Press Release: American Legion National Commander: 'If children can cross our borders, what about terrorists?'

American Legion  National Commander: 'If children can cross our borders, what about terrorists?'

 

WASHINGTON (July 11, 2014) – Calling the spike of illegal aliens entering the United States a "full-blown crisis," the leader of the nation's largest veterans organization called on President Obama to secure the borders and remove all economic benefits that incentivize and exacerbate the problem.

 

"If unaccompanied children can so easily enter the United States, what kind of message does this send to a committed foreign terrorist?" asked American Legion National Commander Daniel M. Dellinger. "It is inhumane to continue a policy that encourages children to risk violence and rape by human traffickers, or death in the desert. Moreover, we simply cannot afford the economic toll that it places on our country which is already burdened by an enormous national debt."

 

The American Legion has passed numerous national resolutions over the years opposing illegal immigration and amnesty. Dellinger added that "politics should never get in the way of securing our borders. The president should send the National Guard to our borders immediately.  On 'Meet the Press,' the Homeland Security Secretary repeatedly dodged the question as to whether the latest wave of people crossing the border would be deported. If given the opportunity, hundreds of millions of people from third world countries would love to live in the United States. We simply cannot sustain this invasion of our national sovereignty."

 

The American Legion's immigration strategy can be found here: http://www.legion.org/documents/legion/pdf/illegal_immigration_2013.pdf

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Media contacts: John Raughter (317) 630-1253 / 317-441-8847 or Joe March (317) 630-1253 /(317) 748-1926.