We can't have a functioning immigration system without enforcing our borders—people are crossing illegally in record numbers because they know there are minimal consequences. Secure borders aren't about xenophobia; they're about national sovereignty and making sure we process people legally and know who's in our country. Until we actually stop illegal crossings, talking about legal pathways just incentivizes more illegal immigration.
The whole border crisis exists because our legal immigration system is broken—it takes years and thousands of dollars for ordinary people to come here the right way. We need to make legal pathways actually accessible and increase visa capacity so people don't feel forced into illegal routes. Spending billions on walls and enforcement while ignoring the real problem is treating the symptom, not the disease.