There is a lot of talk about securing the border. We’re told that if we don’t do that, the immigrants will eventually take over our homeland and push us out. Could that happen? It already did. Just ask any Native American. Uninvited immigrants came from Europe and took over the Americas and pushed the indigenous people nearly to the point of extinction. 

In the late 1800s, the government began to pass laws limiting immigration, first by Chinese and then by all Asians and even southern Europeans. The citizens wanted to keep “their” country white and Protestant and soon began to oppose the immigration of Catholics and Jews. So our country has a history of opposition to immigration, both illegal and legal, which continues today. But the rhetoric of many Republicans is based on innuendo, misinformation, and simply political posturing. Let’s take a look at some of it.

First, think of the difference between the terms “illegal immigrants” and “undocumented immigrants.” We tend to perceive illegal immigrants as criminals. Actually, we have been told that most of them are. But what are the facts? According to a Stanford University study from 2024, immigrants are 60 percent less likely to be incarcerated than U.S.-born people. The Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank, found that undocumented immigrants were 37.1 percent less likely to be convicted of a crime. There is no truth in stating that undocumented immigrants are mostly criminals.

“OK,” you say, “but what about fentanyl and other deadly drugs? Those illegals are going to poison us.” Again, the Cato Institute: “In 2022, U.S. citizens were 89 percent of convicted fentanyl drug traffickers — 12 times greater than convictions of illegal immigrants for the same offense. Over 90 percent of fentanyl seizures occur at legal crossing points or interior vehicle checkpoints, not on illegal migration routes.” U.S. citizens are responsible for over half of that 90 percent, according to NPR. And just 0.02 percent of the people arrested by Border Patrol for crossing illegally possessed any fentanyl whatsoever.

“But, still,” you say, “Biden has created an ‘open border.’ ” Conservatives suggest that anyone can get into the U.S. without much hassle. But, according to Axios, the southern border is more fortified than it’s ever been. The number of Border Patrol agents has increased from 5,000 in 1992 to nearly 20,000 today, and the Border Patrol regularly breaks arrest records. If we had an open border policy, those numbers would be dropping. Barriers, walls, and fences have been erected along much of the U.S.-Mexico border, and Biden approved an additional barrier in Starr County, Texas. He has also consistently asked for additional funding for border control, which Republicans have resisted. Nikki Haley, Vivek Ramaswamy, Mike Pence, and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, to name just a few, allude to open borders with little evidence. More misinformation. 

Where does this misinformation start? Donald Trump stated that “Drugs, criminals, gang members, and terrorists are pouring into our country at record levels. We’ve never seen anything like it. They’re taking over our cities.” Really? Sorry. There is no evidence. 

What is true is that almost all of us are the descendants of immigrants who came to America for many of the same reasons that people are coming today.

Know the truth, and spread it.

Hank Cetola lives in Adrian.