Proper procedure for immigrants

I can’t decide if President Donald Trump is a bigot or just a cynical demagogue.

His ranting about the “invasion” of the U.S. by the group of Central American migrants currently in Mexico is just crazy.

Sending troops to the border is ill-advised and is not an appropriate response to this issue.

The majority of these migrants are women and children fleeing violence in their own countries and hoping for a better, safer life in the U.S. When and if they reach the U.S./Mexico border they will be dealt with by U.S. border authorities.

Those who want asylum can apply for it at the appropriate entry locations. Those who just want to enter the U.S. as immigrants and get a green card will be either accepted or rejected based on their circumstances.

None of these people will invade the U.S. They are not a threat to the U.S.

The president’s suggestion that he can end birthright citizenship by an executive order is just flat wrong. He should refer to the U.S. Constitution, Amendment XIV, Section 1, which reads, in part: “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.”

That’s pretty clear, if you’re born in the U.S., you become a U.S. citizen. There are no caveats about the circumstances of your parents. The only way provisions of the Constitution can be changed is by an amendment to the Constitution.

Paul Ruffle Williamsburg