Stay out of it, Pope Francis!

As though this country doesn't have enough to do dealing with recalcitrant Democrats and Republican turncoats when the issue of our border is concerned, now we have to deal with the leader of the Catholic Church who's throwing money around.

Pope Francis has jumped into the fray, this time armed with dollars. The pope has long been more than outspoken against the policies of President Donald Trump concerning how to handle our border and the uncounted thousands of illegals crossing the border monthly.

Pope Francis has criticized the fact that our government has spoken out against the crashing of our borders by citizens of other countries. The pope ignores the magnitude of that aspect of the problem and the fact that these illegals strain resources, not only of the feds but also of states and cities along the border, and even the charitable institutions there.

In what many might regard as a slap in the face, the Vatican has announced that Pope Francis has donated $500,000 to assist migrants in Mexico. According to the press release from Vatican News, the money will come from Peter's Pence, a program that collects donations from average Catholics that the pope can use at his discretion around the world for philanthropic purposes.

The $500,000 is intended to help the more than 75,000 people from six caravans that ended up in Mexico recently, who have no way to get in our country and have no place to stay. Presumably the money will provide food, lodging and basic necessities while in Mexico.

It's interesting that the pope is donating the money to help Mexico with the migrant problem, but he's not sending a penny to the United States, which is where those migrants want to be. Many migrants are already here and face the same basic problems.

The pope has also come out directly against any type of border wall. It was in March that he said that people who build walls "will end up becoming prisoners of the walls they build."

That was a direct smack against President Trump; but in reality, it is a slander against all Americans who value the sovereignty of our nation.

This, by the way, from a man who rules over Vatican City which is surrounded not only by massive walls, but which is protected by the well-armed and trained Swiss Guards and the Vatican City Police, the Gendarmerie Corps of the Vatican City State. Both groups are well trained and well armed with all the latest weapons they might need to protect the Pontiff and the Vatican.

Francis may act the part, but he's no fool. He is well protected at home and when traveling – as well he should be, given the state of affairs in today's world politics.

The problem I have with what he has said and done is that he has intruded himself into the problems of the United States, to say nothing of European countries, with the millions of "refugees" crashing into nations across the world, presenting the local populations with enormous social and economic problems … and no way to put an end to it.

Actually, there are ways to put an end to it; but because of political correctness and leftist politics, the problem only grows worse. Bottom line of all the illegal immigration problems is the role of militant Islam and the fact, especially in Europe, of immigrants not only being of a different nationality they are of a different religion, one which does not accept other beliefs easily, if at all.

That aspect of the migration of illegals across borders is not as intense in the United States. The illegals moving into our country were originally from Mexico, Central and South America.

Unfortunately, too many Americans think this is still the case and that we should provide a "warm welcome" to our neighbors. This has become the mantra of the Democrats and those who support them. To many of them it as become almost a religious issue where we need to care for the needy and break opens our borders to anyone who wants in to the U.S. For them, there is no such thing as a border: "COME ON IN! ALL THE GOODIES ARE FREE!"

Well, that only works so far; but soon the system has no more elasticity. Given the situation we have now, we're at the breaking point.

Today we are dealing with "migrants" from Mexico, Central and South America, Africa, Cuba, Russia, and just about any country you might name from Europe and Asia. In other words, everyone wants to come here and, according to the pope and the liberals, we should permit that.

I don't think so, unless we want to destroy our country. Just ask the cities along our Southern border where ICE is releasing migrants in towns and cities like Tucson, Phoenix, El Paso, Houston and others – 7,000 released in Tucson in the past eight months.

The Border Patrol has the same problems dealing with housing facilities. In fact, because there are so many illegals in El Paso, hundreds are being bused daily to Tucson and released. But that doesn't solve anything since the receiving towns have the same problems.

The migrants are told to return for court hearings on a specific date, but they ignore that and disappear into the U.S.

In addition to all of this is the growth of a freight train migration called "The Beast" that is moving from Southern Mexico toward our border. This is going on while there was a breakout of 645 migrants from a Mexican holding center; 35 have been returned. That facility alone is holding 980 Cubans (Cubans!) out of a total of 1,745 people. It's reported the facility is designed for only half that number, an indication of Mexico's overwhelmed shelters.

President Trump continues to threaten to close the U.S. /Mexico border if the Mexican administration doesn't stop the illegals from reaching our border.

We'll see. And he still wants a wall.

For those interested in helping – or not – the upcoming Peter's Pence collection at U.S. Catholic Churches will be at the end of June, with announcements made in local dioceses. The money collected goes to Rome for Frances to distribute at his discretion.

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