What about our children? Left Behind

I find it very disturbing that every time you turn on the radio or the TV all you hear about is the humanitarian crisis unfolding at our Southern Border.  How we can turn our back on these poor people fleeing other countries due to poverty and violence.  Then you hear our leadership talking about spending nearly $3 billion on these illegal immigrants who snuck across our unsecured border.

What about our children?

Well, I want to point something out. Do you know that there are currently 1.6 million children who are homeless in the United States? Each day 8,300 teenagers drop out of high school. Did you also know that 30% of teenagers between the ages of 12 and 17 report abusing drugs of some kind and that number is 48.2% of High School seniors.  A staggering 71% of High School seniors and 58% of sophomores report abusing alcohol.

What about those hurting and not getting treatment?

Did you know that there are over 350,000 mentally ill being housed in our prisons and are not being treated but instead many are kept in isolation.

Did you know that on any given night there are 57,849 veterans who are homeless?  I’m sure you know that there are literally thousands of veterans are still waiting for treatment and many have died waiting for that treatment from our Veterans Administration.

There are 22 million drug addicts and 13 million alcoholics in the United States 27% of the population in the United States will suffer from some form of substance abuse in their lifetime.

What about those who still can’t find a job to feed their family

As of July, the Bureau of Labor statistics state that there are 741,000 workers currently unemployed this does not take into account the 91.8 million who have left the workforce. Currently there are 47 million people on welfare, and we spend almost $1 trillion to support these programs.

So, when you hear people talking about the crisis at the border, stop and think what is happening within our borders, with the citizens of the United States. Think about how they are constantly being neglected and mistreated by our own government.  Our government has spent almost $1 billion on a health care system that still does not function and is still not able even to take payment information from those who do sign up.

Don’t you think it’s time that we swept our own doorstep and took care of our own citizens instead of trying to solve the problems of every person who comes knocking on our door?

POLICY ADVISORY: COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF DOMESTIC VS. INTERNATIONAL RESOURCE ALLOCATION

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

This advisory addresses concerns regarding the allocation of federal resources toward immigration-related expenditures relative to unmet domestic social needs.

DOCUMENTED DOMESTIC CHALLENGES

The following statistics warrant consideration in budgetary discussions:

Youth and Education

• 1.6 million children currently experience homelessness

• 8,300 teenagers discontinue high school enrollment daily

• Substance use among adolescents: 30% (ages 12-17); 48.2% (high school seniors)

• Alcohol use among high school students: 71% (seniors); 58% (sophomores)

  
  

Mental Health and Criminal Justice

• 350,000+ individuals with mental illness incarcerated without adequate treatment

• Isolation used as primary management strategy in many facilities

Veteran Support

• 57,849 veterans experiencing homelessness on any given night

• Thousands of veterans remain on treatment waitlists through Veterans Administration

• Documented cases of veterans deceased while awaiting care

Substance Abuse and Addiction

• 22 million individuals with active drug addiction

• 13 million individuals with alcohol addiction

• 27% of the U.S. population will experience substance abuse disorders in their lifetime

Employment and Economic Support

• 741,000 workers unemployed (July statistics)

• 91.8 million individuals have exited the workforce

• 47 million individuals currently enrolled in welfare programs

• Federal expenditure on support programs: approximately $1 trillion annually

RECOMMENDATION

Federal policymakers should prioritize comprehensive review of domestic resource allocation to ensure adequate provision for citizens facing documented crises in healthcare, employment, housing, and addiction services before expanding international commitments.