What Does Open Border mean to you?

It’s nothing more than a Republican talking point. Our borders are not open now, and haven’t been “open” at any point in my lifetime. People have been wanting to come here since this country’s inception and many have and will take great risks to do so. That hasn’t changed and wall or no wall I doubt it ever will.

Not what it means to MAGA Supporters.  Open, means no border control…not inadequate or of various types…but none. 

No walls, no check points, no ID or passport or papers need to be shown, no border patrol, no scales, no checking for drugs or illegal goods, and no person questioning why you are coming in.

Like just totally open with everyone being able to freely cross back and forth. 

Based on what I hear in person or online, people think that the border is “wide open” meaning anyone can come in without being asked anything. I agree it is a republican talking point and in my opinion anyone who repeats this lie is adding to the problem. How many people over the last 4 years have heard that the border is wide open? That has likely led more people to come. I also wonder if the new rhetoric about illegal immigrants coming to vote for Kamala is also meant to create a problem that didn’t exist before.

I remember in the late 70s, as a 16 year old, going from Victoria or Vancouver to Seattle on the ferry or bus for a weekend shopping trip. No parents with us. No ID. We might have had to answer a question about what we were doing and how long our stay, but that was it.

Things are definitely different now. 

I remember traveling to Canada as a child crossing the border several times and we didn’t have to show proof of where we were born. It was pretty easy going back and forth. I didn’t have a passport and neither did my grandparents that I was traveling with.

Back in the late 70's I lived in El Paso. We could come and go across the border without any issues. They just asked where we were born. But a friend who looked spanish had to carry her passport everytime she went even though she is American. Yet, our cleaning lady who lived was born and lived in Mexico could get across everyday with no issues.

On a side note, I read yesterday, not sure of the news outlet, that of the 46,000 immigrants our Texas Govender bussed out of here, 1/3 have returned to Texas. They were asked where they wanted to be and were shipped back to the Great State of Texas.

The border is definitely not "open" in any sense unless they mean asylum seekers. Even then, it's not just a stroll across.

Someone I went to high school with had been waiting MONTHS to try to get his Chinese wife here. They are legally married and he is a US citizen born here. Their son (born in China) was able to come but the wife is waiting and waiting and waiting for her case to be reviewed.

Which I almost enjoy watching play out, because I'm quite sure he'd be the type to rail against immigration if it wasn't affecting him personally.

Then why do we have so many illegals here? Why are hotels being used to house them? I am only a second generation, but my grands immigrated and gained citizenship. They did not receive free anything. We were very poor growing up. Utilities turned off, car repossessed, but never qualified for government assistance. Nothing. My parents are still working in their 80s. It’s very frustrating to me.

I think you need to take a closer look at what immigrants—particularly illegal immigrants—actually receive. For one thing, it isn’t nearly what people think they get. Especially if they are undocumented. Second, times have changed. We have more social safety nets now than in your grandparents generation. Most of the time I think that is a good thing, but of course there are people that abuse it, but that is more common with American born people. Most immigrants are here to work hard and make something for themselves. Did you watch the cnn show on the Haitian immigrants in Springfield? One of the factory owners said that the immigrants are the hardest workers. Before they came (legally) the factory would have people show up for a few days then not come back.

It is also more difficult to immigrate now, particularly from certain countries. They are often leaving because their conditions are really bad. Not just because they want an adventure. Also, claiming asylum is not illegal. Biden asked for more funding for border agents and to help make the process of determining if someone qualifies go faster. But that was voted down by Congress. So, the immigrants need somewhere to go while they wait for their hearings.

That isn’t true. Most people came legally and then stayed instead of going home when they were supposed to.

It’s much safer to get a temporary visa and not go home when it expires than to try to find a way across the border. And it’s much easier to get a short-term visa than to immigrate legally.

Ya know, every time I see a construction crew or road crew, I think I should stop and ask all the guys if they’re here legally.

But then I think I’d probably like for our roads to be finished sometime this century, and mentally curse the politicians who hold these guys’ lives in limbo, making them at risk for worker exploitation, rather than creating a more robust guest worker program that would protect their human rights.

BTW, my husband’s company has hired a lot of tech workers from Colombia to do remote work. He visits Bogota frequently, but it’s very difficult for most of their workers to get even a short term visa to come here for meetings. So miss me with the “they should come here legally or not at all” nonsense. These are educated people living nice middle class lives in Colombia, and they can’t even get a tourist visa.

Totally agree.