Shut it down, Mr. President!

On Friday, March 29, 2019, President Trump renewed his calls to crack down on illegal immigration.  But this time, he suggested that he may shut down the Southern border to stem the flow of illegal immigrants into our country.  If the crisis at the border continues, the Trumplican Party stands with President Trump in his proposition to close our Southern border.

Though a closure of our nation's border is not unprecedented, it is extremely rare.  But with our system becoming overwhelmed and illegal immigrants crossing the border in record numbers, it is absolutely necessary.  Closure of our border would act as a symbolic gesture toward Mexico.  Over the years, Mexico has done little to curb the influx of migrants into our nation.  As long as they continue to tolerate, and perhaps encourage it, they must be warned.  Unfortunately, Mexico does not care very much about the state of our country.  In a rare case, the closure of our border will serve as a reminder to Mexico that they must take control of their citizens, who even rushed a port of entry last November.

By closing numerous ports of entry, asylum-seeking migrants would be forced to turn around.  This needs clarification, however.  The United States should not discourage people to apply to become a citizen, but it must be done legally. At this point, the "breaking point has arrived" for our immigration system, according to Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Kevin McAleenan.  At least with the border shut, there would be time to process some of the existing claims for asylum in order to relieve the strain on the system.

In standing against whatever President Trump says, many have cited the legal concerns and the financial costs for closing our Southern border.  American lives are at stake with the drugs pouring through our border and the danger posed by many illegal immigrants.  The safety of the American people should always come before anything else.