I listened to the Daily podcast yesterday and learned that there is actually justification for what the US is doing with the children at the southern border.#
Previously, an immigrant would cross the border and if caught would declare they're seeking asylum. They would be taken into custody, with any accompanying children, appear before a judge, and would be given a date for a trial to determine if their request is justified. Then they would be released, in the United States. At that time they would be free to get a job, take up residence, and often they would not show up for the trial. So through this large loophole they would effectively become residents of the United States.#
That's one approach, and it has an obvious problem. As Trump says, it makes our border open to all, as long as they can say they're seeking asylum.#
The method Trump is using isn't any more of a solution and it's inhumane, creates damaged children and adults, and for people with legitimate claims for asylum, gives thm an impossible choice. It's also part of our law that we welcome immigrants seeking relief from oppression. It's the philosophy of the country, which is a country of immigrants. Every one of us who is not a native American came here from somewhere else, including everyone in the government.#
It's not a simple problem. There doesn't seem to be a good solution. I can't say lesser of two evils, because letting undeserving immigrants into the country is far from evil, it's pragmatic. We do have jobs for them. They have a place in our society. But many of them are breaking the law by coming in seeking asylum without a valid claim, and no rule-of-law respecting person can say that is totally okay. #