A False Sense of Security
In the ongoing debate about immigration, some erstwhile supporters of reform say we must first “secure the border” before we can think about comprehensive reform. In his speech Thursday morning President Obama seemed to bend toward that perspective when he said that there are more “boots on the ground” at the border than at any other time in US history, a reference to his administration’s announcement last week that they will be deploying 1200 new troops to the Southwest border as well as seeking funds for two Predator drones to patrol the border.
But the prioritization of border security relies on the belief that crime is an out-of-control problem on the U.S. side of border. This false sentiment is consistently espoused by conservative politicians like Arizona Governor Jan Brewer who recently asserted that
“the majority of the illegal trespassers that are coming into the state of Arizona are under the direction and control of organized drug cartels and they are bringing drugs in.”
In fact, according to Politifact, “statistics have consistently shown that immigrants, including illegal immigrants, actually have lower rates of criminal activity and incarceration than do the native-born children of immigrants.” Moreover, US border cities have among the lowest rates of violent crime in the country.
The debate pitting border security against comprehensive reform is not only built on a shaky foundation of evidence, but is also a false dichotomy. We cannot secure the border without comprehensive reform, without a way for individuals to legally and fairly enter the system. As C. Stewart Verdery, Jr., former Assistant Secretary of Policy and Planning at the Department of Homeland Security, wrote in a recent report:
“Waiting for an airtight border to solve our immigration problems would be an unrealistic, impractical, and unsuccessful strategy.”
We need our politicians, from members of Congress here in Washington and state political leaders like Gov. Brewer, to drop the “secure the border” rhetoric and instead focus on what we know will work: comprehensive immigration reform. Faith leaders have been leading the charge for reform that protects our values and our interests as a country, and this week, they ramped up the pressure and urged Congress to build on the momentum from the President’s speech.
Wednesday, Hispanic and African American pastors launched a coalition debunking the myth of the “black-brown divide” and pledging support for immigration across racial and ethnic lines. Thursday, an interfaith delegation delivered a letter to White House officials with almost 600 signatures from faith leaders in support of comprehensive immigration reform and announced a coordinated month of action for reform. The grassroots mobilization, Justice July, will include pulpit swaps between citizen and immigrant clergy, vigils, and acts of civil disobedience.
The faith community isn’t backing down on the overwhelming need for reform. They know that the pragmatic and moral solution is a comprehensive one, and not one that relies on faulty logic and calls for militarization along our Southern border.