We see TV images of thousands of people coming from Central America toward the United States border. They all have one thing in common. They want the freedom and opportunity that is present in this country that is not present in their country. They want to work, feed their family, get an education and have healthcare. In essence, they want hope.
I read that over 1 million people recently have and will cross over our borders to escape the dismal conditions in their country. They are bringing what meager belongings they have along with their children. Some have walked over a thousand miles. To them, it is worth it. It is something that many Americans take for granted. The belief that our country will provide the very things that immigrants have been denied in their country often leads to expectation. And that expectation can be very expensive.
There is a delicate balance to providing what freedom offers. To deny it may be cruel, but to grant it without limits can result in a country’s demise. I am well aware that the United States was formed by immigrants. Mine can be traced back to Europe. Generations before, my family arrived with the same hopes and dreams of those who are now at our borders. If some of them now were our family members, we would stand up and vocally want them in. When they are not, the specter of expense creates policy.
