Jacobs uses fearmongering in highlighting only one part of complex immigration problem

Editor:

Congressman Chris Jacobs visited the Southern border stating that the situation is a “national security and humanitarian crisis.”

Yes it is and it has been for years. But it is not just immigration at the Southern border; we also have a Northern border and two oceans and airports with multi points of entrance. That is one reason why we need a comprehensive immigration policy.

Mr. Jacobs only highlights the arrest of suspected terrorist at the Southern border but not the fact that most suspected terrorist attempt to arrive by airplane. PolitiFact reported in 2017 there were 2,554 individuals on the terrorist watchlist who tried to enter the country, most of those by airplanes.

Even Mr. Jacobs’s predecessor former Congressman Chris Collins expressed concerns about our Northern Border. He told Howard B. Owens of The Batavian that “Canadians (are) pouring over the border to get health care that’s just not available within their universal healthcare system,” (The Batavian August 3, 2017).

Furthermore, it needs to be pointed out that Mr. Jacobs gave tacit support to predominately white terrorists who attacked the Capitol on Jan 6th wearing body armor and carrying bear spray, baseball bats, climbing gear and pipe bombs to prevent Constitutionally mandated activities.

By only emphasizing the Southern border, Mr. Jacobs is showing his racism and appealing to his anger-based fearmongering disinformation politics of his base. The immigration issue is multifaceted and can only be addressed with knowledge-based problem solving not scaremongering disinformation of Mr. Jacobs.

William Fine

Brockport