Tag: immigration

Actually solving the “crisis at the border” isn’t a priority for Republicans

Like most young people, I studied political science and went into political work early in my adult life because I was (and still am, really) intensely idealistic. Notions of justice and fairness and kindness drove me, and I wanted to do work that would make the world a fairer and better place, especially for people who had taken it on the chin time and time again.

And, like many idealistic young people, politics quickly jaded me, and after just a few years of watching games being played and unserious people putting on a public face that was wildly different from their private one, I got out, and went into academics (which is probably just as cynical and corrupt, but at least I don’t have to make compromises with those people to write what I want to write.) Since then, politics has faded far from the center of my attention, which feels like a big deal in my head, because it was so central to who I am for a long time. I still struggle with lingering feelings of guilt over my choice to pay minimal attention to what is going on politically, and also my choice to not identify publicly as a Democrat anymore, despite my own left politics. Every time I dip my toe back in, I very quickly get disgusted with the game playing and the crass cynicism of so many in politics. By games, I mean the strict left-right dichotomy, the inability to see anyting outside of the lens of whether this hurts my political opponent (which is far and away the lead consideration, more so than “will this do good for my side?”) It grosses me out and makes me unreasonably angry all at once, and as someone who tries to mitigate my anger as much as possible, it is best for me to just stay away from politics.

I should mention, as well, that my personal theology, as I’ve written here before, pushes me away from partisan politics, and deepens my commitment to a more just and more loving world, which, (paradoxically, the more politically inclined would say) makes me less interested in politics and more interested in localism and the potential of the small and mundane to effect real change on the world.

But, sometimes things break back through, and the fight over immigration this week is one of things. And, boy did it trigger that previously mentioned disgust. I’ve debated over writing this, because when I discuss politics, I want to avoid coming from a very partisan place; I like to spread the blame around (rightly, I believe.) But, as mentioned before, I am a person of the left, and in this case, its really hard to see how Democrats have done much wrong on trying to get an immigration deal passed. This paragraph kind of says it all:

Many Republicans, including Trump and members of Congress, have decided to oppose the plan for political reasons. They think they are likely to do better in this year’s elections if the immigration problem festers and they can blame Biden. “Let me tell you,” Troy Nehls, a House Republican from Texas, told CNN last month, “I’m not willing to do too damn much right now to help a Democrat and to help Joe Biden’s approval rating.”

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/07/briefing/republican-border-bill-ukraine.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=highlightShare

These are the games that I think a lot of people are sick of, and why Congress’ approval rating is in the dumps, and the people on the outside just can’t break out of it long enough to see that. Here is the opportunity to do something about an issue that voters view as a priority; it is heavily weighted towards what the GOP has stated time and again that they want in an immigration deal, because Democrats have finally figured out that to get the Ukraine funding they want, they have to make a deal that includes concessions. And, when presented with a bill that gives them everything that want, Republicans instead decide to move the goalpost, because they want to hurt Joe Biden more than they want to get anything done. It’s just gross, and another strike against our political leadership.

“A year ago they said, ‘We need a change in the law,’” said Mr. Lankford, frustrated by his Republican colleagues who had been up in arms about the border situation only to suddenly reject the new legislation. “Now the conversation is, ‘Just kidding, we don’t need a change in the law. We just need the president to use the laws they already have.’ That wasn’t where we were before.”

The episode left Democrats amazed.

“Just gobsmacked,” Senator Brian Schatz, Democrat of Hawaii, wrote on social media. “I’ve never seen anything like it. They literally demanded specific policy, got it, and then killed it.”

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/06/us/politics/border-republicans-ukraine-bill.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare

Remember: these are the same hacks who want to convince you that the situation at the border is so dangerous that we’re mere moments away from a national crisis. Here is Speaker Mike Johnson one month ago during a publicity tour to the border:

“We have no idea how many terrorists have come into the country and set up terrorism cells across the nation. Last month alone, we saw the most illegal crossings in recorded history. It is an unmitigated disaster, a catastrophe.“

And here Democrats have given him the golden opportunity to address that looming existential threat. No thanks, we’d rather not address this, said Republicans.

Here’s the question I have about the Congressional GOP: do they have no sense of history? Have none of them watched immigration deal after immigration deal die over the last 25 years? They are not going to get another chance at this. They think they will control both Houses of Congress and the White House next year and get something done then. But how has that worked out for them in the past? Look at the 115th Congress, during Trump’s first two years in office. Even under full GOP control they couldn’t do anything. What makes them think this time will be different? Take the good deal you have now. You probably won’t get a chance again.

