Opinion by Thomas R. Cuba, Ph.D.
Recently there has been a lot of chatter about open borders for America. At one time, now delayed in deference to an upcoming election, the President declared that he would grant citizenship to a large number of people who are in the United States illegally. In one state, adults here illegally, who have children in public schools, are even allowed to vote.
Numerous people have announced their support of both amnesty and open borders, including instant citizenship, and most have done so for emotional reasons. They often cite humanitarian concerns, many of which are valid. Unfortunately, the salve of immediate citizenship will not allay the humanitarian crises.
Those opposed to instant immigration and status have so far failed to mount a reasonable argument other than to shout that it is currently illegal and should remain so. It is for that purpose that I offer these thoughts.
America, like any nation, is composed of, and defined by, her people. In a prior essay On Afghanistan: The Take-Home Lesson, July 17th , 2014 the situation in Afghanistan was analyzed and found to be, in part, based in the fact that the national boundaries encompassed people of different ethnicities, origins, languages, and customs. These groups did not, and do not, get along well. They were put into the nation of Afghanistan by edict of the United Nations, not by choice. When the same situation existed in another nation formed by edict, Yugoslavia, it eventually erupted into civil war leading to the creation of six different nations.
America is the melting pot! You say, and so it is. We must ask why America has been able to melt her immigrants into one people and not suffer the fate of Yugoslavia?
Simply put, the answer has been in the immigration policies and process. In America, to become a citizen, you can keep your heritage, your ethnicity, your religion, your customs, your style of dress and other aspects of your culture, but the immigrant is expected to adopt America’s concept of the Rule of Law, the language, and our common moral code of mutual respect and proper behavior.
The immigration process assures that a prospective immigrant understands the history, the Constitution, and the expectations of fellow citizens. When these are lost, as we can see in our home grown problems associated with gang culture and a phenomenon known as the sovereign citizen, society breaks down.
Going through the immigration process helps to assure that the melting pot melts the immigrant’s past social practices into that special blend of American ones and that we avoid creating a stew of conflicting standards.
Immigration assures that the immigrants are people who wish to be here in order to become an American instead of being here to take advantage of the social successes of those who already have.
About The Author: Thomas R. Cuba, Ph.D.
Raised a simple Missouri farm boy, Tom managed to attend a British Prep School before commencing a college career that would culminate in a Doctorate Degree in Marine Ecology. He also served as an Intelligence Officer in the U.S. Navy, and as a scoutmaster, SCUBA instructor, Wilderness Survival Instructor, and Firearms Instructor.
Tom has worked as an ecologist in both government and private practice, as well as a freelance nature photographer and computer programmer.
Now, a father and grandfather, Tom offers life lessons in the form of stories about the challenges people face and conquer as well as socio-political essays. To that end, his first lesson is always his favorite quote. “Failure is the whetstone of success.” ~ T. Leith Rettie, 1884.
You can read more from Tom on his site by clicking here.