While it’s obvious to everyone that the immigration crisis has become an untenable situation at the border, I have serious reservations about the shipping of immigrants from border states to major urban (progressive) cities. I understand the concept of making sanctuary cities act like sanctuary cities and pointing out the hypocrisy of the left is always a worthwhile endeavor.

But we’re making political points using a group of people who are lawbreakers, yes, but largely just trying to escape a crappy situation in their home countries. These are people fleeing failed states, corrupt regimes, and horrible living conditions traveling to what they (rightfully) believe is the best country for opportunities to escape their current conditions. The problem is, there is no policy solution that these governors can really take, because it’s largely in the hands of the federal government.

But turning immigrants into political footballs that we are punting back and forth is not something I’m extremely comfortable with.

Back in 2012, the Obama Administration squared off in the Supreme Court against Arizona, which had passed an immigration law that was meant to do the work that the Border Patrol under Barack Obama wasn’t doing. The Obama administration overruled Arizona’s law, and Arizona sued. The Supreme Court ultimately threw out most of Arizona’s law.

“The National Government has significant power to regulate immigration,” Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote in the majority opinion. “Arizona may have understandable frustrations with the problems caused by illegal immigration while that process continues, but the State may not pursue policies that undermine federal law.”

The immigration crisis is infinitely worse than it was in 2012. The border is so full of holes that it is basically open. CBP can’t keep up. Now is the time for state legislatures to come into session and start passing laws they can use to close the border themselves. Funnel resources, enact policies, do whatever they can to act where the federal government refuses to.

And if the Biden administration fights against these policies in the same way Obama had done, then good. Let the Biden administration go officially on the record saying the status quo is perfectly fine. Let them take official ownership of this crisis by actively fighting against policies to combat the crisis. Put them on the defensive here.

This is a fight that has to happen. Let the governors of our border states call their legislatures into special session if they need to. Start pushing for laws that will tighten the border. They have to start doing the work that the Biden administration won’t, and they can better challenge the Biden administration legally and without the spectacle of busses.

The politics of trolling have their place, but using people as political footballs, whether they are lawbreakers or not, seems unfair to them. But this is how you can dare the Biden administration to stop them from fixing his mess.