Jim wrote:Carter simply accepted the Cubans, as democrat leaders want Trump to do now regarding the immigrant-influx, no questions asked with respect to whoever makes it through Mexico to the border.
That's somewhat of a skewed perspective, given that back during the Carter administration, the Republicans were claiming to be the strongest advocates for Cuban refugees, because they wanted to polish their anti-communist badges, and several of them were critical of the Carter administration for not moving fast enough, and for setting up a vetting process to try and get a handle on which were actually criminals, and which of those from the Cuban prisons were simply political prisoners. The Republican position on immigration from Cuba was an open border, because Cuba was communist, and they considered every Cuban who attempted to get to the US as a person qualified to enter because they were seeking assylum. They were not interested in "enforcing immigration law," or "immigration reform" when it came to Cubans (see Elian Gonzales). The Republican position was hands off, let them come and suspend the quota, which they actually did once Reagan was in office.
Not so with the Central Americans. And while the statement that Democratic leaders want simple acceptance of whoever makes it across the Mexican border is patently and provably false, the problem Central Americans have, though they are equally as oppressed and as much in danger as any anti-Castro Cuban ever was, is that they are coming from tin-pot dictatorships that have resulted largely from American interference, dominance and attempted exploitation of the Central American countries. Our policy, money, and presence in these countries (see Ronald Reagan and the Iran-Contra scandal) funneling money to insurrections and rebellions, or to corrupt, cruel dictatorships all to "protect American interests", has created incredible poverty, lack of any kind of real opportunity, political unrest and upheaval, and has created a stream of people who ironically see their only opportunity for a better life is to go north and risk crossing the border where Republican supported corporations and businesses are waiting with open arms to exploit the cheap, illegal labor and keep the stream moving.
