The Invisible Crisis: Small Children Crossing the US Border on Their Own

[Wendy1989]

Doubtful. So where are the Catholics? Where are the stories of Dioceses across Texas banding together to assist? The Baptists and the Pentacostals and possibly the LDS have once again beaten us to the punch. This is what they do, they “minister”, they have ministries, and the faithful put alot of money and effort into their churches for this very purpose…to “evangelize”.

Politics aside, these are children, they are here. Pointing fingers at politics is not going to shelter, feed or clothe one of these children. I know Baptists, it is very doubtful they were told to discard their catholic religious articles. Their congregations are huge as are the Pentacostals, (Assembly of God)…why would they not think that this is the Christian thing to do.

Sounds simple to me.

The Catholic Church in the border states has had ‘boots on the ground’ for many, many years in this area. Here’s just a few links to the current articles:
ncregister.com/daily-news/catholic-charities-ministers-to-unprecedented-flood-of-young-latino-immigra/
catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/1402604.htm
valleymorningstar.com/news/local_news/article_c8664b20-fb43-11e3-9949-0017a43b2370.html

Catholic Relief Services is doing what they’ve been called to do. Just because we’re not thumping our chests and saying ‘here’s some food, here’s a pair of shoes!’ doesn’t mean we’re not doing anything. And mind you, if you profess the Catholic faith…You are the church!!

 

[Tomdstone]

There’s a million reasons not to take care of the Children, just ask the abortionists.

I don’t think it would be a good idea to ask abortionists about various policies.

 

[Tomdstone]

Promoting the welfare of these poor children is everybody’s moral responsibility.

Of course it is. This is the Christian approach and the approach which is in line with the Sermon on the Mount.

 

[EIF5A]

Morals? How do we prevent from becoming a dysfunctional and bankrupt nation? What morals? We’re already a dysfunctional and bankrupt nation. What with abortion on demand, including partial birth. America has already killed enough of its unborn to easily surpass Nazi Germany’s extermination camps. The number of divorces and illegitimate births are exploding, with cohabitation being more accepted than marriage. And now, so-called gay marriage is becoming the norm. And if I happen to oppose it, because of my religious beliefs, I’m branded a “homophobe” or worse. Sex is doing the selling for practically everything. Pornography is rampant…even among Catholics. Inappropriate sex education for little children in public schools. Books pushed towards young children such as “Heather Has Two Mommies.” We’re now more pagan than Europe! All of these things, and this is just the tip of the iceberg. A dysfunctional and bankrupt nation?..If you’re asking me, that ship has already sailed a long, long time ago.

Peace, Mark

I was responding to someone saying we have a moral responsibility. In the context of immigration, what is it?

Just because society appears hopeless doesn’t mean we abandon ship with other societal matters.

 

[GaryTaylor]

Promoting the welfare of these poor children is everybody’s moral responsibility. What does abortions have to do with anything in this thread? Does our promoting evil in one situation in any way lessen our moral responsibility to show compassion towards our neighbor in another situation?

LOVE!

Yes and when we talk about moral obligation, justice and moral justice, and unjust immoral justice comes into play. Which we have an obligation to speak up on immorality called justice. So yes the glaring double standards can’t be missed. When we are talking helping the poor hands on, thats a mind-set, which many do help, what needs to change is that they are like ghosts that most don’t see, shadows on the streets, or others stare at them as if they are an oddity. Yes, take care of them. As taxpayers we absorb the cost anyway, then the question remains from outside a personal view or commitment, which btw I know Catholics are involved with, so it becomes to take care of them how and to what responsibility. Further, why are we further burdening, as I said the responsible people,who are doing this anyway. So the blind socialist agenda seems convoluted imho, rather ill thought out. Are we handling the STDs, TB and contraceptive intervention into sexual habits yet?

 

[Tigg]

Okay…here it comes:

President Barack Obama will seek more than **$2 billion **to respond to the flood of immigrants illegally entering the U.S. through the Rio Grande Valley area of Texas…

This from a country whose burden is now so fiscally overloaded that according to some, it is on the verge of bankruptcy.

“The fact is these are children - children and families,” Pelosi said. “We have a **moral **responsibility to address this in a dignified way.”

gopusa.com/news/2014/06/30/pelosi-we-have-a-moral-responsibility-for-the-children/?subscriber=1

This from a pro-abortion Catholic politician who recently and publicly chastised an Archbishop for his role in marching for traditional marriage.

 

[HardtoHear]

Christ would feed them, shelter them, and send them back to their parents. He would also have harsh words for all those who encouraged them to come- their parents, their governments, the Left and Obama, and esp. the Catholic Church in America.

Christ was not an anarchist. He realized countries have to have some sort of order and law.

What floors me is that no one seems to care that this is a manufactured crisis, and these children are being treated as pawns. There are evil people to blame for causing this. No, it isn’t the children’s fault, but their place is with their parents, in their own country.

The USA has an obligation to encourage freedom and respect for human rights. But if we become the refuge of everyone, we cease to become a nation, and everyone loses.

Enforce immigration law, encourage reform from these Latin American countries, and save the world.

