SYRIAN IMMIGRATION; Congressional Record Vol. 162, No. 42

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SYRIAN IMMIGRATION

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HON. PETE OLSON

of texas

in the house of representatives

Wednesday, March 16, 2016

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I am privileged to interact with some of the

brightest students in the 22nd Congressional District who serve on my

Congressional Youth Advisory Council. I have gained much by listening

to the high school students who are the future of this great nation.

They provide important insight from across the political spectrum that

sheds a light on the concerns of our younger constituents. Giving voice

to their priorities will hopefully instill a better sense of the

importance of being an active participant in the political process.

Many of the students have written short essays on a variety of topics

and I am pleased to share them with my House colleagues.

Cameron Lavine attends George Ranch High School in Richmond, Texas.

The essay topic is: Select an important event that has occurred in the

past year and explain how that event has changed/shaped our country.

Throughout history, the United States has been a beacon of

hope for immigrants around the world. Beginning in the early

1700's, when the first of the Scots-Irish immigrants came to

America, we have generally been extremely welcoming to

foreigners, even if we did not necessarily want them. The

Scots-Irish, more specifically the Paxton Boys, caused many

problems for Americans and Native Americans, yet, despite the

danger they presented to society, the Scots-Irish were still

allowed to enter the United States. Then, in the mid-1800's,

there was a wave of Irish immigrants because of the famine

and there was a wave of Chinese immigrants into America.

Although Chinese immigration was later on restricted, people

were still allowed to enter this country. There are many

other groups of people who have been able to seek refuge in

the United States as well, and the latest asylum seekers are

the Syrians who have been displaced by the poverty and

violence that resulted from a civil war. However, instead of

opening our arms and providing assistance to those in need as

we have done in the past, many people want to close off the

United States.

The number of Syrian refugees has increased severely over

the past year, creating a large burden on European and Middle

Eastern nations such as Greece, Germany, and Turkey. Many of

these countries are calling upon the United States to take

action since they are the current hegemonic power. However, a

majority of American politicians believe that we should

ignore that call. This humanitarian crisis has turned into an

ethical dilemma: Should the United States accept the Syrian

refugees who are trying to escape poverty and violence

despite the potential dangers, or should we close our doors

in order to protect national security? This event has really

sent the traditional belief that the United States is safe

haven for anyone trying to escape persecution, violence, and

poverty into a tailspin. For the first time, the U.S. is

considering turning its back on those in need, a direct

contrast to past events where America was a willing safe-

haven for those seeking asylum.

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