Matthew Kolken's Response to the Immigration Portion of the State of the Union address

Statistics show that unlawful entries to the United States have hit a 46-year low since Trump took office, and there has been a significant increase in arrests in the interior of the country. In fact, there are far more people overstaying their visas than coming to the United States illegally. Statistics also show that undocumented immigrants commit far fewer crimes than native born citizens.

I do not oppose physical barriers in areas that have been deemed to be high traffic zones if experts in Customs and Border Protections believe they will assist them in enforcing the law. We are a sovereign country and have both a duty and an obligation to control our borders. Moreover, many Democrats voted in favor of physical barriers prior to Trump making it a signature campaign item. Democrats now oppose a wall simply because they oppose Trump.

That said, the most effective wall is an immigration law that serves both the needs of economic refugees and United States employers in industries with recognized labor shortages. A guest worker program is essential to ensure that there is a lawful way for people to easily come to this country to do the jobs Americans are either unwilling or unable to perform. This will positively impact law enforcement's ability to enforce the immigration and criminal laws because unlawful traffic to the United States will be limited to the real "bad hombres." A guest worker program will also alleviate the number of asylum seekers at the southern border as many will simply be able to apply for a visa to come to the country rather than making the perilous journey where they may fall victim to criminals who control illegal passage.

As for the Democratic response, Stacey Abrams engaged in revisionist history, attempting to whitewash Obama's abysmal human rights record on immigration. Plain and simply, Obama, like Trump, is a human rights violator. He should be remembered as such.