Immigration -Springfield, MA Mayor Applauded

 

 

Mayor Domenic Sarno is taking courageous steps to do something about a major negative affecting the City of Springfield. ("Sarno: No More Refugees", Springfield Republican, August 14, 2013). Springfield is a microcosm of what is going on across the entire United States. Our immigration system in America should offer compassion, help, and opportunity for those who want to seek a better life. Yet what we have is a situation that is totally out of control...anarchy. We are allowing our country to be overrun. Any rational country in the world has a right to control the level of immigration, and place certain conditions for the overall good of both the country and those who enter. Today, in America, we are not, and this leads to very serious local and national problems. This is not a partisan issue, it is a national issue that is now devoid of all common sense. At the same time we appear to allow politics and political gamesmanship to rule, not what is good for our country.

By allowing our country and localities to be overrun, as shown in Springfield, we invite substandard housing and code violations that create life, safety, and health hazards. It is inevitable that crime, drug trafficking, and violence increases. We are unable to keep up with language barriers. Immense strains are placed on the police department, the schools, hospitals and medical services. The economic well being of the entire community suffers, to the detriment of all, including those who are immigrants.

The call is for a "comprehensive immigration policy", as if immigration were something new to America. Yet for many years we DID have a policy, we just seem to have thrown it away for some twisted political purposes. My father came to this country as an Italian immigrant. Prior to entry he had to meet certain health requirements and have vaccinations against prevalent diseases at that time. He entered legally with a visa / green card. Upon entry he couldn't speak a word of English, but he learned the language and started a small business. He became a U.S. citizen and was very proud to be an American. He assimilated so much that he seldom even spoke Italian in the home. There is your "comprehensive immigration policy"!! We already had it. Our government at that time was rational and controlled both the level and conditions of entry. Millions of immigrants came to this country and bettered themselves and bettered our country. Yet we have allowed our then existing rational immigration system that worked to be eroded by politics.

What is needed all across our country, starting at the local level, is to have mayors of our cities, such as Mayor Sarno, to speak up and to take action. To have responsible governors, who care about their state and our nation to put politics aside..and do what is best. We should all support Mayor Sarno's good example of rational compassion.