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| Holocaust era assistant Secretary of State, Breckenridge Long |
Especially
since it is my people who paid very dearly for being denied immigration to the
US just before and during the Holocaust because of immigration quotas. Although
it turns out that actual quotas were never filled because Assistant Secretary of
State, Breckenridge Long, an antisemite was in charge of issuing
immigration visas.
He slowed immigration to the United States for hundreds of thousands of Jewish refugees fleeing persecution and murder by Nazi Germany. I am therefore very sympathetic to people
trying to get into this country that are persecuted by their government.
Reluctant as I am to discuss it, I have given it some thought, and have decided to
wade into it. Although my views are not set in
stone by any stretch - and subject to change,
First let me state the obvious. The punitive measures currently being
used by our government against people crossing the US border illegally are
inhumane! Children are being separated from their parents who are detained in
virtual cages. To listen to the cry of a child begging to stay with a parent as
he or she is being hauled away and imprisoned is beyond heartbreaking! I can’t
imagine a greater psychological trauma to a young child than that.
The US may be acting fully within its legal rights, but it
is not acting morally or with any sense of compassion. So as an observant Jew -
I join religious leaders of all faiths, including every Jewish denomination -
from Reform to Orthodox who have themselves joined in common cause and condemned this practice. I was also pleased to see
the Agudah express these sentiments in a public statement (available at Cross-Currents).
That said I fully understand the need to limit immigration.
Every nation has a right to protect its borders and serve its own interests. So unless there is
persecution involved where asylum comes into play, an open border would mean
flooding the country with people desperately poor seeking jobs for menial pay just
to feed their families. While we must
have compassion for these people, we can’t allow unlimited immigration. It
would flood the market; hurt the American worker and alter our way of life by lowering our standard of living. (I should
note that it is a real tribute to the United States that illegal immigrants do so
much better here than in their countries of origin even doing menial work for menial
pay.)
As it stands now there are about 50,000 illegal immigrants
per month sneaking into this country. Some are actually trying to escape
persecution. Most are just seeking a better life for their families. And
some are just plain criminals that ought to be punished to the fullest extent
of the law and then deported (Unless they have committed a capital offence for
which they are sentenced to execution or life imprisonment.)
All law abiding people seeking a better life are welcome
here. We are a nation of immigrants. But only if it is done legally. Those who
don’t must pay a price for breaking the law. Unless they are being persecuted in
their country of origin - they should be deported immediately upon being
caught. Those who claim persecution should be given a hearing. If their claims
are found to be legitimate they should be granted asylum. One thing that should
not happen is separating children from their parents. That is just plain cruel.
It distresses me that this issue has become so political.
President Trump is not wrong to worry about the criminal element crossing our
borders. Many of those criminals are violent. It is sometimes difficult to know
which immigrant is a violent criminal and which one isn’t. They don’t exactly carry
signs that say ‘violent criminal’ when they cross the border. Securing the
border is not an evil Nazi-like plan. It isn’t even a Breckenridge Long type
plan. There should be no prejudice involved.
The most troubling aspect of the illegal immigration issue
(aside from the current one of separating children from their parents) is what
to do about the so-called ‘Dreamers’. These are illegal immigrants whose
parents sneaked into this country bringing them in as young children. They had no
choice in the matter. Meanwhile they were raised as Americans and know no other
way of life. Deporting them may technically be legal - but at the same time
grossly unfair and in my view - immoral!
‘Dreamers’ should be given immediate legal status and a path to
citizenship. Their parents should be given legal status too. But I would not
reward them with a path to citizenship, because they broke the law getting into
this country. However, in cases where persecution was involved, I would cut
those parents some slack and give them a path to citizenship too. Even though
they did not go through proper channels by asking for political asylum at the
time. Compassion dictates this course of action, in my view.
Protecting our borders from the criminal element is a legitimate
concern. As is preventing hundreds of thousands (perhaps even millions!) of immigrant per year sneaking
in to simply better their lives and those of their families. Bettering one’s
life by immigrating into this country is what America is all about. But it must
be done legally. For those that don’t, there must be consequences.
And yet, even as I say this I am mindful of how my own
people were treated when they tried to immigrate to America before and during
the Holocaust because of Nazi persecution. If only more of them would have
sneaked in illegally, Jewish lives would have been saved. However, the key word there is persecution. Which
the State Department ignored because
of an antisemitic assistant Secretary of State. And that makes all the difference in the
world.
