Recently, I read a letter published in the WVT that was an incoherent diatribe, claiming that the Biden Administration is responsible for imagined evils brought about by hordes of illegal immigrants. It is hard to know where to begin in the face of such foolishness.

First, we can agree that the immigration system is broken and needs to be fixed asap. President Obama was on the verge of success when the Republican Senators who pledged support did an about face and torpedoed the deal. Trump promised “a beautiful wall” and failed to deliver. Instead, we got a piece of wall and a lot of hollow, hateful talk. Biden tried to reignite a legislative solution and got nowhere. The immigration problem requires a bipartisan solution but the republicans have found that they benefit politically by a lot of tough, untruthful talk rather than a real solution.

What is needed is an impenetrable barrier, part physical, part electrical, part human, coupled with legislation which refines the definition of “asylum” so that only genuine refugees qualify. We need more hearing officers to adjudicate the cases, and while people are waiting they must be given work permits so they can earn their keep. We need people to fill jobs and to sustain our economy and strengthen our nation.

So stop with the hysterics. Asylum seekers aren’t diseased criminals. They represent part of our future.