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As Halloween approaches, the nation is being treated to a ghoulish spectacle as the GOP governors of Florida, Texas, and Arizona engage in a danse macabre worthy of an episode of House of the Dragon. Each of them is rattling their bones to see which one can claim the Iron Throne as the worthy successor to the fast-fading legacy of Donald Trump in the Republican Party.
They seem to have concluded that the best way to ascend to the 2024 nomination for president is to ride the wave of anti-immigrant hostility among the "base" of that party.
We can and we should have an honest debate about immigration policy in this country. Unfortunately, we are constantly distracted by the antics of Gov. Ron DeSantis in Florida and his competitors in Texas (Greg Abbott) and Arizona (Doug Ducey). Between them, they have shipped thousands of immigrants seeking asylum to so-called "sanctuary" communities—all with Democratic leadership—to grab headlines and polish their credentials.
The latest publicity ploy by DeSantis was to fly 50 Venezuelan asylum-seekers from Texas to Martha's Vineyard in Massachusetts. These desperate people weren't even in Florida—though DeSantis argued that they "intended" to go there. They were lured onto the plane with false promises of jobs and housing, but nobody disclosed DeSantis' plan to anyone in Massachusetts until the plane touched down.
Lawyers for civil rights sued over the stunt, calling it "fraudulent and discriminatory." Our governor, Gavin Newsom, joined with San Antonio Congressman Joaquin Castro to request the U.S. Justice Department investigate the possible violation of federal human trafficking laws and misuse of federal grant funds.
Right-wing Republicans like DeSantis, Abbott, and Ducey are constantly whining about the "invasion" of their states by immigrants—a terrifying term that incites fear among their constituents, leading to overt hostility and hate crimes directed against immigrants and all people of color.
It's undoubtedly true that our entire nation is seeing an unprecedented influx of immigrants seeking asylum. They often take terrible risks looking for ways to cross the southern border for refuge from the rampant violence, cartels, economic collapse and climate catastrophe facing so many Latin American nations.
Americans need to be reminded that immigrants are a fundamental part of our national story—what truly "made America great."
San Luis Obispo County could be the next "Martha's Vineyard"—the target of a GOP governor eager to leapfrog over his competitors in the race to the 2024 nomination. If so, we know how to welcome immigrants and asylum-seekers.
Look to the example of SLO4Home, an organization that formed just one year ago in the wake of our withdrawal from Afghanistan. Hundreds of our local citizens have joined together to bring shelter and support services to Afghan refugees.
There are organizations like it throughout our nation. People of compassion, people of character, and people of all faiths will turn out to "welcome the stranger," even on Martha's Vineyard. We saw that in the outpouring of support for the Venezuelan asylum-seekers among that small community of 3,000.
America will rise to this challenge as we have throughout our history. Here are just a few ways we can respond:
• Let's build the modern version of an Ellis Island in every border state to welcome and rapidly process the millions seeking refuge from war, violence, oppression, and the climate catastrophe.
• Let's offer to relocate them as soon as possible to a transitional settlement close to the main "ports of entry," if they choose, where jobs are plentiful.
• Let's consider the use of recently closed military bases or correctional facilities in declining rural communities like Susanville where they can be employed in good jobs remodeling these facilities into sustainable residential and work centers.
• Let's create a "Climate Conservation Corps" to employ those willing to work on reforesting our landscape, planting trees, and restoring ecosystems damaged by wildfire and floods.
• Let's give them a realistic and timely path to citizenship, after three to five years of this rural "boot camp," and allow them to resettle in a "sanctuary community."
Labor economists report that nationwide, we now have more job openings than people willing to fill them. And in SLO County, we can handle a few more willing workers.
Governors in Florida, Texas, and Arizona: You can continue to send your tired, your poor, your teeming masses yearning to breathe free to "sanctuary communities," but it would be lovely if you would give us a heads-up. Just stop whining and trying to win the Iron Throne of GOP supremacy. Δ
John Ashbaugh didn't flinch when one of his daughters married an immigrant. Send comments for publication to [email protected].
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