Robert F. Kennedy Jr., nephew of President John F. Kennedy, said, if elected president, he’ll fix the U.S. border problem, currently seeing an influx of thousands of illegal immigrants as Title 42 is set to expire today. Title 42, enacted July 1, 1944, was invoked by the Trump administration to expel migrants due to the Covid-19 global pandemic but expired May 12, allowing migrants to apply, under Title 8, for asylum due to persecution from places of origin. RFK Jr. said he knows how to fix the border problem, blaming decades of failed Latin American policies leaving struggling economies to fail, “I will make the border impervious,” Kennedy told Fox New digital in a phone call. “We cannot release people illegal aliens across the border,” not saying exactly what he would do. Kennedy believes that decades of U.S. Latin American policy have contributed to failed states.
JFK Jr. said the U.S. needs to do something about the humanitarian crisis, leaving hordes of humanity stranded with know way out. “But we also need to recognize that this is a humanitarian crisis, and we need to fix the policies that have caused mass migration, including decades of U.S. foreign policy that have imposed austerity on those governments . . .,” Kennedy said. Kennedy sees U.S. Latin American policy, largely pouring billions into foreign aid, while, at the same time, encouraging U.S. business development in Latin America. If Latin American governments see U.S. foreign policy as exploiting the resources of Latin American countries, then how’s the U.S. government supposed to fix the problem? Only economic development in Latin American can produce the kind of job environment necessary to create sufficient industry to support vastly unemployed populations.
RFK Jr. is right that Congress needs to work desperately on immigration reform, taking into account the role Latin American refugees play in American society. “Neoliberal policies that have encouraged the rise of the Junta military dictatorship that has trained and supported death squads in countries across Central America,” RFK Jr. said, blaming U.S. policies, rather than widespread corruption found in Latin American countries. No matter how much U.S. foreign aid Latin American countries receive, it’s all down a rat hole unless governments are accountable, something not possible with widespread corruption. Kennedy blames U.S. foreign policy on corruption in Latin America, something farfetched and not supported by facts. “We are now reaping the whirlwind of years of misguided foreign polices of warmongering foreign policy,” RFK Jr. said, blaming the U.S. government.
Former President Donald Trump tried to help the border crisis by building out miles of new border fence, something opposed by Democrats. When Trump asked Congress to fund his border wall in 2018, 83-year-old former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) refused to give Trump the money, shutting down the U.S. government. Pelosi had no problem telling Trump no on border wall funding, even if it meant shutting down the U.S. government and defaulting on obligations. Faced with another stalemate on a continuing budget resolution [CBR], Pelosi shut down the government for nearly a month. When it comes to the current budget impasse, 80-year-old President Joe Biden blames Republicans to trying force budget cuts before signing onto the new $1.5 billions CBR. RFK Jr. thinks he’ll fix failed Latin American policy.
Sealing off the border has been tried for decades only to be foiled by professional coyotes [smugglers], figuring out chinks in the U.S. armor, capable of finding ways over, under and around U.S. border fences no matter how impregnable. RKF Jr.’s idea of fixing decades old U.S. Latin American policy won’t happen anytime soon, especially how failed government makes use of U.S. funds. Biden ordered 1,500 U.S. troops to the border to assist Border Patrol in an administrative capacity. With the border swamped with an influx of migrants, there’s little the Border Patrol and U.S. troops can do to stop what’s become an uncontrollable crisis. Sending more troops without directly assisting Border Patrol or National Guard troops won’t stop the current influx of migrants. RFK Jr. won’t be able to change U.S. policy let alone any government in Latin America currently receiving U.S. foreign aid.
Biden’s 63-year-old Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has been talking tough on the border now, after neglecting the issue for the last two years. Biden faces a grueling reelection fight, not necessarily from RFK Jr., whose candidacy, at the moment, commands about 20% of the Democrat vote, but from a new Republican candidate likely to emerge in the next few months. Democrats are all up in arms over 76-year-old former President Donald Trump appearing May 10 on a 70-minute CNN town hall meetings. All the press, broadcast and print, talked about was Trump’s lies. Whether Trump lied of not, or just has his own ideas, said the border was more secure when he was president. CNN’s 31-year-old host Kaitlan Collins, who was out-matched by Trump, rudely interrupted him throughout, trying to fact check a barrage of statements. Collins was rewarded today with a CNN primetime show.
About the Author
John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He’s editor of Onlinecolumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.
