By Donald H. Harrison
POWAY, California – The nation’s system for granting sanctuary is broken, says a legislative advocate for Local 1613 of the National Border Patrol Council
In a speech to the Men’s Club of Temple Adat Shalom, Christopher Harris – who has served as a Border Patrolman for 19 years – described the intent behind the U.S. A.’s asylum system as “everything that is good about our country.”
However, he said, sophisticated smuggling rings are now coaching people to make false claims for asylum when they arrive at the U.S. border.
For example, he said, people from China will say that they fear persecution because they are Christians. But when these same people are asked to talk a little about Jesus, they answer “who?” according to Harris.
In another example, he said it has become widely known that people from Haiti often are able to seek political asylum in the United States. So smuggling rings are coaching Africans to claim they are from that French-speaking Caribbean nation.
Because there are an insufficient number of asylum hearing officers to adjudicate requests for asylum, Harris said, would-be asylees some times are simply given papers and told to report for a hearing at some future date. Many of them never bother to show up, he said.
“The asylum system is being abused,” he declared. “They are coming in by the thousands every day.”
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Harrison is editor of San Diego Jewish World. He may be contacted via donald.harrison@sdjewishworld.com. Comments intended for publication in the space below MUST be accompanied by the letter writer’s first and last name and by his/ her city and state of residence (city and country for those outside the United States.)