Climate Change has led to a surge of climate refugees. As the Earth continues to warm, the problem is only going to get worse. Our country has been extremely divided on immigration. Some believe that it is our responsibility to help these refugees to the best of our ability, while others dismiss them as “not our problem.” To fully understand the issues that we’re facing today, it’s important to have an understanding of the history of the US-Mexico border and how it has been altered throughout history.
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| "Migrants cross river into Mexico after being refused passage to U.S." (PBS) |
It seems that imperial conquest has always been an aspect of the US government. We see that today with the sheer number of US military troops dispersed across the world. In the mid 19th century, under President James Polk, our government fully embraced a concept called Manifest Destiny. Manifest Destiny is the idea that the United States of America is predetermined to completely control the North American continent (PBS). Under his administration, the US provoked Mexico into war because they wanted to claim the rest of Texas, California, and New Mexico. Ulysses S. Grant described the war as "one of the most unjust ever waged by a stronger against a weaker nation. It was an instance of a republic following the bad example of European monarchies, in not considering justice in their desire to acquire additional territory” (PBS). It was a controversial topic within the country and drove the north and south further apart. The US received the disputed territories.
There’s an argument to be made that the United States should help climate refugees. We’re one of the world's biggest polluters and are responsible for the wellbeing of those that our country has negatively affected. We produce about 5,414 million metric tons of Carbon Dioxide emissions per year (Reuters). We should provide for those who are being displaced because of climate change. Droughts in Mexico and hurricanes in South America are just a few reasons why the US is experiencing such an influx of people at the southern border. “The impact of the hurricanes is one of many reasons migrants from Central America are making the dangerous journey to the U.S. southern border to seek refuge — and just one example of climate-exacerbated drivers of displacement and migration” (CNBC). This responsibility that the US holds for today's climate refugees is linked to the Mexican-American War. We are a warlike country. Since we seem to thrive during times of war, we tend to start and join them whenever the opportunity comes. We should be more sympathetic and helpful to those areas of the world that we ravage and destroy, or else we won’t have any allies left.
The US border patrol was created in 1924, and since then we’ve seen varying degrees of success from its efforts (CBP). Many areas in Mexico are experiencing droughts and it's hard to make a living. There's a lively debate in US politics about what we should do with the climate refugees from the southern border and the world. As a country that has invaded others’ lands and taken control of others, we have a strange lack of concern for the problems that our actions have created. We chased Mexicans from their land in the Mexican-American War and then denied them mercy when they needed our help. We continue to deny them the land that we killed them for.
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It is really sad that United States has a severe lack of empathy to our neighbor. Especially, when you consider the fact that we cause most of their problems, i.e. the amount of emissions we produce that cause climate change. I really hope that the United States ,as do other countries, grow a sense of kindness to help those in need. Great blog post.
ReplyDeleteAccepting refugees will begin to become more common especially if the United States continues to pollute and be wasteful. It is a shame these refugees do not arrive with much support from their new country, despite this country causing them needing to relocate.
ReplyDeleteThis will always be a foreign subject to me. I don't think there are to many options other than all countries need to be willing to accept refugees. The stress it could possibly put on one country in my opinion could be dangerous.
ReplyDeleteI found your post quite interesting, especially the part that the US thrives during the times of war and is actively taking part in many of those. It is definitely true that if climate crisis is dealt with, the US will need to change its strategy in dealing with arising issues
ReplyDeleteThe picture you included in your piece makes me feel vexed as an American. The picture is further proof that we are becoming an increasingly pitiless country. I think your point about alienating allies is really strong because it could appeal to the government as we attempt to inspire change.
ReplyDeleteThis is a very hard and controversial topic to talk about. The idea that the United States is simply responsible for the entire populations of failed states will only work for so long until we run out of money or our own resources to give to people fleeing countries such as mexico and South America. I think we should definitely help, but where does it stop before everyone in both americas is struggling?
ReplyDeleteOk, so I know it won't solve everything but what if we expand the part of the immigration department (can't remember the name right now) this way we can process a lot more people and speed up the process of people becoming citizens. I know this over looks a lot of issues between politics and everything climate related but (I'm not too informed on all of the news about immigration) but once people are citizens they can't be deported back to their country right?
ReplyDeleteWe are currently facing the largest bi-partisan divide our nation has ever seen. We must all come together and unify on these global socio-political issues. But is that possible and what are the steps to begin down this road.
ReplyDeleteYeah the USA is certainly a modern Empire... I think a problem that a lot of people here don't understand is that the refugee situation comes for us whether we agree on immigration or not. I think it's naïve to think that we'll be safe from all the disasters over here in our bubble. I've had a lot of arguments with a lot of family members and strangers on the internet over this. Even if it's not our responsibility, which I think it is, doing nothing about the dozens of countries right next to ours dealing with a refugee crisis with little to no resources while also fending off climate disasters (caused in large part by the US) will become our problem, as it already has and will continue to get worse.
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