By Brett Rogers
Back in 2015, I was the campaign manager for a Republican challenging Democrat Congressman Filemon Vela in southern Texas, whose district stretches from near Corpus Christi to Brownsville on the border.
Working on that campaign I became aware of the horrible human trafficking that took place because our border was not secure at all during the Obama administration. How anyone could make it easier for human smugglers and slavery turned my stomach.
Today, I watch the Biden administration go beyond what Obama allowed.
Even elected Democrats, such as U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar and Texas State Senator Chuy Hinojosa, have warned that Biden is turning Democrat Hispanics to the Republican party. “Open border” is not popular among those who live there.
They know what happens. They know that Biden isn’t doing background checks or searching criminal records or testing for COVID.
Between increased job competition and increased human trafficking, residents along the border know that nothing good comes from an open border.
You would think that if the federal government fails to act to protect Texas from an invasion, that the governor of Texas would step in.
One of the constants between then and now is Gov. Greg Abbott. In October 2015, Abbott used the border as the punchline to a joke he made on Twitter, expressing his frustration with a football game. “(Expletive) Cowboy defense. More porous than the Texas border.” Then seeing him later put DPS on the border who did nothing but watch the feds catch and release told me all I needed to know about whether he would act to actually prevent an invasion into Texas.
He wouldn’t. And he won’t now.
In 2016, Trump got elected on two slogans: “Make America Great Again” and “Build That Wall” – both of which could be seen and heard at his every rally.
But when he got into office, Republican House Majority leader Paul Ryan and the Chamber of Commerce Republicans stiff-armed his efforts at funding and building the wall.
When Democrats gained the majority in 2018, they continued the resistance to building a wall.
To me, that was no surprise that top Republicans pushed back on securing the border. During that campaign I worked in 2015, one evening I was meeting with about two dozen ranchers and farmers in South Texas, all Republicans.
When I brought up the subject of border security – which was very lax – I was aghast at the response I received.
One man stood up and said, “Son, I can tell you’re not from around here, so let me educate you. We like the cost of illegals working on our land. If your candidate wants to secure the border, then he won’t have our support.”
They liked their Republicans squishy on illegal immigration, and they wrote big checks for those who supported their desire for cheap labor.
That response made me realize that if an open border could allow some businessmen to enjoy lower labor costs – regardless of the human toll – then they would whole-heartedly fight securing the border. And so would the candidates to whom they donated.
It was only a couple of weeks after this past November election that our Republican Senator John Cornyn said, of finding a way to compromise with Biden on border security and amnesty, “I think that would be a good thing to do, One of my biggest disappointments in my time in the Senate, our inability to get that done. I would try to be part of that effort.”
Of course, that wasn’t his rhetoric during his campaign for re-election last year during the Republican primary. Republican voters want border security.
So do many Democrat voters – especially among those who live there. Politicians like Cornyn hide their true convictions, and once re-elected, they tell us how they really feel and vote that way.
An increasing number of Americans disapprove of Biden’s handling of the border. A poll conducted in late February by Harvard University and Harris Insights and Analytics found 55 percent disapproved of Biden’s decision to “reduce the deportation of those here illegally who have committed crimes such as DUIs.”
As the crisis there grows, more attention to it will only bring greater disapproval.
It’s not compassion to just allow anyone into our country. Criminals hurt or kill those who reside here legally.
Human trafficking is despicable and rampant when politicians allow the border to remain porous.
But businesses pour big money into making the gullible believe that an open border is loving and kind, and those businesses do it because cheap labor benefits their bottom line. Biden does it because his advisors also believe it will bring more votes for the Democrat party.
Slavery and human trafficking are always the wrong policy, and we need to elect those who truly believe that.
Brett Rogers is a well-known political activist throughout Texas and resides in Marion County by Lake O The Pines. He publishes NETX.News and believes that smaller government is better government. He can be reached at brett@rightrally.com. His opinions are his own and do not reflect those of the Jefferson Jimplecute.