A Brief Letter to President Trump:

Dear Mr. President,

I know you’re trying in good faith to negotiate with Democrat leaders to protect innocent Americans from inadequate border security. But they’ve shown they aren’t interested in negotiation. In fact, despite their claim they want tighter borders, it’s clearly untrue. It’s not the safety and security of the American people they hold foremost. It’s not even the plight of migrants.

For them, border security is just an issue they will use as one in a number of cynical ploys to gain political power.

Now they’ve roped in a 17 member group of Congresspersons who are negotiating before the next government shut down in 2 weeks. And Democrats are doing everything they can to drag their heels and stop the process.

You don’t have to play their game. If you wish to force Democrats to the table and solve the illegal immigration problem; then I have a few suggestions for you.

• First, cut off all federal welfare for illegals.

• Next, cut off all federal contributions to Section 8 housing that are being used to supply housing for illegals.

• Then, determine the percentage of federal education funds in each state used to educate illegal immigrants and eliminate that funding.

• Cut all reimbursements requested by health care providers by the amount they spend providing medical care to illegal immigrants.

• Impose an additional $25.00 fee on all monies wired to Central and South America.

• Stop all IRS tax refunds to illegal immigrants who do not pay taxes.

• Finally, enforce E-Verify.

Want to see illegal immigration end? Take away the incentives illegals have to come here.

If you do that, you’ll be glad you don’t have a wall because it would only slow the very speedy exodus of illegals heading south rather than north.

And for those who say these policies are cruel; I encourage you to ask them how it is not cruel to force Americans to pay $150 billion every year to support illegal immigrants?

I’m all for a verifiable guest worker program. And I’d love to see more legal immigration. Properly implement it would work to strengthen our country and fill jobs we have a hard time filling with American workers — at the going pay rate, not at discounted wages that drive down the income and standard of living for everyone else.

The reality is that illegal immigrants who take unfair advantage cost us billions, make our families and neighborhoods less safe, and damage the fabric of our society.

If we really want to fix it, we can. But it will take a commitment by leaders who are tired of making excuses. And who refuse to play the Democrat game of using illegal immigrants as a political tool.

Try the ideas listed here, and it won’t matter that Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer, and all their friends don’t care. We will know that you do. And we will thank you.

Sincerely, John Philip Sousa, IV