Warren Davidson: Get your priorities straight

On Wednesday, Aug. 27, the Edgewood Middle School auditorium in Trenton was full. Over 500 people attended, according to an article by the Cincinnati Enquirer. Warren Davidson, Ohio’s 8th Congressional District House Representative, was holding a town hall meeting.

From the first question he answered, it was clear the crowd was unhappy with him. Throughout the event, many of his statements were met with angry boos, shouts and accusations of dishonesty and cowardice.

It’s hard to convey nuance when shouting at a politician from the back of an auditorium. At one point, in response to Davidson touting this administration’s border security policy, the crowd erupted into angry shouts. He responded that we must like open borders. I believe this was an intentional misinterpretation of our response, but just in case, I’ll lay out exactly what I took issue with in his immigration rhetoric.

First, as Davidson himself admitted, immigration – and illegal immigration especially – isn’t a pressing issue in Ohio. According to the Migration Policy Institute, Ohio has just over one percent of the nation’s immigrants. We are home to 89,000 unauthorized immigrants, which amounts to .7% of our population.

Despite this, Davidson continuously returned to the idea of a “secure border” as a benefit to Ohioans. He also continuously used dehumanizing language, calling undocumented immigrants “illegals.” This terminology strips them of their humanity.

The Associated Press stylebook – which The Miami Student follows – says people should not be described as “illegal,” because only an action can be illegal. Someone can immigrate illegally to a country, but that does not make them “an illegal.”

Davidson repeated a common idea that immigrants should just “come here legally.” That sounds like a great idea. However, according to Newsweek, the United States Customs and Immigration Services has a backlog of 11.3 million pending applications, and it can take months or years to receive a visa. Davidson had nothing to say about how to reform the system, so that people who want to come here legally can do so in a reasonably timely manner.

According to the UN International Organization for Migration, most people migrating to North America do so for economic reasons, with a smaller percentage migrating to be with family or escape persecution. When researching why people migrate, it becomes easier to understand why people in need of a job, missing their family or fearing for their lives might choose to bypass the complicated, burdensome and lengthy legal immigration process.

Davidson’s concern over immigration conveniently excluded the reports of human rights abuses occurring in deportation proceedings. Amnesty International has called on President Donald Trump to stop mass deportation, arguing that it is violating several rights, including due process, protection from refoulement and freedom from arbitrary detention, among others. The International Rescue Committee alleges that recent mass deportation initiatives have violated the due process of many immigrants, especially children.

The treatment of immigrants is an issue that directly affects all Americans. We should be appalled by the lack of due process in immigration proceedings. It is what keeps us free. It entitles you to fair legal proceedings and protects you from being unjustly deprived of life, liberty or property by the government. And it applies to everyone interacting with the U.S. justice system – whether or not they are a citizen.

On a university campus, mass deportations and the backlog of pending visa applications affect us directly. I have heard several international classmates express doubt over their ability to return to campus. One person cancelled a trip abroad for fear that he would not be able to return to the country, despite having a visa. But this data isn’t just anecdotal – according to NPR, early data has shown a significant decrease in international student enrollment at U.S. universities this fall.

International students also bring money to Miami University. In the 2023 cohort, there were 623 undergraduate international students. Those students were paying the non-resident tuition, which was about $20,000 more per year than tuition for in-state students. This totals to an estimated $12,460,000 of extra tuition money from international students every year.

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More importantly, international students are an invaluable part of the university ecosystem. They bring different perspectives and life experiences, allowing for a richer learning environment. According to our mission statement, Miami aims to “foster a diverse, inclusive, and welcoming community.”

Our international students are a vital part of that community.

So, to Warren Davidson, I say this: stop panicking about illegal immigration, which has a negligible impact on Ohio. Instead, focus on ensuring that students can continue coming to our universities, where they contribute directly to the economy and to the education of Ohio students.

And, if you want extra points, prove that you support the Constitution, and the rights of all Americans, by speaking out against the rampant due process violations being perpetrated by this presidential administration.

sullivei@miamioh.edu

Eliza Sullivan is a second year double majoring in diplomacy and global politics and Russian, Eastern European and Eurasian studies. She writes for the opinion section of The Miami Student. She is also involved with Model Arab League and Miami University College Democrats