A letter from the Ohio University College Republicans says that building a wall along the southern U.S. border is an issue of security, both defensively and economically.
Every night before I go to bed, I close my curtains and lock my doors. I’m not a paranoid person, but I like the security of knowing who is in my house and that to the furthest of my control, I am safe.
The idea of building a wall along the southern U.S. border is an issue of security, both defensively and economically. The U.S. was home to over 11 million illegal immigrants in 2014, half of whom were from Mexico, according to Pew Research. In a time of intensified international conflict and economic instability, now more than ever it is important the U.S. secures the southern border.
Defensively, the U.S. is constantly vulnerable and should not bear the burden of housing illegal criminals. According to a report by the Government Accountability Office, 25,000 undocumented immigrants are currently serving homicide sentences in state and federal prisons. By no means does that mean that everyone illegally entering the country is a murderer; however, by definition, everyone entering the country illegally is committing a crime. With crime comes consequences and preventative measures.
Additionally, housing millions of illegal immigrants is not economically sustainable. Not paying taxes yet reaping the benefits of a welfare state, for example public education and health care, takes advantage of a system designed for the citizens of a nation and those who legally came to the country.
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While a wall is not the only solution to fix our broken immigration system, it is the first step in ensuring American safety and prosperity. Additionally, we support a pathway to legal citizenship and the pursuit of the American Dream.
A wall is not racist — if the U.S. had a major issue with excessive illegal Canadian immigration, we would be proposing the same solution. And bringing up support for a widely accepted immigration solution does not make the fragile students of Ohio University “unsafe.” Despite what your fantasy world might look like, we live in a country with laws and borders.
The opinions of Ohio University College Republicans reflect the majority views of its executive members.
