Graves: Securing our border means building the wall

(From Sixth District Congressman Sam Graves)

It is important to remember that almost all of us are the children of immigrants. Our ancestors came to America because it was and still is a land of opportunity. America as a nation is great because of immigration, not in spite of it.

Even today, America continues to welcome immigrants who come here legally. It is not legal immigration that upsets Americans, it is illegal immigration. Our country has become far too tolerant to those who have broken the law.

On March 8, 2016, Pablo Serrano-Vitorino spread terror across Missouri, allegedly murdering four people in the Kansas City area and another outside of Columbia.

It was later found out that Serrano-Vitorino was previously deported from the U.S. for a felony conviction, only to re-enter the country illegally. What’s worse, Serrano-Vitorino was in police custody multiple times as an illegal immigrant but was released each time. Not deported because under the Obama administration they were not required to enforce our existing law. Serrano-Vitorino is currently being held in a St. Louis jail where he will soon see his day in court.

This is a nation that was founded on the rule of law. We have to send the message that we are serious about illegal immigration by enforcing our laws. Otherwise, individuals like Pablo Serrano-Vitorino will continue to endanger our people, encourage illegal immigration, narcotics trafficking, as well as deadly gangs that smuggle drugs and human beings.

Illegal immigration is just that- illegal.

Over the last month, the House and the Senate have been discussing solutions to our illegal immigration problem; including securing the border and ending sanctuary cities that harbor illegal criminals.

While our country is made great because of immigration, we must also ensure that those who come here do so legally. Any plan for immigration reform simply will not be effective until we first devise and implement a plan to safely secure our border.

I believe that the primary goal of any immigration legislation should be to control and defend our borders. Period.

Securing our border means building the wall. It’s not just campaign rhetoric. There are many places along our southern border that absolutely require it. Our Border Patrol does stellar work but there isn’t enough manpower and resources to effectively ensure our countries safety.

Our immigration problems didn’t occur overnight; they have grown steadily due to decades of inaction, bad policy, and neglect. It’s time we act for the safety, security, and sovereignty of our nation.