It’s time we start facing up to reality. Illegal immigration isn’t the only problem; immigration in general is one as well. Events throughout the world, particularly in Europe, highlight the risks for the U.S. if we continue down our soft policies. Essentially, if we don’t find a resolution to the migrant crisis, one will be found for us.

Immediately, the gut reaction is that such notions are too draconian. After all, the U.S. is a melting pot. Immigration has enriched our lives, or so the political elites love to say every four years. Therefore, current policies toward the migrant crisis involve some kind of negotiation. If the migrants took the legal pathway, all will be well.

But is that really how it works? Has immigration enriched our lives? Regarding the latter question, anyone can answer it with a definitive yes. Undeniably, immigrants developed the foundation for modern America. Without them, our country would certainly look different today.

However, the mainstream narrative over the migrant crisis overlooks one critical factor: the quality of the human influx. Are we actually receiving in people who want to contribute to society or are merely looking for a handout? Overwhelmingly, I believe the latter is true.

In the best of circumstances, moving to another country is no easy task. Especially in adulthood, one must learn a new language, a foreign culture, and adapt to a fresh ethos. Prior-generation immigrants were largely willing to address these challenges.

But today, that situation has flipped, leading to our present global migrant crisis.

 

The Migrant Crisis in France: Coming to a Neighborhood Near You

According to a recent story from The New York Times, hundreds of undocumented “asylum seekers” stormed Paris’ Panthéon monument. Distributing pamphlets that claimed they are the “voiceless” and “faceless” of the French Republic, the demonstrators protested peacefully.

From a human compassion angle, their grievances evoke sympathy. Migrants live in absolute squalor. Loitering around, they have little to do except wait for an asylum status or some legal recognition. If not, they face deportation months after they step foot in France.

It’s notable here that the typically very tolerant French are not opening the door to immigrants indefinitely. Clearly, the migrant crisis has taken a toll on the nation. And if the current French administration cannot get a proper handle on the situation, we may see a conservative takeover.

In other words, instituting open borders does not breed economic synergies. In fact, the opposite is true. Because of the massive migrant crisis, tourism to Paris has declined significantly. That right there heaps serious economic damage to a once revered part of the world.

And it’s this risk that the U.S. faces if it does not handle immigration properly, illegally or otherwise.

Because at the end of the day, migrants search for better economic opportunities. If life was so grand from where they came, most wouldn’t leave. So if these folks can’t hack it back home, what good will they be in our advanced and civilized societies?