Weekly Columns

Over the last several weeks, we’ve watched a growing crisis at our borders resulting in a flood of unaccompanied illegal juveniles—all fueled by the Administration’s immigration policy failure and refusal to enforce current immigration law. Because of the president’s failure to send these minors home quickly or at all, he has now incentivized thousands more to come at the hands and usually at the high profit of criminal cartels.

The Oklahoman - By Senator James Inhofe and Congressman Tom Cole

As one of America’s premier military installations, Fort Sill continuously accepts and trains hundreds of new U.S. Army recruits. After graduating from Fort Sill’s 10-week basic training course, these soldiers go on to help keep the nation safe and freedoms secure — all with skills they learned in Oklahoma. But in June, new neighbors arrived on the post.

While it initially went unnoticed, there is now a very apparent crisis at our borders. Instigated by the failed policy of the Administration, thousands of unaccompanied illegal minors are swarming our borders at the hands of cartels, crossing into our country, overwhelming our facilities and then rarely being returned to their countries of origin. Unless the president enforces our existing immigration laws, the situation will only worsen.

Americans trust that their freedom of speech and religion as outlined and promised in the United States Constitution will be protected. When threatened, Americans also expect and trust those responsible for threatening these rights will be held accountable and that justice will be served. Unfortunately, in this scandal-plagued Administration, such attacks on our First Amendment rights are more likely to be covered up.

True patriotism is embodied in the lives of those who volunteered to defend and protect our nation, and their remarkable, selfless acts of service must never be taken for granted. We are forever indebted to them for their service, and they deserve the utmost support and appreciation every day of the year. Not only should they receive our continuous gratitude, but just as they answered the dangerous call of duty, we have the duty to take care of them when they return home from the battlefield.

With recent events and remembering D-Day 70 years ago, we are grateful for the men and women who courageously volunteer their service in our military to preserve and defend freedom. Whether serving on our own soil or directly in harm’s way overseas, the lives of our military are irreplaceable.

During our country’s beginnings, our founders recognized the importance of establishing, protecting and preserving certain rights for all Americans. For generations, the unique liberties in our Bill of Rights have been the bedrock of our country and given assurance and peace of mind to every citizen.

While conflicting opinions and beliefs have and always will be inevitable, one of the reasons our nation remains the greatest in the world rests on the freedoms imagined and secured long ago by our forefathers.