I am a little bothered by the continual attempts by many to compare the current influx of refugees and illegal immigrants to the Mormon pioneers. While I believe we should do what we can to help any people around the world who are in need (and the LDS Church is doing an amazing job of that, which I wholeheartedly support), we also should be aware of the differences that exist and why many of us are urging caution.
The main and most important difference is that among the Mormon pioneers, there were not terrorists intermingling with them, as there are with the refugees from the Middle East, or criminals among them, as there are with the illegal immigrants from South America.
Those of us urging caution are only asking that more care be employed in who is allowed to enter the United States, how they are screened and in what is asked of them. By bringing them in wholesale, which is what the Obama administration is doing, and immediately giving them government handouts, you are adding to the deficit and tax burden, as well as possibly endangering many of the hard working Americans, and often adding to the burden of law enforcement.
Evelyn Scott
Draper