The Unspoken Border Issues, Part II
By:   //  Citizen Journalism

(Story by David F. Kendell) In the last column, I touched on one major problem with the mass, uncontrolled, undocumented, and illegal immigration from the South that is rarely, if ever, spoken about. It is a basic truth that no matter how needy and/or well-intentioned such illegal immigrants are, when you let people from another culture immigrate, unchecked, in the kind of numbers we are talking about, they don’t have to do anything in particular, they don’t have to have the intent to do damage, in order to destroy the country to where they are moving. Having discussed that issue, this leaves one more dilemma that has less to do with the problems that are coming across the border, and more to do with those problems illuminating the ones we have right here at home.

There are moments that we will never forget, the death of presidents, major catastrophes, and even major sporting events. There are a few such instances in my life. The space shuttle Challenger explosion and 9/11, are two such instances which many people probably share with me. However, one incident which I believe will remain in my memory just happened, and because it wasn’t striking and wasn’t commented on by the media, it probably won’t be shared by everyone. Likewise, its implications seem to have also been missed. The incident about which I am talking, the picture that will be burned into my memory, is of a large white bus (newer and nicer than anything I was ever transported in while in the military), with a big blue seal and “HOMELAND SECURITY” painted on the side, carrying people that are here illegally, being stopped by citizens. What struck me is that a Federal law enforcement agency, whose very name claims that its existence is, ostensibly, to protect the citizens, to “secure” the “homeland,” was doing anything but.

It is an image which explains the deeper problem. When it became apparent to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that an incident of citizens standing in the way of those buses wasn’t going to be an isolated one, they took additional steps. They put DHS agents, in full combat gear (body armor and actual assault rifles) on missions with those buses, to ensure that the people who came here in violation of the law can get to where they are being delivered. Stop and think about that. A government agency, whose job it is to protect the citizens of this country against threats, is protecting a threat (or at least foreign citizens) against citizens of this country. The Department of Homeland Security was (and is) securing foreign interests in opposition to the homeland. Not to put too fine a point on it, nor to appear calloused to the legitimate dangers that the individuals who came here are facing, but do the American people want their law enforcement agencies opposing the citizens in favor of criminals?

This shift in purpose, in relationship between the citizenry and its government, has been entirely missed by the major news outlets. I have heard from a California Border Patrol Agent, Gabe Pacheco, who has spoken out about some of the issues that they are dealing with. Several “conservative” commentators and news outlets have included some discussion of his statements and some have even interviewed him on the air. He explains that the Border Patrol headquarters and DHS are giving the orders to release many of these immigrants, “into the community.” Agent Pacheco explains that agents are, “busy processing, changing diapers, and doing whatever duties go along with that, that you don’t have the agent on the ground out there.” In as far as it has even been discussed, discussion has focused on how these agents are being misused to take care of the illegal immigrants rather than doing their jobs, i.e. keep illegal immigrants out. However, there has been no discussion from Border or DHS agents, media, or columnists about those agents being used to control Americans. Agent Pacheco even said that we need more agents in order to actually be able to accomplish their commissioned task to keep people from crossing the border illegally. If those agents (or extra money, as President Obama has asked) are going to be used to keep Americans in line rather than keeping foreign invaders out, then do we really want more agents?

Therefore, the threat from illegal immigration is once again, not necessarily one originating from the immigrants themselves, but from our very own government. Why is it that those in our government, largely on both sides of the aisle, won’t close the border? Why is it that, once here, they defend foreign, illegal immigrants against us, the constituents which they are supposedly serving and defending? The answers are complex and many, but I contend that you need not look any further than Bertolt Brecht’s suggestion that it might be easier to disband the populace and elect a new one. (Above KYMA – TV photo via Facebook)

About the Author :

David F. Kendall has a master's degree in Political Science with an emphasis in International Relations from the University of North Texas. He served over 11 years in the active Army as a commissioned officer and Army Aviator, and has served in combat in Iraq. He lives in the Dallas-Fort Worth area of Texas.