Security: Doors and Walls

 

My Home—My Security

It’s exciting, my husband and I OWN our home.  We’ve put in a substantial elbow grease painting, laying new flooring and remodeling.  Many friends have helped along the way and are truly blessed to have a roof we like over our heads with stuff-we-like inside.  

Our home is a place of rest in which we dwell with relative security daily.  Our four-legged security system has deterred several illegal attempts to enter our home which have required cracked windows to be replaced.  Even though this has happened, I sleep peacefully at night without worry because we have good strong doors with locks.

Doors

We use the doors, as most people do, to enter and exit our home, bring in supplies and welcome people into our home.  In general, when someone knocks the dog alarm sounds, we approach the door, check the person’s identity and if we know the person the door is opened and access to our home is gladly granted. They are welcomed and we enjoy their company.  We know that they have no ill intentions towards us or the stuff-we-like in our home. 

Our doors are usually closed.  We don’t leave them open with a sandwich board on the sidewalk inviting strangers in which we do not know.  We could easily have the stuff-we-like plundered, our cupboards ransacked, fixtures and furniture swiped, and be assaulted as we sleep.  It would be most foolish of us to even consider this as a viable, secure option for our home and our peace of mind.

Walls

Let’s say, hypothetically speaking, that even though my home boasts a front door and back door some of the outer walls have been stripped down to the studs; no sheetrock, insulation or siding.  The interior of the home and all the stuff-we-like can be plainly seen from the outside.  Suddenly our doors are essentially useless because we can enter and exit just about anywhere and our four-legged security is completely compromised by the raccoons in the bushes.  We are continually on edge because we are at the mercy of the elements and we can’t sleep because we have to keep constant watch during the night to prevent unwanted entry.  There is no security and we are utterly without peace.

The Application

Our Nation—Our Security

We have lived in this amazing nation for our entire lives.  We have contributed in our community by coaching, teaching and encouraging our children and those in our circle of influence to live uprightly and make a difference in people’s lives.  We have diligently supported our government through paying property and income taxes.  We have exercised our privilege to vote for our officials and pray that they have wisdom as they go about their duties.  We dwell in relative peace.

Doors

The doors to our nation are its ports of entry.  Citizens with proper documentation can enter and exit.  Those who would like to enter can receive a worker’s permit, secure a visa and if they want to stay longer can apply for a green card.  These people are properly identifying themselves and are welcome in our country.  We know several legal immigrants that hail from Mexico, Philippines, Russia and Samoa.  All are contributing to the country they now call home.

Our nation’s ports of entry also regularly identify those who should not enter.  On a typical day at ports of entry in 2017: 21 wanted criminals are apprehended, 591 inadmissible people are encountered and 1607 individuals with suspected national security concerns are identified.(1) These numbers are only for those attempting to go through our nation’s legal “doors.”

Walls

Without walls protecting our nation people with all kinds of motivations can freely enter our nation to take advantage of those who’ve worked hard by using services we’ve paid for with our sweat equity and taxes, to use the stuff-we-like without paying for it, commit crimes, etc.  They have not come through our doors, but breached our walls.  Our safety is compromised and there is unrest instead of peace.

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) are tasked with finding those who have come illegally without proper identification into our nation.  In the 2018 fiscal year, ERO has arrested 158,581 aliens, 90% of whom had criminal conviction and 66% had pending criminal charges. (2)  Of the 256,086 illegal aliens removed from our country, 57% were convicted criminals.  In addition, 5,914 of those removed were identified as either known or suspected gang members or terrorists! (2)

This IS the POINT!

Without walls, our safety and security is seriously compromised! There are good people living in our border states that do not feel safe on their property, ranches or in their homes.  The ICE ERO statistics are only for those arrested and/or detained.  It does not include the thousands that are daily breaching our border instead of using our nation’s ports of entry, i.e. DOORS.  

This lack of safety and security should be a great concern.  We cannot maintain peace without security.  No matter your political leaning, please consider the importance of Doors & Walls in your own life.  Do you secure your door? Why? Who do you allow in your home? Why? Shouldn’t similar precautions also be taken with our precious nation?

1. “Snapshot: A Summary of CBP Facts and Figures Based on FY 2017 Data,”   U.S. Customs & Border Protection, http://www.cbp.gov/sites/default/files/assets/documents/2018-Mar/cbp-snapshot-20180320.pdf

2. “ERO FY18 By the Numbers,” Official Website for the Department of Homeland Security https://www.ice.gov/features/ERO-2018 rray.i