Yumans deserve to know what’s happening here
Local details hard to obtain on hot-button border issue
Nestled as we are on the U.S.-Mexico border, the Yuma Sun has been watching the stories about separating children from parents with a close eye.
The Yuma Sector stretches over 126 miles of U.S. border, from the Imperial Sand Dunes to the YumaPima County line, and “is comprised of approximately 181,670 square miles of primarily desert terrain divided between California and Arizona,” according to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection website.
That’s a tremendous territory to cover, and statistically speaking, one would think some families would have been caught in that sector between April and June. Readers have asked us what’s going on here. But finding out that information has been challenging.
How many families have been taken into custody by Yuma Sector agents in this time frame?
How many children have been separated from their families here?
What happened to the children? Where were they sent? Are there facilities here, or are they sent elsewhere?
Now that President Trump has ended that practice, what happens next, locally, to reunite children and their families?
On June 21, Yuma Sector acting chief patrol agent Carl Landrum spoke to the Washington Post. The report notes that as of Thursday morning, Border Patrol agents stopped separating parents from their children. Landrum added that “parents crossing the border illegally with their children would no longer be referred for prosecution for illegal entry, although they would still face consequences because they would be transferred to ICE for deportation.”
“Did they break the law doing that? Yes, they did,” he said of parents crossing the border illegally. “Are they going to be held accountable? Yes, they will. Are we going to do that in a way that is as compassionate as possible? Yes,” the Post reported.
We’ve reached out repeatedly to Border Patrol locally to get answers to our local questions and keep our readers informed, but have been unsuccessful.
On Friday afternoon, local Border Patrol officials responded to the Yuma Sun with this statement:
“U.S. Customs and Border Protection has taken immediate steps to implement the President’s Executive Order Affording Congress the Opportunity to Address Family Separation. Family unity will be maintained for families apprehended crossing the border illegally, and they will be transferred together to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The Border Patrol will continue to refer for prosecution adults who cross the border illegally. For those children still in Border Patrol custody, we are reuniting them with parents or legal guardians returned to Border Patrol custody following prosecution. As specified in the order, families will not be detained together when doing so would pose a risk to the child’s welfare. Additionally, as was the case prior to implementation of the zero tolerance policy on May 5, family units may be separated due to humanitarian, health and safety, or criminal history in addition to illegally crossing the border.”
Then, we were directed to a national CBP media relations email address for answers to our questions. The Yuma Sun took that step on Friday, and we are awaiting a response.
Border Patrol has a responsibility to speak to local media, and be transparent on what is happening in our community.
The situation is a hot, sensitive subject, but staying silent only ignites flames. Yumans deserve to know what’s happening in their backyards.
DO YOU AGREE WITH THIS OR NOT?
The vast majority of those “kids” were sent here by their parents. They weren’t “ripped” from their mommies’ arms! These kids have no education or job skills thus we will support our Democrats soon to be Democrat voters for their entire lives. No vetting to see how many criminals we are letting in. Also, how long before we become a third world country like the one they left but so love that they wave their country’s flag while claiming they are not being given their rights? Trump is chastised for changing his mind instead of applauded for doing so. All this is a contrived issue by the Democrats to bash Trump and win more votes in November. If we told the illegals they couldn’t vote for 20 years, the Dems would help build the wall, with Schumer and Pelosi leading the charge
OK, the border situation is a mess. Sending your children across the border while being aware of the circumstances that may befall them is the equivalent of child abuse. Sending children unaccompanied by parents in the charge of a smuggler, also commonly referred to as a “coyote” is ultimately more abhorrent. Some of these folks deal in human trafficking and will “sell” children into prostitution, or worse.
Laws with respect to illegal border crossings are quite clear. The Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigration Responsibility Act of 1996 enacted into law during the Clinton administration expanded the rainbow of aggravated felonies with respect to illegal immigration.
Without the existence of borders, you have no nation or sovereignty. You also enable criminal elements to flex their muscle. In addition, the terrorism element cannot be discounted or ignored due to lax border security.
The open borders crowd knowingly promotes the destruction of our heritage and marginalizes the premise of “American Exceptionalism.” No surprise. They have disdain for America. In their world view, nothing is exceptional about America. America has and continues to be the primary problem around the world in their distorted sense of reality.
That being said, a comprehensive immigration reform policy must be formulated. Our borders are vital and sacrosanct to the future of our nation. At the same time, we must exercise a modicum of restraint and humanity. There are no winners, only folks caught in the middle, some by their own design. If the solution was easy, it would be a matter of historical fact.
Without our founding principles and sovereignty, we will become Europe. They are losing their identity
The decision to separate small children from their parents is morally unacceptable. But then perhaps the White House personnel live within the concept of moral unacceptability. We as a people are losing our self-respect and are allowing this administration to use falsehoods, lies, and innuendos to try and deflect their inability to be moral and honest about any subject. Immigration policy for this administration is a non-starter.
I cannot put all the blame on the president. The factions within the GOP, the lack of leadership, by party in power is morally and unethically bankrupt. Since the GOP has relinquished its duties and responsibilities as a governing body to the president and his minority followers, “Cowardice in the name of party unity does not serve America well.” Using the election year as an excuse not to deal with hard issues is cowardice. Perhaps we need to change who we vote for because both parties have too much power and do not really represent the general population.
The Democrats are no better than the Republicans. To solve this immigration crisis, they need to bring forth valid ideas. Both parties must get past the “Party Only” attitude. America has many problems that require solutions, not rancor and pompous attitude.
Immigration and migration is a major issue that must be solved. Just saying it’s the law is unacceptable. One other note, where are the religious leaders? Perhaps they are also pandering, and lack moral courage.