The moment he descended from his gilded tower, Trump has intimidated the less fortunate, because they are easy targets and what bully doesn’t like an easy target. He’s referred to Mexicans as rapists and murders. He’s separated families at the border and locked children in cages. He’s sent US troops to defend against a “caravan” of women and children he characterized as diseased. These racists undertones are built on the lies of his centerpiece legislation; the promise to build a wall and have Mexico pay for it. As expected, Mexico was never going to pay for the wall. Nevertheless, despite Republican control of government since 2016, Trump has shut-down the government three times in 2018 and is holding the nation hostage until taxpayers fund his idiotic wall.
There are about 11.5 million undocumented immigrants in the U.S. Most are here because of over-extending their visa’s- not crossing the border illegally. Nevertheless, immigrants are routinely characterized as freeloaders who steal jobs and mooch federal assistance. The reality is, these are refugees seeking asylum. Largely women and children who are fleeing oppression, poverty, and violence from Central America. Furthermore, 75% of these asylum seekers pay federal, state and local taxes. On average, 50% of undocumented workers contribute about 23.5 billion-dollars annually in payroll taxes and another 13 billion more towards social security-with no chance of recovering any benefits. On the state level, undocumented immigrants contribute to state excise, sales and property taxes, adding an additional 12 billion-dollars annually to state coffers. The U.S. should assist with stimulating the Central American economies to help resolve the economic issues underlying the poverty and violence that force mass migrations and prompt humanitarian crises at our border. It’s time to substitute comprehensive and compassionate immigration measures for the hollow symbols ofdivision rooted in Trumps deceits.