Even the ones who are grateful to be here. There are always cultural clashes, language issues and economic problems, and sometimes it takes generations to integrate them. And they bring with them all sorts of political baggage, too. The Cubans have conspired violently for years against Castro, and Castro infiltrated his spies and saboteurs in with them. We're still trying to absorb the Marielitos, with their high incidence of crime, mental illness, and problems with age and health. But I guess that's OK, because they're anti-communist, right?

And the Vietnamese we brought over after the war? Sure, we owed them big time for their collaboration, but they have had all sorts of problems fitting in, and no doubt the Communists have infiltrated their ranks too. And what about the Iraqis and Afghans that helped us during the wars there? Right now we owe the Kurds big time, too. They're Muslims too.

And what about the Irish, who until recently were supporting IRA terrorism in the UK? Every group that has come here has brought problems with them, but we have felt it was worth the price, and in the long term we have benefited from it. I could go on, the Italians have their Mafia, the Jamaicans have their Rastas, the Mexicans have their street gangs and the Colombians their drug cartels.

And what about the future? If Israel is ever overrun by her Arab enemies, where else will they come but here? Are you going to turn them away? We did once before, before WWII.

And why, because of paranoia and xenophobia? Because its a nice little wedge issue with political utility. You're going to turn people away who are desperate because they might have terrorists among them, when the terrorists can easily recruit here, or come in perfectly legally with US visas stamped in their passports.

No, we can't help them all, but we should help as many as we can. Maybe we can upgrade our vetting procedures, or restrict certain categories, like single men with military training or no established provenance. But we should turn none of them away just because we don't like their religion. No Tom. This is shameless political pandering. And its downright un-American. To turn them away, some of them to certain death, would be a shameful act. It would be unforgivable and we would never live it down.