How Today’s Illegal Alien Crisis Reflects in American History
Preface
This is a very controversial subject, and I know this might offend many. But despite that, I feel the need to at least attempt to open up some type of dialogue on illegal immigration. Not that I believe this one small blog can put a stop to the anger and the violence. But at least I can use my experiences in order to cause some to try to look at the problem with a fresh perspective.
Why Peanut Farmers Shouldn’t be President
It may surprise younger generations to learn that the late President Jimmy Carter, a devout Christian and humanitarian, began his journey as a peanut farmer in Plains, Georgia. His younger brother, Billy Carter, became a national figure in his own right—known for his outspoken personality, Southern charm, and unapologetic embrace of the “good ol’ boy” image. Billy managed the Carter family’s peanut business and later owned a gas station that became a local landmark.
In 1977, he lent his name and persona to Billy Beer, a short-lived brand launched by Falls City Brewing Company, which sought to capitalize on his notoriety during Jimmy’s presidency. Though Billy didn’t found the brewery himself, his endorsement—complete with the slogan “I think it’s the best I ever tasted”—turned him into a pop culture icon. His antics, including public stunts and controversial ties to Libya, often drew media attention and occasional embarrassment for the White House. Yet behind the headlines was a man who battled addiction, sought redemption, and remained fiercely loyal to his family.
In 1980, Florida faced a crisis linked to political turmoil in nearby Cuba. Located just 90 miles from Florida’s coast, Cuba has often been a source of tension for the United States. At that time, many Cubans were fleeing the regime of Fidel Castro, whose flair for brutality against political enemies was known far and wide. These refugees began launching boats full of people in an attempt to reach the Florida coast and seek political asylum.
The issue was that many of these boats were not seaworthy, and even the ones that were often carried too much weight, leading to many refugees being rescued by the Coast Guard. Unfortunately, some boats capsized, and officially 27 lives were lost, but many estimate the number of those that perished was much higher.
President Jimmy Carter responded by allowing the refugees to enter the U.S., and initially private citizens took their boats to pick up Cubans. Later, Carter tried to organize the process, but by then, the influx had overwhelmed Florida. This became known as “the worst observed migration event in terms of public safety in US history,” known as the Mariel Boatlift.
Castro’s Revenge
There is a saying, “no good deed goes unpunished,” and that was certainly the case here. Carter’s compassion was genuine, but as another old saying goes, “the road to hell is paved with good intentions.” Fidel Castro used this opportunity to send out not just ordinary citizens, but also released prisoners and psychiatric patients, which contributed to law enforcement and societal challenges in southern Florida.
Castro called it “flushing Cuba’s toilets into America”; the media famously compared Miami to Beirut during the height of the violence and chaos. There were magazine cover stories and newspaper articles that highlighted how Miami felt like a war zone, using Beirut—a city known for conflict—as the benchmark for comparison. The comparison was intended to dramatize the level of disorder and fear in Miami at the time.
Miami experienced a sharp rise in violent crime during the immediate aftermath of the Mariel Boatlift in 1980. There were numerous cases of murder and other violent crimes, including stabbings, both among refugees and in the local population. Much of the violence was committed by a fraction of new arrivals with criminal backgrounds. But the sheer numbers of refugees overwhelmed the city’s police and resources and made residents afraid for their lives.
Miami Becomes a War Zone
In 1980, Miami’s murder rate peaked at 62.2 per 100,000 residents, the highest of any major city in the United States that year. The city recorded 229 murders in 1980, the most per capita in the country at the time. For comparison, St. Louis had 49.9 per 100,000; Newark, 49; Atlanta, 47.4; Cleveland, 46.2.
- Other Violent Crimes:
Robberies increased 105%.
Aggravated assaults rose 106%.
Rapes went up 33% over the previous year.
Academic studies attribute a temporary surge in violent crime and a long-term increase in property crime to the arrival of Mariel refugees. While most were law-abiding, a disproportionately young and male demographic, including some with criminal or psychiatric backgrounds, contributed to the spike.
1980 to 2025: How Time Flies
In 1980, I was 17 years old. Even then I had a fascination with Bible prophecy. I wasn’t even a Christian at the time, but I had read Hal Lindsey’s “Late Great Planet Earth” written in 1970. I probably read it in the mid 70’s and I was forever hooked on Jewish prophecies. As a side note, I am constantly in amazement at seeing the things I spent a lifetime studying happening right before my eyes.
History teaches us that man learns nothing from history.
― Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel
Recently, like a case of Deja Vu all over again, President Donald Trump compared Chicago, Illinois to Afghanistan. In an Oval Office statement, Trump said Chicago’s violence is “probably worse than almost any city in the world,” called it a “war zone,” and suggested its crime could be compared with Afghanistan. He accused Illinois Governor JB Pritzker of incompetence and criticized both governor and mayor for claiming the situation is under control. Trump focused on gun violence and claimed other places would “be astonished by the amount of crime we experience here.” He claimed Chicago’s crime rate was comparable to Afghanistan and recounted a business leader asking him to “save Chicago” or risk losing the city.
I fully support the President of the United States; the previous 4 years of the Biden administration genuinely frightened me. Every day it seemed there was a new assault on freedom and religious liberty. Furthermore, I began to see foreshadows of the book of Revelation in the policy goals that the Democrat party adhered to, and for the record, that has only escalated to this day.
But I think Donald Trump’s style resembles a bull in a China shop. I honestly believe that the vast amount of the hatred he generates could be diffused if he would just learn not to be so reliant on hyperbole and name calling. Don’t get me wrong, I think Democrats in general look for reasons to be offended, but I think the Bible makes an excellent guideline: The book of Proverbs says, “A soft answer turns away wrath”.
But when it comes to Chicago, Trump is making a very good point. While I believe a comparison to Afghanistan is more symbolic than literal, just as in Miami and its comparison to Beirut. In 2024, between 539 and 695 violent crimes were reported per 100,000 residents, with 461 homicides reported by the FBI and 591 by CPD (Chicago Police Dept.), depending on source and definition. This was the highest number of homicides for any U.S. city in raw numbers. Compare that with New York which has nearly four times the population, but had 377 homicides in 2024.
However, homicides and overall violent crime in Chicago have dropped sharply. In 2025, the city reported a 23% decrease in violent crime compared to 2024, shootings were down 26%, and homicide rates hit their lowest levels for summer (June-August) since 1965. Vehicle thefts, carjackings, burglaries, and property crimes also declined. This follows a longer-term trend of declining homicides since the 1990s, when annual counts often exceeded 900.
But before the celebration begins, there have been accusations that some statistics may not be correct due to the fact that many residents do not bother to report crimes, and that due to the fact that the Chicago Police are so overwhelmed. The CPD has one of the lowest clearance rates among major cities: less than 50% of homicides and 85–90% of non-fatal shootings go unsolved. Clearance rates (cases solved by the police) are much lower in Black and Latino neighborhoods compared to predominantly white communities. Other people have made accusations that the data itself has been manipulated, and even the numbers reported to the Federal Government were suspect.
Advocacy groups claim that distrust in law enforcement and poor response times lead some victims and witnesses not to report crimes, fearing there will be no resolution or support. While some critics say unreported crime inflates the apparent decline, independent reviews and FBI data still show substantial decreases. Despite these improvements, Chicago’s violent crime rate remains higher than the average for large U.S. cities, but is no longer an outlier nationwide.
But nothing speaks louder than video. An old saying is “that a picture is worth a thousand words.” If that is true, than a video is worth a million.
Not Seeing the Trees for the Forest
Many, many residents in Chicago complain of the very same thing: Their voices are not being allowed to be heard in City council meetings, open events or any public forums. They are faced with taxation without representation, being subjected to paying for a government that does not truly represent the needs of the public. And behind every layer of complaint, is the issue of illegal immigration.
There can be no doubt whatsoever that a shocking number of people who came across our borders during the Biden administration were in fact, people fleeing other countries in order to avoid criminal prosecution.
Federal Conviction Data (2025, through June)
These figures come from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and related federal databases:
| Crime Type | Convictions |
|---|---|
| Violent Crimes (e.g., assault, domestic violence) | 469 |
| Homicide/Manslaughter | 15 |
| Sexual Offenses | 89 |
| Property Crimes (burglary, robbery, theft) | 278 |
| Drug-Related Offenses | 649 |
| Weapons-Related Offenses | 88 |
These numbers reflect actual convictions of illegal immigrants apprehended by federal authorities—not just arrests or charges. These do not include any arrests that were made by state or local authorities. Only Federal convictions.
It is also important to note, that this does not include people who are suspected of crimes who are still at large, nor does it reflect people who are awaiting trial. These are completed trials where individuals either pled guilty or were tried and found guilty. For example, there are an estimated 740 unsolved cases of murder in Chicago alone from 2023 to date. This year alone, there have been 347 homicides in Chicago, and this is a city that claims crime is the lowest it’s been in 3 years. I personally see nothing to celebrate in the fact that 347 people have died in 2025 alone. No wonder people are pleading for Trump’s help.
