National Review: Asylum Crisis Is a Security Challenge

The US government struggles to control a border in crisis as hundreds of families seek asylum. The rule of law is only as good as enforcement backed by adequate resources. Writing for National Review, Andrew McCarthy argues the crisis is a security rather than legal challenge, and he maintains that new laws will not resolve the immediate problem. He urges barriers to stop the flow of immigrants followed by immediate, comprehensive immigration reform with consideration of many complex factors. McCarthy points out that most immigrants are women and children from Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador and elsewhere in Central America, and anti-trafficking laws provide protections to such claimants. Increased border crossings add to the numbers of undocumented immigrants in the United States. The country is deeply polarized over policies for asylum seekers, especially separation of parents and children, and what tone can shape incentives and provide long-term security. “We can have humanitarian sympathy for the plight of migrants fleeing dystopian societies while still recognizing that the United States government exists to protect the American people,” McCarthy concludes. “Our government should do as little harm as is practical under the circumstances. Its first duty, however, is to secure the border.” – YaleGlobal