DV Journal

When the Trump administration begins deporting illegal immigrants currently living in Pennsylvania, will Gov. Josh Shapiro step up and help, stand aside, or try to stop them?

Shapiro spokesman Manuel Bonder made it sound like the governor was ready to take on the Trump administration, telling Newsweek that Shapiro would “never back down from defending Pennsylvanians’ fundamental freedoms.”

“The Shapiro administration is preparing for all scenarios and taking steps to safeguard our commonwealth from potential federal actions that could be harmful to Pennsylvania families and communities,” Bonder added.

But when DVJournal followed up with Bonder about whether Shapiro was going to join Democrats like Denver Mayor Mike Johnston or Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey and try to hinder Trump’s deportation plans, he appeared to walk back his bold talk. Bonder pointed DVJournal to a statement Shapiro made last month while visiting a York County business in which he said he would hold off deciding how to respond until he new more about the specifics of Trump’s plans.

“Let’s wait and see,” Shapiro said.

That’s a very different response from Democrats like Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D-Ill.) who have clearly announced their plans to resist Trump’s mass deportation efforts.

“I am going to do everything that I can to protect our undocumented immigrants. They are residents of our state,” Pritzker told MSNBC. “And I also, obviously, need to make sure that whatever (federal immigration agents) are doing in our state, that it is actually within federal law or state law for them to do it.”

Shapiro is sometimes labeled a moderate within the Democratic Party, though he largely embraces the progressive policies of the Biden-Harris administration. And he’s clearly not staking out a centrist position like New York City Democrat  Mayor Eric Adams, who has said he will work with President-elect Donald Trump to deport illegal immigrants who commit crimes.

Even Shapiro’s fellow Keystone State Democrat, U.S. Sen. John Fetterman, says it’s time for their party to support border security.

“Well, one area where we kind of lost ourselves was the border,” he told Fox News after the November election. “And I’ve been on this network saying, ‘Hey, you know, it can’t be controversial for our party to have pro-immigration, but we need a secure border.'”

Polls show a solid 57 percent of Americans support mass deportation of people in the U.S. illegally. And Gallup polling shows a huge swing in voters’ attitudes about immigration during the Biden presidency. In May 2020, slightly more Americans wanted to see increased vs. decreased immigration (34 to 28 percent).

By June of this year, support for increased immigration had plunged to 16 percent, while the number supporting decreased immigration soared to 55 percent — a 45 percent swing.

Reports of crimes by illegals, including apartment buildings taken over by Venezuelan gang members in Aurora, Colo., and brutal murders, including Laken Riley and Lizbeth Medina, have galvanized public opinion.

In the Delaware Valley, a jailbreak in Chester County by undocumented Brazilian and convicted murderer Danelo Cavalcante resulted in widespread outrage last year in the two weeks he was on the loose.

Other problems caused by the influx of undocumented immigrants include overcrowded schools and hospitals, deadly drugs, and some 300,000 missing migrant children.

Pennsylvania has an estimated 170,000 undocumented immigrants. Lancaster resident Kevin Lynn, executive director of the Institute for Sound Public Policy, believes the government can and should deport illegal immigrants. He said the 2,500 or so Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE) agents could remove 2.4 million illegal immigrants a year.

“We have the capacity to do it,” said Lynn. “We have the personnel to do it. We’ll be able to remove all the people who have come here [illegally] in the last four years. Now people are screaming about the expense.”

But he noted, there is already the cost to the government of “putting them up at the Roosevelt Hotel (in New York), they don’t seem to care about that.” These undocumented immigrants also receive taxpayer paid cellphones, housing and food stamps.

The U.S. House Budge Committee found in May the cost of the open southern border was $150.7 billion and counting. Various religious and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) receive block grants from the federal government to resettle the immigrants, who are being relabeled “newcomers.”

“I think removing the grants and bringing back ‘public charge’ rules, where if you come here you have to demonstrate that you can get by without being on the government dime would go a long way. That’s easy enough to do,” Lynn said.

Many illegal immigrants can be “removed expeditiously. They don’t have to go in front of an immigration judge or anything like that,” said Lynn. “If there’s a mayor or a governor impeding that, as far as I’m concerned, they’re aiding and abetting a criminal.”

“Mass deportations are possible and they’re justified. We have to do that because we won’t have a country if we don’t,” said Lynn. “I’ve just sat by in absolute horror watching it happen.”

The southern border has become a humanitarian disaster affecting the nation. This situation requires an immediate and effective federal response.

While we can feel compassion for those seeking a better life, we must also recognize that unfettered access to this country is not compassionate as it has created conditions for massive human and illicit drug trafficking, leading to enormous suffering. Furthermore, it threatens our national security.

No other nation in the world allows such unrestricted immigration.

We must take the following steps to rectify this situation while implementing balanced, compassionate immigration reform.

—Finish the wall. A wall provides a measure of control that no amount of electronic surveillance can. We have only 19,000 border agents, and there is no way to control every mile of the border with agents alone. When appropriately resourced with personnel and technology, the wall is an effective deterrent.

—Reinstate the Stay-in-Mexico policy. The policy was better for America and those seeking to immigrate here legally. The United States decides who has access; at the same time, immigrants should be given a clear, understandable and swift process for immigration.

—Deport any undocumented immigrant convicted of a felony. Following punishment, send the offender back to his or her country of origin. The United States should not bear the burden of felons who are here illegally.

—Make fines for employers of undocumented immigrants higher and more enforceable. We should do what we can to disincentivize employers who illegally lure in workers.

—Establish sound and reasonable work visa regulations with clear reporting requirements.

—Eliminate social services paid for by taxpayers for undocumented immigrants. Staying in the country must require following the law. American citizens should not bear the burden of those here illegally.

—Assist Mexico, Central America and South America with creating thriving economies and harmonious societies built on the rule of law. Relations with such nations must de-incentivize illegal border crossings and include plans to cripple cartels enriching themselves from human suffering.

Though the vast majority of illegal immigrants are people who are merely seeking a better life, there are thousands of hardened criminals or bad actors who must be prevented from entering.

Lax border policies allow easy entry for individuals from countries worldwide, including terrorist elements. Increasingly belligerent nations such as Russia, China and Iran are exploiting open borders. Have we so soon forgotten the attacks of 9/11?

President Biden’s policies encourage drug cartels to build ungoverned empires along the southern border, championing evildoers who have no respect for human life or our nation’s sovereignty over the well-being of American citizens.

Seemingly beneath our noses, the federal government is conducting middle-of-the- night secret transportation of illegal immigrants from the border to every state without consent from state authorities. It is no longer surprising to see undocumented immigrants sneaking across backyards or ranches after crossing the border.

Furthermore, the U.S. is using taxpayer dollars to spend on health and welfare for undocumented immigrants when such support escapes our own citizens. Fentanyl, heroin and cocaine are streaming across the border unchecked. Fentanyl is now the leading cause of death for those between 18 and 45 years.

Large quantities of drugs have shown up in  Florida,  Texas,  California and  Massachusetts.  As recently as July, Colorado law enforcement seized “about 170,000” fentanyl pills in Aurora. In fact, according to the Colorado State Patrol, just days ago, the state has “already seized more fentanyl in 2022 than all previous years combined.”

A well-controlled southern border will benefit Mexico and other South American countries, discourage the cartels and reduce human suffering.

The administration’s dereliction of duty on the southern border situation is undermining the sovereignty of the United States, threatening our national security, contributing to skyrocketing crime, and creating an increased drain on our economy. This epic failure is hurting American citizens. We must rectify this dangerous situation immediately.

Congress must act now.

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