by Russell Meyers
Originally published on Medium.com link here
While Americans debate over the illegal immigration issue, the herding of immigrants into camps, the separation of families, the long term view of the consequences of these events are completely ignored.
Do I agree with arresting and deporting those convicted of violent crime? Yes, of course I do. But that is a small percentage of those being deported.
Do I completely blame Trump for these conditions? No, I do not. He is merely continuing and expanding policies and actions which began under Obama. In fact, Obama deported more people in 2009 than Trump did in 2017. Think about that.
Many of the people being rounded up and deported came from regions where their lives were endangered in the first place. Corrupt government officials, drug and crime lords reign in those areas. These are not the people who engage in violent crime, these are the people fleeing such conditions. Most of these immigrants have lived here for years, working and being productive members of our society.
In this case, it is not only adults being deported and sent back to live in danger. It is their children as well. Plus there is the well-reported fact that many of these children are being separated from their families. Sometimes being threatened or actively abused. There are reports that some detainment camps do not allow siblings or children to hug one another. These are children taken from their families, left only with each other, be it siblings or friends.
To go further, many thousands of those children have been lost in the system. Or lost entirely. There is absolutely no guarantee that those children will EVER be reunited with their families. Some may never be and it may take months or years before others are reunited.
Once they return to the regions they came from, many adults (parents) and children will die, killed by the very people they were fleeing.
THIS is where the true danger comes in. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow but our country sets our karma in concrete. Because parents and children separated and possibly brought to harm will NOT forget. They will remember. They will carry that rage.
Many will watch their children or parents die as a result of our actions. Keep in mind these people are determined. In peace, they crossed deserts often as or with children to get here. How much more determined will they be when they have a score to settle?
No wall will keep you safe from those who are left with nothing left to lose. In many cases, they may make contact and learn from true criminal elements in the areas we send them back to.
The danger this creates does not end there. These people have been part of communities and families who remain here. That have close contact and strong emotional bonds.
Entire communities who will be distraught and angry when they learn the fate of those missing, exploited, injured, killed. Entire communities that now hold a vendetta against our government.
The short version of this is that we are now creating the next generation of terrorists. Until recently, we have done this in countries on the other side of oceans. True terrorism is something that has been distant and the consequences not ours to deal with. This time we are bringing it home.
We may not pay the price of what we are doing today, tomorrow, next week or next month but make no mistake that blow back will come. When it does, it will be harsh. This is the future of terrorism in America. It is something we have created by apathy, bigotry, ignorance, fear and xenophobia.