Immigration a Big Topic on Day 2 of Republican National Convention: “Make America Safe Again”

Not surprisingly, immigration and “open borders” were big topics yesterday at the Republican National Convention.  Multiple speakers at the Republican National Convention spoke about the border and immigration.   As Fiona Harrigan on Reason wrote, “[a]t the Republican National Convention [last] night, speakers drilled the Biden administration on its handling of immigration and the border, linking current migration trends to increased crime and disorder across the country. The night’s official theme was `Make America Safe Again,’ but the programming was light on specific ideas about how to do that. Instead, there were a lot of individual lurid tales of migrant crime.  The Associated Press looks at the claims here.  

The following is a response from Jennie Murray, President and CEO of the National Immigration Forum Action Fund:

“Border and immigration challenges are real. Voters in both parties want their leaders to work together on secure, orderly and compassionate solutions. Not everything we heard at the convention tonight provided a full picture.

“Immigrants are less prone to criminal behavior than native-born Americans. Our hearts break when crimes occur. When that happens, individuals are responsible — not communities. Political leaders should not use them to further politicize our immigration debate or to sow fear. We need leaders who will bring us together and move us forward together, not divide us.

“The increase in illicit fentanyl and other illicit substances entering the country is a very real concern. We must direct resources where they belong: at ports of entry, where American citizens smuggle the overwhelming majority of illicit fentanyl at the border. The calculation for cartels is simple: U.S. citizens as smugglers are less likely to raise alarms or undergo additional vetting when re-entering the U.S. through a legal port.

“Law enforcement leaders need the trust of their communities, including immigrant communities, in order to keep all of us safe. The narratives we heard tonight make that work difficult.”

“Noncitizens have been barred from voting in federal elections since 1924, and incidents of noncitizens attempting to vote unlawfully are extremely rare. Arguments to the contrary are misinformed.

“Let’s have a serious conversation about our challenges and the ways we can come together to address them, instead of inciting fear toward immigrants.”

KJ