In comparison, I live in Eastern Kentucky. When you take Pike, Floyd, Johnson, Martin, and Boyd counties, there have been 7 (seven) homicides so far in 2025, and two of those are suspected homicides. I think I’ll stay where I am, thank you. Per capita, 13.28 people are killed per 100,000 in Chicago. In Eastern Kentucky, the rate is 4.14 per 100,000. The issue of whether or not Chicago is on the top 10 or not, is irrelevant; the issue remains the same. Chicago crime has gotten completely out of hand.
Nose-less Democrats
There is yet another old saying that goes, “cutting your nose off to spite your face”. The meaning is a simple one, purposely doing something that harms yourself as a means to hurt someone else. And that, in short seems to be exactly what is going on in Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles and so many other blue cities in America. The fact that these leaders would rather allow the current crime to continue rather than to accept Federal aid shows the true hatred that the Democrat party has become. This is not a personal attack; this is my opinion on this matter.
Why would any politician, Republican or Democrat, throw open the borders of our country to just anyone, without at least vetting those people? There’s no doubt that numerous spies have crossed our borders and are now active within the USA. I shudder to think the same is true of terrorists. We know for a fact that many members of Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua have entered our country; many, many of them have been arrested. But the smart ones, they are playing the game: they are laying low, doing their best to fit in, and just waiting for the right time to make a move.
Why would any politician, Democrat or Republican, not take any and all help available if their cities were under siege by criminals? Have they forgotten their duty? First and foremost, they have a duty to the US Constitution to protect their citizen from all enemies, foreign and domestic.
People who identify as liberal, left or progressives have truly lost the plot. Why they embrace crime and criminals over the law-abiding citizens is beyond me. While illegal immigration is truly a problem, a strain on the economy, a strain on a welfare system that is already broken, it is worth remembering the vast majority of them are not out here committing crimes. But even within the ICE bureau, there are problems that need to be seriously addressed.
It is truly hard to try to understand anyone who doesn’t want America to prosper but are willing to break Federal law rather than comply. Two wrongs do not make a right. You do not uphold America by breaking the law. For example, San Francisco was very proud to call itself a ‘sanctuary city’. But after less than a year, 34% of its downtown business are closed. Filth covers the sidewalks and the streets. People defecate on the sidewalks, and sleep in what used to be beautiful parks.
Yet they still cling to this twisted, perverted idea that criminals are more important than homeless American citizens. Is that the way democrats believe they can encourage tourism? If I won an all expense paid trip to California, I’d request the cash alternative.
All Foretold In the Bible
Of course, all these events have been played out in the Bible. Hatred is a spirit, and it has sentience. Hatred is the opposite of love and it affects the mind in exactly the opposite way love does. While love has the ability to lift the spirit, give you that certain pep in your step, brighten the world in ways nothing else can, hatred does just the opposite. Hatred can bring you down into the deepest pits of depression; hatred is like wearing a 50-pound weight on your neck. It makes the world look dark and black. And worst of all, it makes you think you fit right in. You feel at home in the dark; you want to embrace the night and all the evil that comes with it. You brood, and plot and scheme.
But anyone who hates a brother or sister is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness. They do not know where they are going, because the darkness has blinded them. – 1 John 2:11 NIV
Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him. 1 John 3:15 NIV
Americans from all walks of life and all political parties have bought into the idea that there’s a group in this country it’s acceptable to hate. That’s not how rational people behave. This is not the behavior of sane people. Their minds have been twisted, and they view everything in darkness. Even Donald Trump himself is aware of the hatred for him.
“I could find the cure to the most deadly disease, build the greatest economy the world has ever seen, and they would still oppose me—because it’s me.” – Donald Trump, March 2025 address to Congress
The Power of Love
Love on the other hand is one of the most powerful forces anyone, Christian or secular alike can encounter and put to use. Love is also a force, but for good. But in the world today, the power of love is in short supply:
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8 Love never fails. – 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 NIV
LOVE NEVER FAILS
What a promise! What a comfort! Love never fails. It doesn’t say ‘most of the time’, ‘some of the time’ or even ‘try it before you give up.’ No, love never fails. God has promised us the more we line ourselves up with the simple 2 rules we’ve been given, this country would be prosperous like never before.
37 Jesus replied, “‘You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” – Matthew 22:37-40 NIV
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