A new report this week from the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) highlights the critical relationship between border security and national security. According to the CIS report, at least 15 terrorists have been apprehended at the southern border or en route to the border since 2001. 

The CIS study notes that information about these 15 individuals comes from public sources — media reports and court records. But sources within the intelligence community “with access to protected government information” say “at least 100 migrants at or en route to the southern border” were on terrorism watch lists.

In addition to potential terrorists, there is the huge problem of deported criminal illegal aliens constantly attempting to reenter the country. The Department of Homeland Security warns that at least 600 convicted criminals are part of the migrant caravan currently attempting to enter the country.

So this begs the question: How many terrorists and criminals are open-borders politicians willing to allow into the country? 

Speaking of terrorism, the issue is not getting the attention it deserves, but three recent cases show we are still confronting a huge problem.

• Two brothers in the Bronx pleaded guilty Monday to making bombs in their apartment.

• Zoobia Shahnaz of Long Island also pleaded guilty Monday to supporting ISIS with bitcoin transactions.

• Last week, Mohamed Mohamed Abdi, a Somali immigrant, attempted to run over Orthodox Jews as they left a Los Angeles area synagogue. 

Budget Battles

The battle to secure the border is heating up on Capitol Hill. Congress is facing a Dec. 7th deadline to prevent a government shutdown, but House and Senate negotiators are miles apart on funding for border security.

Senate Democrat Leader Chuck Schumer was eager to remind everyone that the Senate has authorized $1.6 billion for border security. The House has authorized $5 billion. 

But with nearly 10,000 migrants massing along the border, I suspect Schumer understands how vulnerable the Left is on this issue, which is why he was touting his support for the additional funding. That said, the radical Left is furious with him.

While neither figure is close to what is needed, President Trump is holding firm on at least $5 billion and warns that he is willing to shut down the government to get it. Some may be tempted to suggest that he should accept the funding piecemeal, $1.6 billion this year and another $1.6 billion next year, etc. 

But as Sen. Marco Rubio explained, you can’t do border security piecemeal. It would be like trying to sell someone only the second floor of a house. You need the whole house, just like you need the whole wall. Otherwise, illegal immigrants will go to the unsecured locations. Duh!

Misplaced Compassion

Yesterday I commented on how the Left justifies open borders with claims of compassion for migrants who just want a better life. Unfortunately, these claims often ignore common sense and the desire of Americans to maintain good wages and low taxes.

Thinking more about this issue, it occurred to me that the people most outraged by the children exposed to nonlethal tear gas are the same people who insist that illegal immigrants entering the United States be provided with abortions on demand. 

While no one wants to see a child experience the effects of tear gas, it is a nonlethal experience. But what happens in an abortion is not that a child cries, but is instead destroyed by a saline solution or is dismembered. 

So the Left’s compassion for children seems very selective.

Here’s another example.

Most of the talking heads who are outraged when administration officials point out that the migrants don’t have a legal claim to enter the U.S. are strangely quiet about General Motors closing plants in three states. To the extent the media is talking about it at all, it is mostly to attack Donald Trump because he criticized General Motors.

Again, the Left’s compassion is very selective. There’s little compassion for Americans losing their jobs right before Christmas. But there is extensive reporting over the plight of thousands of Central American migrants coming here to compete for jobs with thousands of soon-to-be unemployed Americans.

How the Left was ever able to claim the mantle of compassion boggles the mind.