We have to have legal immigration, which has to be something that

Hear the words of Wendy Long, spoken with the cadence of a lawyer and a patriot: “We have to have legal immigration, which has to be something that benefits our country.” In this saying lies the recognition of a truth that has echoed across centuries—that the movement of peoples is as old as humanity itself, but that each nation must shape this flow with wisdom, justice, and foresight. For immigration is neither wholly peril nor wholly blessing; it is a force, like the river, that may bring both life and flood, depending on how it is guided.

The origin of this saying comes from Long’s work as an attorney and her involvement in political debates within the United States. She spoke these words in the heat of arguments over border control, national security, and economic prosperity. Her claim was not a denial of immigration, but a demand that it be governed by law, so that the process is fair, orderly, and oriented toward the good of the nation as a whole. In her view, to open doors without rules is to invite chaos, but to close doors entirely is to abandon opportunity. Thus her words seek a middle path, one of structure, duty, and balance.

History reveals the weight of such concerns. Consider the story of Rome, that mighty empire whose borders stretched across continents. For centuries, Rome welcomed outsiders, granting citizenship and new lives to those who served in her armies and worked her fields. This immigration strengthened the empire, replenishing its strength with fresh vigor. Yet in her later years, when governance faltered, vast waves of migrants entered without integration or order, and the empire could no longer contain the pressures. In this tale lies both promise and peril: immigration may build greatness when ordered by law, but weaken a nation when left untended.

So too, we may recall the tale of America herself, a land built upon immigration. The Irish fleeing famine, the Italians seeking bread, the Jews escaping persecution—all came through the ports, their names recorded, their steps guided by the laws of the land. They brought their labor, their songs, their faith, and their hopes. Though they faced hardship, their presence enriched the nation and fulfilled Long’s principle: that immigration, when lawful and wisely managed, brings benefit to the country, strengthening its economy and culture.

But there are also stories of sorrow, when men, women, and children were exploited in shadow economies, denied both protection and dignity because they dwelt outside the realm of legal immigration. These stories remind us why law matters—not only for the host nation, but for the immigrant as well. To live lawfully is to be shielded by rights; to live in shadows is to be vulnerable to cruelty. Thus, Long’s call for legality is not only about sovereignty, but also about justice and fairness for those who seek a new life.

The lesson here is profound: to govern immigration with wisdom is to hold the scales of justice with steady hands. A nation must welcome those who can help it flourish, while ensuring that its people are secure and its laws respected. But equally, the people of that nation must remember that immigrants are not burdens alone—they are human beings with dreams, skills, and dignity, who, if given lawful passage, may enrich the land beyond measure. To shut the door entirely is folly; to fling it open without care is peril. The path of wisdom is balance.

And what shall we do in our own lives? We must speak with compassion as well as with clarity. Let us support laws that are just, neither cruel nor careless. Let us see immigrants not as faceless masses, but as men and women with stories like our own. Let us demand policies that protect both the nation and the dignity of the stranger who seeks a home within it. For in truth, nearly all nations are built upon the journeys of those who came before, seeking a better life.

So remember the teaching of Wendy Long: legal immigration must be shaped not by fear, nor by reckless abandon, but by the wisdom of what truly benefits our country. To protect without closing, to welcome without chaos, to honor both nation and newcomer—this is the path of strength and justice. Walk it, O listener, and teach it to your children, that they may inherit a land both secure and compassionate, prosperous and humane.