Can there be compassionate border security? Today, Texas made it a state crime to enter the state illegally. Former President Donald Trump has vowed to shift “massive portions” of law enforcement to the border. 

Border vigilance is crucial to safety. The FBI warns of a heightened threat of terrorists crossing the southern U.S. border during the Israel-Hamas war. But get-tough efforts often show little concern for those fleeing unimaginable circumstances. We recently wrote about Italy processing migrants in Albania. Italy says it is a solution. Critics say it passes the buck. Time will tell.

Humanity transcends borders. We can protect those borders, but experience tells us that inhumanity is never an acceptable price.