Op-Ed: U.S. Immigration Policy

The following Op-Ed was submitted by Art da Rosa. Note: Op-Eds do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of those at the Idaho Dispatch.

A trusted friend wrote that a friend of his, who is a contractor from Texas, is being sent to Idaho to build camps for immigrants.  This news was upsetting to my friend, as that action, building camps for immigrants was being viewed as a step toward bringing unwanted change to Idaho.

France

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His concern is well-founded.  Look at France, for example.  While it still has the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, and the Palace of Versailles, France today is a far cry from what it once was.  Forgotten are the freedom thinkers of Montesquieu and Bastiat.  They are replaced by multi-cultural mentalities, economically suicidal environmental tendencies, and borderless policies.  Yes, the EU has forced those principles on its member states.  But, France embraced them readily, without much complaint.

Today France is a mere shell of what it was.  Unrecognizable from its noble past.

The United States of America

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Strategies similar to those responsible for the decline of France are being employed in the United States.  Multiculturalism, Environmentalism, BLM, CRT, are all being forced upon us.  Looking at the result in France, I can only conclude that the ultimate goal is the total destruction of the American way of life.  If these actions are allowed to continue, we will lose America as we know it.  Perhaps, precious portions have already been corrupted.  But, there are still patriotic Americans that believe we can turn the tide.  It is my intention to discuss the concepts of nations and immigration, as part of the effort to reclaim the United States of America.

Nation

In our Pledge of Allegiance, we pledge “… one nation under God.”  What makes a Nation?  It is not the land, the mountains, or the rivers.  George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Aristotle, and many others have taught us this concept:  A nation exists when a group of people shares a common culture, history, and ideals.  From these, moral values are developed, and right vs wrong is commonly understood.

My family and I moved from California almost four years ago.  We heard many jokes about Californians.  Just about all of these jokes stem from the fact that Californians have a different mentality.  The unspoken concern is that this mentality has the potential to corrupt the Idaho way of life.  The crux of the concern lies within differences in the perceived culture, history, and ideals; i.e., the concept of America.  Since establishing roots in Idaho, my family and I have been diligent in promoting the U.S. Constitution and its ideals.  If you live near Pocatello, I invite you to join our Constitution-class, which is being taught every Monday.  (Click here for more information:  Patriots for Liberty and Constitution, FB)

Would unvetted foreigners and illegal immigrants be a larger problem than liberal Californians?  For me to become a naturalized citizen, I had to take a class on American culture and history.  I am not certain that it is a requirement now.  Immigration policies have changed.

The question remains.  How do we assimilate newcomers?  After all, the scriptures tell us that we ought to be kind to foreigners.

“And if a stranger sojourn with thee in your land, ye shall not vex him.  But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt:  I am the Lord your God.” (Leviticus 19:33-34)

John Quincy Adams taught that U.S. Immigration Policy should be one of guaranteeing freedom to the immigrants (or new Americans) but without provision to livelihood–no welfare, no housing, no job guarantees.  Those new Americans were expected to mingle with the rest of the nation, work, and be naturally assimilated.  After two centuries, this is still the wisest immigration policy ever known.

Does this sound too harsh?  No.  The proper role of government is to defend our unalienable rights which include police, national defense, and the justice system.  More importantly, there are other sectors in society.  Churches for example.  Other sectors are Education, Media, Artistic, Business, and Family.  A sign of a healthy society is for each of these sectors to function independently.  What we have today is the government taking over, or dictating the terms for the other sectors.  Only by letting each sector function independently will our nation reach its maximum potential.

The role of Education is to expand our minds through learning.  The role of the Media and Artistic sectors is to spread wisdom.  The vital role of Religion is to instill an understanding of goodness.  The role of Business is to exchange goods and services.  And we need healthy Families to have true happiness.

Moving Forward

Individually, we cannot change our immigration policies.  But, when we run into newcomers on welfare, we can help them find employment.  That is the noblest welcoming gift we can provide.

It would be wise for our Local, State, and Federal governments to adhere to the time-tested principles espoused by our Founding Fathers.

The message enshrined in the Statue of Liberty, “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,” was true when written.  It continues to be true today.  Only if we practice the principles that lead to it.

Art da Rosa, PE, MPA
Inkom, ID