Absolutely right.

 

[TheWiseMan]

That isn’t good news. Running away for your home is one thing, but running away from your nation, in search of some other nation, is another.

I really feel sorry for them. Going to a foreign country without a family to look after them.

 

[AClaire11]

Christ would feed them, shelter them, and send them back to their parents. He would also have harsh words for all those who encouraged them to come- their parents, their governments, the Left and Obama, and esp. the Catholic Church in America.

Christ was not an anarchist. He realized countries have to have some sort of order and law.

What floors me is that no one seems to care that this is a manufactured crisis, and these children are being treated as pawns. There are evil people to blame for causing this. No, it isn’t the children’s fault, but their place is with their parents, in their own country.

The USA has an obligation to encourage freedom and respect for human rights. But if we become the refuge of everyone, we cease to become a nation, and everyone loses.

Enforce immigration law, encourage reform from these Latin American countries, and save the world.

Thank you. I feel for these children. I really do. But their place is at home with their families. Jesus helped the poor and sick, but He also told the disciples to “render unto Caesar.” Simon the Zealot was disappointed that He wasn’t interested in taking action against the Romans. Personal charity is important, but charity cannot be forced onto the people. Then it’s extortion, not charity. The government’s function is to protect its citizens, not give handouts to the entire world. And this does negatively affect our citizens in terms of schools, property values, health (many of these children have diseases, including HIV), crime rates, social cohesion, etc. The county next to mine has skyrocketing property taxes because of schools that are starting to go bankrupt because of the influx of illiterate illegal alien families (parents and children who can not read or write in their native language).

 

[FollowChrist34]

The bolded makes no sense. How are these poorest of the poor going to contribute to the wealth of the Church? Let alone studies which say that Latinos are abandoning their faith once they get here. In our parish we have documented that even those who bring their children in for the first sacraments, once that’s done, we do not see much of them again. But I do agree that the Catholic Church has been in lock-step with much of the Left’s grand plan for the world. It’s almost as if something larger looms and we haven’t begun to realize just what it is.

I like to at least try and believe that the Catholic Church is responding to this crisis and immigration overall in the same manner Jesus Christ would. Never turn away a stranger; give the coat off your back, etc. You can’t miss the basic Christian emphasis on helping the poor and suffering and the rejection of the rich and self-serving. I am personally very uncomfortable with the number of illegal immigrants in the US and I really struggle for a Christian response to it. I do think the Bishops go with the left on this, but, again, I think Christ would too. It’s tough.

I wonder at nations’ inability to care for their own. How much of that is our fault? Are we supposed to instill responsibility into every government in the 3rd world? Or just pick up the pieces when they fail? Is there a limit to our moral obligation? How many waves of immigration can we sustain? What if immigration starts to undermine our economic welfare and overburdens our infrastructure and social aid - negatively impacting in particular the middle and lower middle classes who pay the brunt of the taxes to support the social programs and want the same jobs? Are we taking dinner off one table to put it on another? What does Jesus think a family should do at that point?

Given its wealth as a 1st world country, I do think the US should have reasonably open immigration policies and actively support and help finance development and humanitarian aid throughout the 3rd world, which we already do pretty extensively. We should have responsible immigration policies, favoring those who come the legal way. We should protect our borders and enforce our immigration laws. We have a right to do this. I personally think we should keep the children here - sending them back would be a PR nightmare and an embarrassment. But shut the borders now. And/or elect someone who will. Then deal with the illegal immigrants.

 

[Tigg]

I like to at least try and believe that the Catholic Church is responding to this crisis and immigration overall in the same manner Jesus Christ would.

I believe Jesus would respond in charity and justice. He would not be fooled by the hidden political motivation that is so obvious here you need to close your eyes not to see it. He would not allow evil to be done behind the mask of moral responsibility. He loves the poor; He loves everyone else (including the rich) and would not allow the common good that has always been taught by the Church as a fundamental aspect of social justice teaching to be ignored as has recently happened. He would not advocate chaos and anarchy the likes of which we have never before seen in this country. This is a heinous act of social and political engineering and they aren’t done with us yet.

 

[AClaire11]

I like to at least try and believe that the Catholic Church is responding to this crisis and immigration overall in the same manner Jesus Christ would. Never turn away a stranger; give the coat off your back, etc. You can’t miss the basic Christian emphasis on helping the poor and suffering and the rejection of the rich and self-serving. I am personally very uncomfortable with the number of illegal immigrants in the US and I really struggle for a Christian response to it. I do think the Bishops go with the left on this, but, again, I think Christ would too. It’s tough.

I wonder at nations’ inability to care for their own. How much of that is our fault? Are we supposed to instill responsibility into every government in the 3rd world? Or just pick up the pieces when they fail? Is there a limit to our moral obligation? How many waves of immigration can we sustain? What if immigration starts to undermine our economic welfare and overburdens our infrastructure and social aid - negatively impacting in particular the middle and lower middle classes who pay the brunt of the taxes to support the social programs and want the same jobs? Are we taking dinner off one table to put it on another? What does Jesus think a family should do at that point?

