By Mike Rowse

Imagine that you came home one day to find a group of people in your front yard. You did not know them, they were not there with your permission. They had set up a camp and broken into your house to get food, clothing and other things they 'needed' to survive. I imagine most of us would be rather upset and at the very least try to get our stuff back and run the squatters off of our property or even call the police. I'm sure some people might become a bit violent. But, it's your property, you worked hard to earn the money to buy the property and you have a right to feel secure in your home.

As I travel throughout the southern most regions of our state and into southeast Arizona, I meet with people who have this happen to some extent every week. Illegal immigrants are coming across the border in droves, many more than we are lead to believe by the government or the mainstream media. I met with a couple this week who live in a remote area southeast of Deming; they are ranchers. As they work their spread, it's not unusual to see groups of 50 or more trekking across their property, sometimes the guides are armed. The couple and their hands often find large camping areas where the illegals have left trash, clothing, waste. They have had people break into barns, their home and shop to take things.

Another couple, living south of Animas, emigrated from the Netherlands to our state. Shortly after coming back home after a trip, they found several people had broken into the house and were taking their food, blankets, clothing. They love to go outside in the morning, sit on the patio and enjoy the view. Once or twice a week, illegals will walk by, stand about 30-40 yards away and assess the safety of coming towards the home. The couple warns them away because you just don't know what's going to happen. Yes, they've bought guns and often will keep them near by when they are outside.

I hear the argument that we can't close our border to these people because that would be inhumane; these people are just coming here to make a better life. Conditions in their home countries are so bad they are starving and we are such a rich nation, we have to help them. Those of us who expect our national sovereignty and laws to be obeyed are often told that we are racist and oppressive by groups such as Standing on The Side of Love. To be fair, this group is not focused solely on immigration issues but they do claim that efforts to secure our border and stop the flow of illegals into our country is oppressive and discriminatory.

Well, let's take this logical argument from the left side of the aisle to its conclusion. We have laws that dictate what one must do to come to this country. If one doesn't follow those laws, then they are here illegally. That is an undeniable fact. Many believe that breaking our laws is justified given that these people are just trying to make a better life or are trying to escape oppression in their home countries. If it's OK to break our laws if that is your motivation then I have a story for you.

A friend of mine is a single mother. I have known her as a waitress at a local establishment. She makes more than minimum wage as she is good at her job and is often tipped very well. But, things are tough as the price of food, clothing, utilities and just about everything else continues to go up. She has gone back to school and decided to also get her realtor's license. She has an older car that is reliable, it gets her wherever she needs to go but it's not the prettiest car around. As a realtor you need to have a nicer car as you take clients around town or out in the country. In fact, a four-wheel drive would be really nice to have and sometimes it's a necessity.

I suggested she go to a house that displays a "Standing on the Side of Love" yard sign, drop off her car and take one of the nicer cars sitting in the drive way. As luck would have it, there's a newer Toyota 4-runner sitting in the driveway that would be perfect for her. I happen to be acquainted with the family that lives there and know none of them are employed in professions that require them to transport clients or customers. They really only need a reliable vehicle capable of delivering them to work and back. Perfect! My friend gets a vehicle she needs in order to improve her family's life and the 'SOTSOL' family has just what it needs. No need to ask for permission or work out a trade, because while my friend is technically breaking our laws, it's for a good reason.

Of course, I wouldn't want my friend to actually go through with this plan but that's what is happening to so many of our fellow citizens living on or near the southern border. They are not secure in their homes; their things are often taken by people coming here illegally. And to believe that it is only poor people looking for a better life coming across the border illegally is naive. Any Border Patrol agent will tell you they have captured known terrorists; members of Hamas, al Qaeda, ISIS and other terror groups. That means that others are getting into our communities without being apprehended. That puts each and every one of us at risk.

If you believe that more people should be allowed to emigrate to America, then change the laws that make it difficult to come here legally. Allow more visas, green cards or whatever other type of documents necessary to be issued. Make them get employment and pay taxes. If the don't get a job within a specific time frame, then back home they go. If they aren't contributing to our economy, then don't allow them to be a drain on it. And securing the border will make it more difficult for the dangerous ones to come across bringing drugs or terrorists into our communities. We have the ability to close our border and stop the free flow, not completely, but certainly better than we are doing at the present time.