Trump’s Speech Too Brief, Short on Specifics

President Trump’s anticipated speech on immigration was too short and lacked a concise explanation as to why action is needed now.

The president makes the mistake of focusing almost solely on the criminality of border crossers. Instead, he should educate the public regarding loopholes in the present law and how much illegal immigration is draining our taxpayers and resources.

Here is what he could have said:

1. While the media belittles the idea that this is a crisis, how else could we describe a situation where we already have 20 million illegal immigrants here and are facing caravans of thousands more marching toward the border demanding entry? If we do not confront this issue now, we will send a message that it pays to make the cross-continental trip, and the 7,000 currently in the caravan will eventually morph into 7 million.

2. Our asylum laws are so crazy that they allow for illegal aliens to simply claim they are seeking asylum and, therefore,h cannot be turned away. Border agents are forced by judges to keep them in the states and, after 20 days, release them to become American residents. This is the law that must be changed. Common sense dictates that we should only consider asylum for those who enter the U.S. legally — or do so from a foreign embassy. Yet Democrats refused to change this quirky provision, thereby encouraging millions more to make the dangerous 1,000 mile trek to our border.

3. The Unaccompanied Minors Act, passed years ago,with good intentions, is so poorly worded that it allows border agents to turn back the unaccompanied illegal immigrants from Canada or Mexico, but forces agents to keep here individuals from other countries. This is insanity, but attempts to change the law, again, have been thwarted by Democrats. The only explanation I can you give you is that they actually want more illegal immigration, because these are potentially future Democratic voters. But politics cannot take precedence over preserving our resources — or public safety.

4. The media have blurred the distinction between legal and illegal immigration. America is the most generous nation on earth, allowing over 1 million new immigrants per year. Still, there are 4 million people patiently waiting on line to come here the right way. What message do we send to them when they see millions of people cutting the line being allowed to stay here to get healthcare, free tuition etc.? If anything is immoral — that is it.

5. The media also cites the Statue of Liberty’s magnanimous call to the world’s huddled masses. But when those words were written, it was a completely different world. Immigrants had to have sponsors or be self sufficient. They weren’t getting taxpayer assistance. Contrast that with illegal immigrants today who are receiving over $100 billion each year from American taxpayers.

This is money that does not go toward helping America’s homeless, elderly, or destitute. Americans must understand the strain that legalizing millions of illegal aliens will have on the future of Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security. And how many American children of all colors will be denied access to a state-funded college because those brought here illegally will now be taking those spots? Not to mention the extent to which wages for the American unskilled workers are depressed by the influx of cheaper competitive labor.

6. To those who say walls don’t work, how do they respond to the fact that illegal immigration at the San Diego border disappeared once a wall was installed, while terrorist activity in Israel plummeted 90 percent after their controversial border wall was installed.

7. If a wall is going to be built, we must insist the money be allocated upfront. We have been scammed too many times in the past. Ronald Reagan gave away amnesty at the outset and then lost all leverage. Consequently, no border wall was implemented, and an additional 20 million illegal immigrants flooded over the border.

In 2006, a bipartisan group of legislators budgeted billions for fencing. The problem is they never followed it up by actually allocating most of the money. And recently, Democrats promised to give $25 billion in exchange for amnesty for DACA recipients. But, that was before a judge ordered that the executive order to revoke DACA protection was put on hold until the U.S. Supreme Court makes a decision which could take years.

They also were disingenuous in stating it would be paid over 10 years. Sounds like the Reagan situation again, where you might get $1 billion in one year and then never see any other money allocated in future years. There’s no way funding will continue once the illegal immigration advocates get their amnesty.

8. It’s the height of gall for officials who helped double the national debt to over $20 trillion in an eight year period to suddenly get religion on spending. It’s amazing to see they now draw the line over $5 billion. No one said a peep when then President Obama submitted an emergency bill for $4 billion just to care for the unaccompanied minors. Build the wall once and save on the $100 billion we expend every year on the illegal immigrant population.

Steve Levy, former New York state assemblyman, Suffolk County executive, and candidate for governor, is now a distinguished political pundit. Levy’s commentary has been published in such media outlets as Washington Times, Washington Examiner, New York Post, Albany Times, Long Island Business News, and City & State Magazine. He hosted “The Steve Levy Radio Show” on Long Island News Radio, and is a frequent guest on high profile television and radio outlets. Few on the political scene possess Levy’s diverse background. He’s been both a legislator and executive, and served on both the state and local levels — as both a Democrat and Republican. Levy published Bias in the Media, an analysis of his own experience, after switching parties, with the media’s leftward slant. Levy is currently Executive Director of the Center for Cost Effective Government, a fiscally conservative think tank. He is also President of Common Sense Strategies, a political consulting firm. To learn more about his past work and upcoming appearances, visit www.stevelevy.info. To read more of his reports — Click Here Now.