By Ada Fisher

Many are complaining about the continuous flood of immigrants from Mexico and other Latin and South American spots, noting the lack of an effective policy to deal with such.

This is resulting in unaccompanied minors admitted into the U.S. without adequate screening for their identification, facilities for housing and boarding, tracking of their whereabouts, as well as crowded catchment facilities for illegal immigrant detention until such time as cases can be acted upon.

According to the Pew Research Center in July of 2021 over 200,000 illegal immigrants entered on the southern borders of the USA. Their screening or testing for coronavirus and other contagious diseases is, at minimum, suspect. With what is known about the highly contagious nature of COVID-19 and its variants, why are all those entering the U.S. in this time of pandemic not required to be vaccinated as is being mandated of citizens?

Contrast this with Del Rio, Texas where thousands arrived illegally, over-running the community’s residents because their numbers exceed those of its citizens. These illegal immigrants are primarily Haitians who are being deported via air as soon as possible after their arrival. Citing the Trump order under Title 42 U.S.C. section 265 of the 1944 Public Health and Service Act that closed the border to migrants and asylum seekers, the Biden Administration seems to justify such action for Haitians under what seems to be a reasonable Trump position. Note this is not being done for Mexican and South American or other similar illegal immigrants.

Public health personnel often cite the lack of justification for the Title 42 Trump-issued directive since the same is not done for other immigrants who do not face similar requirements. Enough is enough. The same should apply to those entering from Mexico, South America or other venues if it is used against Haitians.

People have advocated to just let folks in even when it might not be in the best interest of this nation. As many have opposed our involvement in wars in other nations, we cannot be the policemen for the world nor the only port in the storm for those escaping violence, poverty and other abuses and transgressions in their homeland.

Since Francois-Dominique Louverture led the wars for Haitian independence from France in 1791 with a band of slaves who liberated their nation, many feared he would do the same or inculcate the same in Haitians and people of color abroad. His sense of justice for his nation stood up against the ranks of Napoleon Bonaparte. Sitting in arrears of the U.S. territories, President John Adams and others were concerned with this powerful leader who had demonstrated his opposition to slavery.

The records will show the extent to which the commitment has been made to keep Haitians out of this nation as well as others, even with earthquakes, blighting poverty and constant political oppression within their midst.

An effective national policy against illegal immigration should:

• Require screening of all who want in following Title 42 for infections and contagious diseases.

• Highlight political concerns to catch terrorist, gang and drug lords, human traffickers and those who would do harm to their people and ours as a priority.

• Clamping down on those who overextend their visas or remain with expired credentials done as a measure fairness.

• Make sure foreign policy does not grant “favorable nation” status to those who violate human rights, prohibit freedom of the press, abuse of women and other democratic concerns.

A U.S. citizen can’t freely go into any nation without that nation’s consent and we should follow that lead. Against our better angels, sending people back is the right thing to do until it is safe for us not just them.

Salisbury’s Ada M. Fisher served as N.C. Republican National Committeewoman from 2012 to 2020, was a medical director in a Fortune 500 company, served on the Rowan County Board Of Education and worked as a secondary education teacher.