But, then again, this isn’t about solving the problem at the border. Its about power, and scoring points against the other team, and not doing anything that could be seen as crossing Donald Trump. Democrats have chosen to not play anymore games on this. They want Ukraine aid and Gaza aid, and they are willing to make huge concessions on the border to make that happen, taking this issue off the table in the process. Republicans want to score political points in an election year. What a joke.

One last note. Kevin Drum asks a good question: how should liberals feel about the border bill? I basically agree with his answer:

So speaking for myself, the border provisions of the Senate bill mostly seem positive. They would tighten up border security moderately; speed up asylum hearings; provide counsel at immigration courts; and do nothing to make our treatment of immigrants more inhumane. No mass deportations. No ICE raids. No razor wire.

So yeah, I’d vote for it.

welcome the stranger

I’ve become much less strident about the political conclusions that can be drawn from the Bible than I used to be. I think any fair reading of scripture can yield justification for a range of things, and besides, I’m pretty convinced Jesus wasn’t terribly concerned with winning the political battles of the day.

However, there are a few things that are indisputably clear political actions commanded by Christ. Feed the hungry. Care for the orphan and the widow. Free those in chains. Welcome the stranger. A lot of people who claim to be Christian fail that last one. Worldly political considerations become more important than the clear and unambiguous words of Christ directing our actions in accordance with Gods kingdom. In fact, an entire disastrous presidency was built on the back of a deeply anti-Christian antipathy of the strangers among us.

These things that Governors DeSantis and Abbott are doing – and that their followers are cheering so lustily – are not just immoral and unethical. They are at odds with the Gospel message of Christ, with the command to remember that we were all once strangers in these lands, and thus we should extend the same types of hospitality to others we would want extended to us if we were far from home, in a place alien and unknowable, surrounded by a language we don’t speak, fleeing unthinkable and inhumane conditions for the promise of a better life for ourselves and our children. We would all do well to remember: Jesus was a refugee and an immigrant. God forbid that in the face of the child of God we turn away and mistreat at our borders, we should see the face of God.

“Almighty and merciful God,

whose Son became a refugee and had no place to call his own;

look with mercy on those who today are fleeing from danger,

homeless and hungry.

Bless those who work to bring them relief;

inspire generosity and compassion in all our hearts;

and guide the nations of the world towards that day when all will rejoice in your Kingdom of justice and of peace;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.”

A Migrant Mother’s Journey

Watch this video. See a mother trying desperately to find a new life for her children. See her tears because drug gangs in her home of Honduras killed her husband, took her home, left her boys in danger. See her anger when she tells her kids the government of Honduras did nothing because they are poor. See the blisters, the dehydration, the dangerous, desperate crossing of the river on a raft. See the young man describing his fruitless two year search for work. See that these aren’t violent and scary monsters that Fox News is telling you they are, but are human beings, mothers, children, young men, trying to get away from violence and unemployment and wrenching poverty.

For decades, we – you and I and America -have told them that America is the greatest, safest, richest, most compassionate and desirable place on earth. They took our words seriously, they believed our promises, they accepted the invitation on our Statue of Liberty as authentic, and not a cruel PR trick. Now, 6000 believers in the American promise – 2300 children! – are at our door and the question is, what are we going to do? Are we going to embrace fear? Are we going to tear gas them? Are we going to throw up our hands and decide the hard work is too daunting , that human lives aren’t worth getting our hands dirty and solving problems? Are we now outsourcing the promise of the Statue of Liberty to Mexico, too?

We have to find compassion. We have to stop being afraid. We have to stop believing the lies – the lies of our president, who tells us these people are evil; the lies of right wing media, who tells us they are dangerous; the lies of the rich and powerful, who tells us if we take in these people, we won’t be able to afford to take care of our own, when in fact we are rich enough and smart enough to do both, we just choose not to. We have to take their pleas for asylum seriously, we have to understand we have a duty, an obligation, because we are responsible for what is happening in Honduras and El Salvador and all across Central America. We have to live up to our own promise.

And, for those of us who are Christians, we must remember that Christ himself was a migrant, that Scripture and the tradition demands our compassion and sacrifice on behalf of the stranger and the immigrant. This isn’t an optional piece of the Christian faith, no more consequential than grape juice or wine at communion. This kind of love and compassion, put to work for others, is the very center of our commitment as disciples of Christ. That means that, no matter the reality of immigration laws or processes, we Christians have a calling to figure it out and respond to the pain of fleeing mothers and children and young men and old men and anyone. This isn’t a Democrat or Republican thing. Screw politics. This is a human being thing.