, with ICE, Border Patrol and local officials stretched to the breaking point. There’s no immediate answer to stop immigrant flows South-of-the-Border.
