3/24/2016 -
Laura Hollis Townhall.com
Enough.
More attacks, more carnage, more death -- this time in Brussels,
Belgium. After the Charlie Hebdo attack, the social media hashtag was "Je
Suis Charlie Hebdo." After the Bataclan attacks in Paris, it was
"Pray for Paris." Now it is "Nous Sommes Bruxelles" ("We
are Brussels").
No, we're not. But we will be, unless steps are
taken to prevent any more attacks.
We are hearing the usual platitudes from President Obama and
others: "We will not be defeated." "We will conquer
terror." There is zero political will behind these statements. If there
were, you would see immediate efforts to prevent -- at the very least --
immigration from countries that spawn terrorists and sponsor terror. You can no
more "conquer terror" by letting terrorists into your country than
you can prevent theft by letting thieves into your home.
It is time to close our borders. It is time for a temporary
moratorium on immigration.
In fact, it is past time. We have been amply warned. Brussels was
hit this week. Paris was hit in January and again in November of last year. The
United States suffered terrorist attacks in San Bernardino last year, at the
Boston Marathon in 2013, at Fort Hood in 2009, and of course, in New York City
on Sept. 11, 2001. (In fact, if you want to see something truly sobering, check
out the Wikipedia page titled, "List of Islamist Terrorist Attacks."
Pay attention to the escalation -- from a handful of incidents in the 1970s to
nearly an attack a day somewhere in the world in 2015. Even assuming that
contemporary record-keeping is more thorough, the numbers are staggering.)
In addition to the planned terrorist attacks, Europe is dealing
with widespread crimes committed disproportionately by migrants, including
hundreds of incidents of sexual assault in Germany and Sweden, theft and other
property crimes, and even murder.
Our situation in the United States is not much better. With our
own porous borders, over 100,000 illegal immigrants cross into the United
States each year. In 2014, nearly 10,000 unaccompanied children from Mexico and
Central America crossed the border every month.
Are we sending them back? Nope. Are we sending back those who
commit crimes? Not with any consistency. Also in 2014, according to testimony
before the Senate Judiciary Committee, the Obama administration released
"193 illegal immigrants with homicide convictions, 426 people with
sexual-assault convictions and 16,000 with drunk-driving convictions."
Over the past three years, more than 100,000 illegal aliens who have been
convicted of crimes and who should have been deported have been released by the
Obama administration back into the general population.
Some who have been deported return to commit
additional crimes with impunity. Last year, 32-year-old Kate Steinle was killed
in San Francisco. The man accused of her murder, Juan Francisco Lopez-Sanchez,
has seven previously felony convictions and had been deported five times. San
Francisco refused to turn him over to federal authorities, pursuant to its
"sanctuary city" policy.
Just last week, in Framingham, Massachusetts, a woman was
gang-raped and her boyfriend beaten by four illegal immigrants from Guatemala.
Two of the accused attackers had been previously deported, one for drunken
driving and disorderly conduct. They managed to make their way back to the U.S.
Meanwhile, the Obama administration cuts aerial surveillance at
the border by 50 percent, and our border patrol agents say that they are being
instructed not to enforce immigration laws.
Why are we putting up with this?
It's not possible to read a conservative publication without
hearing the mewling and whining of the "NeverTrumps." Do you want to
know why Donald Trump is walking away with the Republican nomination? This
is why.
And all of you -- including President Obama -- who are so sure
that Hillary Clinton will beat Trump in a walk? Don't be so sure. Clinton just
announced that she wants to extend Obamacare benefit to illegal aliens. How
convenient! If they're injured assaulting American citizens, their health care
will be paid for -- by those of us who are still working.
I'm well aware of the objections to a moratorium on immigration.
There are those who will say, "You are punishing those who did nothing
wrong." To that I reply, don't blame us; blame those who have exploited
our generosity and our liberty. And some will argue (as they always do),
"If we close our doors, then the terrorists have won."
Wrong.
If we leave our doors open, then the terrorists win. If we allow
people to pour across our borders, then the terrorists win. If we refuse to do
meaningful background checks, then the terrorists win. If, knowing -- as we do
-- that our current practices create an increased risk of attacks and mayhem
and destruction and death, we do not change those practices, then the
terrorists win.
Because they will know that they can do what they like; that they
can disrupt our lives and slaughter our citizens, and nothing will change.
It is an election year. Here is my take on things: The decision to
place a moratorium on immigration sends the message that protecting American
citizens and lawful residents is more important than whatever benefits might be
obtained by an open-borders policy. Any candidate who cannot or will not make
the public statement that protecting America's citizens and lawful residents is
his or her single most important priority does not deserve to hold public
office.
And probably will not get the presidency.
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