Given its wealth as a 1st world country, I do think the US should have reasonably open immigration policies and actively support and help finance development and humanitarian aid throughout the 3rd world, which we already do pretty extensively. We should have responsible immigration policies, favoring those who come the legal way. We should protect our borders and enforce our immigration laws. We have a right to do this. I personally think we should keep the children here - sending them back would be a PR nightmare and an embarrassment. But shut the borders now. And/or elect someone who will. Then deal with the illegal immigrants.

I agree with everything except allowing them to stay here. We can’t afford to support all these children at the expense of our taxpayers, and we shouldn’t allow our policies to be dictated by “good PR.” Towns near the border are already going bankrupt. These children belong with their parents, not on their own in a foreign country. If we allow them to stay here, then the next push will be to allow their entire families to come, as well. Things are bad enough with the anchor babies. Besides, if we let them stay, then our laws will be proven meaningless and even MORE will come and demand to stay. How many more will die on the way, or be kidnapped and trafficked?

 

[RACJ]

What happened to Napolitano and Obama claiming that our borders are “more secure” than ever? Or was that *yesterday’s" mantra, not applicable to what they are trying to sell today? Did anyone actually believe that the Obama people EVER secured the border? IMO, this is a crisis manufactured primarily by the people who will benefit from it at the ballot box.

:newidea: Rob

 

[Tigg]

Not that we didn’t tell you so…

**Obama Looks to Bypass Congress as Illegals Flood In

gopusa.com/news/2014/07/01/obama-looks-to-bypass-congress-as-illegals-flood-in/?subscriber=1
**

 

[Tomdstone]

I agree with everything except allowing them to stay here. We can’t afford to support all these children at the expense of our taxpayers, and we shouldn’t allow our policies to be dictated by “good PR.” Towns near the border are already going bankrupt. These children belong with their parents, not on their own in a foreign country. If we allow them to stay here, then the next push will be to allow their entire families to come, as well. Things are bad enough with the anchor babies. Besides, if we let them stay, then our laws will be proven meaningless and even MORE will come and demand to stay. How many more will die on the way, or be kidnapped and trafficked?

Actually, all that land in Arizona, California, Nevada and New Mexico really belongs to Mexico as the USA killed 60,000 Mexicans as they illegally grabbed and annexed that land from Mexico.

 

[Dawnia]

Actually, all that land in Arizona, California, Nevada and New Mexico really belongs to Mexico as the USA killed 60,000 Mexicans as they illegally grabbed and annexed that land from Mexico.

:whacky: Actually, no it doesn’t.

 

[Robert_Sock]

Actually, all that land in Arizona, California, Nevada and New Mexico really belongs to Mexico as the USA killed 60,000 Mexicans as they illegally grabbed and annexed that land from Mexico.

That’s exactly what I was taught in my college history class, but I’m certainly history buff. I wonder what true American history experts think. From what little reading I did, there seems to be conflicting opinions, but here’s one that coincides with what I was taught:

The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo specified the major consequence of the war: the forced Mexican Cession of the territories of Alta California and New Mexico to the United States in exchange for $15 million.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexican%E2%80%93American_War

LOVE!

 

[Tomdstone]

:whacky: Actually, no it doesn’t.

You mean that the USA did not kill 60,000 Mexicans in their war to grab California, Nevada, Arizona, and New Mexico? Can you please explain why this is not true? Shouldn’t all this land be given back to Mexico and reparations made for the 60,000 Mexicans killed by the Americans in their land grab of this valuable territory? There is a commandment: thou shalt not steal. And another which says: Thou shalt not kill. Was it OK for the USA to steal this territory from Mexico and kill 60,000 Mexicans?

 

[Dawnia]

You mean that the USA did not kill 60,000 Mexicans in their war to grab California, Nevada, Arizona, and New Mexico? Can you please explain why this is not true? Shouldn’t all this land be given back to Mexico and reparations made for the 60,000 Mexicans killed by the Americans in their land grab of this valuable territory? There is a commandment: thou shalt not steal. And another which says: Thou shalt not kill. Was it OK for the USA to steal this territory from Mexico and kill 60,000 Mexicans?

It wasn’t the Mexican’s land to begin with. It’s like one thief complaining another thief stole from them.

 

[AClaire11]

It wasn’t the Mexican’s land to begin with. It’s like one thief complaining another thief stole from them.

People realize that wars were how we got the current borders of many countries, right? That (and alliances between neighbors) was how kingdoms and nations were pieced together, back in the day. If every country has to give back the land they “stole” through war and/or conquest, then prepare for decades if not centuries of turmoil. The borders are what they are. Remember the outrage when Russia took back Crimea, which belonged to them before the USSR designated it as part of the Ukrainian soyuz? Changing borders will just cause more wars and death.

Besides, the illegals aren’t all concentrated in those areas in the first place. They’re all over the country, including almost all the way up the east coast. 40% of the kindergarteners in the county next to mine (Virginia, not a former part of Mexico) can’t speak English and don’t even know the alphabet. This is not sustainable. Even if we did give back the land we “stole,” they’d still be trying to come to America. They don’t want our land; they want our standard of living.