LETTERS: Don’t blame Republicans for border chaos

Regarding John Schryver’s Saturday letter: He asserts that the flood of people crossing our southern border is the result of conservatives “advertising” that the border is open. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Some of President Joe Biden’s first actions after inauguration were to issue executive orders reversing many Trump policies, such as “Remain in Mexico.” Border-crossers are now labeled as asylum-seekers rather than illegal immigrants. All anyone has to do is walk across the border, present themselves to a Border Patrol agent and claim asylum.

Most are given a free pass to enter the country pending adjudication of their claim, which may take years. Few are vetted, and none was ever checked for his or her vaccination status during the pandemic. Thousands of these so-called asylum-seekers are now scattered throughout the country receiving room and board while the governments of “sanctuary cities” are howling for federal funds to help them manage the influx of people as the result of Biden administration policy and bold actions by border state governors.

Mexican cartels are exacerbating the problem and enriching themselves by selling their services to escort or transport people to the border — and likely educating them on how to game the system. This includes literally dumping small children over the fence.

The president and his handlers alone have done an outstanding job of notifying the world that the border is open and the welcome mat is out.