1. United States
2. Kan.
3. Letter

This declaration of a national emergency at the southern border is an unnecessary and heavy-handed overreaction that will only lead to further militarization and human rights abuses. The claims of an "invasion" and widespread violence from undocumented immigrants are simply not supported by facts or data. Study after study has shown that immigrants, regardless of status, commit crimes at lower rates than native-born citizens. This proclamation demonizes vulnerable people fleeing violence and poverty, when we should be treating them with compassion. Deploying the military to construct physical barriers will be extremely costly, harm the environment, and do little to stop the flow of drugs and human trafficking, which mostly occurs at legal ports of entry. There are more humane and effective ways to address immigration that don't trample on civil liberties or divert critical resources from other priorities. I urge you to oppose this proclamation and instead pursue comprehensive immigration reform that provides a pathway to citizenship, strengthens border security through advanced technology rather than walls, and addresses root causes of migration.