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On Sept. 11, 2001, 19 terrorists hijacked four commercial airliners. The first two airliners crashed into the Twin Towers at the World Trade Center in New York and destroyed the buildings. A third airliner crashed into the Pentagon in Washington, DC causing partial damage.

The passengers in the fourth plane revolted against the terrorists and the plane crashed near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. The passengers who died are all heroes.

A total of 2,977 were killed making it the deadliest terrorist attack in American history.

Why do I bring this up? It’s been 23 years since the terrorist attack occurred and the United States still does not have a functioning immigration system.

There are plenty of U.S. policies, regulations and laws for immigration. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Policy Manual is 12 volumes and is endless from a reading perspective. The print version is 2,535 pages long.

The Immigration and Nationality Act was enacted in 1952 and has been modified several times. It is readable and fairly simple to follow.

It is contained in the United State Code (U.S.C.). The U.S. Code is a collection of all the laws of the United States. Title 8 of the U.S. Code covers “Aliens and Nationality.”

We are a country of immigrants. Frederick Klemm, my great-great grandfather arrived at the Port of Baltimore in 1829. He made his way to Philadelphia, married his wife Dorthea, had four children and a better life than he had in the Kingdom of Wurttemberg. He worked at the docks in Philadelphia.

Every family has a story. Some go so far back they don’t know their first ancestors to arrive in America. People still want to come to America for various reasons.

We do not have a functioning system and don’t control our borders. Many people use the system and come to America legally. Others do not. They migrate through Mexico to America and claim amnesty or just sneak in.

People seeking amnesty come from very bad places where most claim their life is at risk. This may be true for many, but can we afford to take in every person that wants in? The number of immigrants, legal and illegal, is enormous over the last decade and more than the country can absorb.

The states at the southern border have been suffering from people crossing the border in large numbers for years. Since 2022, more than 180,000 have passed through New York City’s Migrant Reception System. Many were bused to New York from Texas. New York has struggled to feed, house and process the wave of immigrants.

The cost to house and serve the immigrants in New York is estimated at $4,000,000,000. It’s a situation most New Yorkers are not pleased with. Outward migration is in the hundreds of thousands.

I believe immigration is beneficial to the United States. We need doctors, information technology and other skilled workers where there are shortages. I believe all potential immigrants need to be vetted and pass detailed background checks. They also should have the ability to secure a job and work.

America must have a functioning immigration system and secure borders. We must keep out those who would harm America.

Al Klemm is a Washington resident and a former Beaufort County Commissioner.