Friday, July 25, 2014

Well, something needed to be done.

This week, Governor Perry exercised his power as commander-in-chief over the National Guard as he began taking steps to deploy them to the border for protection. The high numbers of illegal immigrants and minors entering the state has been considered a crisis that endangers Texas citizens and puts the state into more debt. The immigration crisis has been a problem for years now, and even with Bush deploying the National Guard a few years ago to repair border fences and boundaries, the problem still is pressing. The vast border is sparsely covered by state protection. There are various opinions as to how the immigrants affect the economy- the labor increase may help, but it also may take jobs from those in the (legal) labor force who are searching. Regardless, the immigrants entering into our state contribute to the high levels of crime and fill places in our prison that we can't pay for, just to start with.

Perry did what Obama hasn't moved to do. By exercising his right as commander-in-chief, he is attempting to make a move and actively work to ensure our border’s protection. Many are starting to criticize Perry’s moves, but I think he is finally doing what needs to be done. There are many unknowns about the situation- it is yet to be seen if the National Guard will have power to arrest or enforce state laws, and there is doubt that the officers are trained in order to carry out these duties. Regardless, there are not enough men at the border, and Perry has recognized this. While there are many unknowns to the future of Perry’s orders, we must trust that he has made this decision knowing a change needed to be made. There cannot be a perfect solution to the problem, but we know that we cannot support the people who illegally are here forever. We cannot ignore the problem that is literally at our doorstep or improve the economy and safety of citizens without taking steps to do it. The next weeks and months will allow for changes to start being implemented and the border to return to safety.


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