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Unlawful immigration is a significant issue in this country. While people often point to the poem on the Statue of Liberty as an open invitation, that is a bit of a misconception. The poem offers those who wish to come here hope for a better life, but within the laws of this country.

We should welcome the “huddled masses yearning to be free.” Within them lies the same potential as those born to the opportunity in the country.

Yet it is not cruelty to protect one’s borders.

It is not a violation of human rights to evaluate the suitability and intentions of those trying to come here.

It is not uncharitable to seek to remove those who would violate our laws, as long as these efforts recognize the fundamental humanity of every individual.

There is a common saying among those who are concerned about the welfare of illegal aliens, “no person is illegal.” Critics claim this ignores the fact that entering the country outside of the lawful channels makes them illegal as soon as they enter the country.

What the expression actually means is every person is a human being deserving of respect and the right to live. A human being is not illegal. But those who are so desperate, in most cases, to seek a better life do not worry about law in the face of desperation or dying.

Leaving aside the discussion about their unlawful entry into this country for the moment, there is something we are ignoring about the character of these men, women, and children. Something we can evaluate independently from any personal contention or claim made by those seeking entry.

Let me explain.

In a perfect world, we would have the resources in place to prevent unlawful border crossings and fully assess the circumstances of all those seeking asylum in this county. We have never had those resources.

Walls and armed patrols are not anywhere near as effective as some would believe.

We do not live in a perfect world. And the differences in the lives of those born here and those born in countries with serious human rights issues and bleak opportunity could not be more stark.

Most Americans walk less than one mile a day. Many get their daily coffee or meals handed in through a car window. They surf through myriad channels on the TV with a click of a button or voice control. They complain about their traffic-gnarled one-mile commute in their air-conditioned cars. They drink bottled water and wouldn’t have a clue how to live off the land.

The level of physical effort to survive daily by most Americans is minimal at best. The level of effort to survive by even the worse off among us pales in comparison to some countries.

Contrast that with the effort these would-be immigrant families make to have the chance, slim as it might be, of gaining entrance into this country.

I am willing to bet most Americans have never heard of the Darien Gap. Sadly, according to several studies of the level of geographic knowledge of many Americans, they can barely find Canada let alone South or Central America.

The Darien Gap is the land bridge between South and North America. It sits on the border of Colombia and Panama. The Colombian side is a fifty-mile-wide river delta of marshland, mud, and mosquitos. The Peruvian side is a mountainous rainforest with peaks reaching six thousand feet high. The trek through this area is seventy miles.

The area is sparsely populated by Indigenous tribes and there are few roads.

Those trekking this area face dangerous wildlife, venomous snakes, flash floods, tropical diseases, and human predators.

Law enforcement and medical services do not exist. Injuries, even minor ones, from the environment or violent crime often prove fatal.

Now just imagine how desperate, and determined, you must be to risk your life and the lives of your family to travel the Darien Gap and cover the remaining three thousand miles to reach the US border on the chance you might gain entry.

I am not suggesting we open wide the gates. No one, despite the claims to the contrary, believes that to be an effective immigration policy. What I am suggesting is, in deciding on who to offer asylum and compassionate exceptions to allowing them to stay, recognizing their sheer courage and determination in making such a treacherous journey speaks volumes of their intestinal fortitude. It is a testament to their being the kind of individuals we should welcome to this country.

Controlling the border is critical to protecting all Americans from those who would do us harm or seek to take advantage of our generosity and compassion. But it does not have to come at the cost of losing out on welcoming those immigrants who demonstrate the very same grit and determination earlier immigrants possessed as they contributed to the progress of American society.

Securing the border is important. But we should not sacrifice the opportunity to embrace those who would positively add to the melting pot of America in the process because there are those among us who cannot see beyond their own prejudice and callousness.

And it is important to remember, despite the jaundiced outlook of many Americans, that every immigrant coming here does not seek to just take from our resources. Most of those seeking asylum and refuge would willingly add to the quality of this nation.

This country will truly be in trouble when people stop trying to come here.

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