An Open Letter to Congress - Part II - May 2023

An Open Letter to Congress - Part II


​The United States of America has long been seen as a beacon of hope and freedom, a “shining city upon the hill,” as John Winthrop described it. Yet, in recent years, the nation's immigration policies have come under scrutiny, with many advocating for reform that addresses both border security and the needs of those seeking refuge within the country's borders.
 
The flow of illegal drugs across the border is a serious issue that must be addressed. It has contributed to a devastating opioid epidemic and increased crime and violence in communities across the country.   Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 50-100 times stronger than morphine.

The responsibility of Congress to act in a bipartisan fashion to address this issue cannot be overstated. The need for common-sense solutions that balance ensuring national security and respecting immigrants' rights cannot be ignored.  Congress must act now!
 
It is equally important to recognize the United States' moral obligation as a free world leader to assist those seeking refuge from economic hardships or the devastating effects of climate change. As Martin Buber wrote, “The hour of the world, of all the world, is the hour of our compassion.” The United States must not repeat our past mistakes when the nation failed to grant aid and comfort to refugees during World War II and dehumanized them as a people.
 
With this sense of urgency and compassion, Congress must act to introduce and pass immigration reform legislation that prioritizes border security while also aiding those in need. The nation must live up to its reputation as a “shining city upon the hill” and set a high example for the rest of the world in terms of how it treats those seeking refuge and a better life.

Holding hearings and grilling Department of Homeland Security executives and staff produces little results, and fails to create the partnerships we need. Harsh political rhetoric and attacks offers the American people no value. The best leaders great opportunities for partnership and progress. This is what the American people need from Congress today, now, immediately. The grandstanding and interrogations in congressional-committee hearings needs to be transformed into position actions.
 
Immigration reform and border security are complex and multifaceted issues that require the collective efforts of the entire nation. Congress must act in a bipartisan way to address these global issues, guided by a sense of urgency and a moral obligation to assist those in need. The United States must continue to strive towards a future where it upholds its reputation as a beacon of hope and freedom and serves as a shining example for the rest of the world.

Congress must act now, without hesitation or rancor, and without enmity and caustic rhetoric to gain cheap political points from their electoral base. As Jewish philosopher, Martin Buber once wrote, “The only answer to evil is good.” In this context, the U.S. must approach immigration reform and border security with a greater sense of urgency, compassion, and common sense.  This means recognizing the root causes of immigration, including economic hardship and the effects of climate change, and responding with a moral obligation to assist those fleeing these conditions.
 
In writing about our “I and Thou” relationship with God and creation: Martin Buber gives us this sacred admonishment when considering our place, our communities, our relationships, and our responsibilities within the world and across creation. 
 
“We must hear the message, stark and un-transfigured, which is delivered to “us” out of this hour, presented by this situation as it arrives. — And “we” must answer, by what “we” do and do not do, “we” must accept and answer for the hour, the hour of the world, of all the world, as that which is given to us, entrusted to us.
 
Reduction is forbidden; we are not at liberty to select what suits us, the whole cruel hour is at stake, the whole claims us, and we must answer — God.”

• George W. Bush Institute on Immigration 

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— Ron Starbuck
Publisher - CEO
Saint Julian Press, Inc.
Houston, Texas

The Economist