The United States is a country of immigrants. Worcester is a city of immigrants. Unfortunately, the concept of immigration is so politically sacred that the fear of being vilified prevents most elected office holders from raising the subject of immigration reform.

The definition of an immigrant has changed since my Albanian parents came to this country. Now,with the mass migration of unaccompanied children, words like undocumented aliens, illegal immigrants, economic refugees, border crossers, detainees and asylum seekers are only some of the terms used to describe those new migrants entering the country.

The concept of Ellis Island no longer exists. Entry is characterized by short cutting the formal legal channels of entry. The end result is that a permanent part of our population has and will become residents based on circumvention of the laws, all with governmental approval and support.

Disobedience of the law is being rewarded and reinforced with policies like sanctuary cities and decisions like granting driver's license and rights to in- state tuition, free health care, and free public education. Refugee access to welfare is on the same basis as a U.S. citizen.

It is anticipated that many border crossers will claim entry because they are refugees. The grounds which a refugee or asylum seeker can seek entry are based on a "well founded" fear of persecution on account of a political view or membership in a racial, ethnic, religious or social group.

In reality the definition of a refugee is so fluid, it is likely that border crossers will easily be able to fit into the category of a refugee or asylum seeker to establish a claim entry into the U.S.

The American dream has also changed since my parents came to this country. My parents depended upon themselves, family and friends for help when they arrived. Now, new immigrants depend on the government and on a refugee industry of faith-based and community organizations for their support, who also depend upon public funding.

The major refugee agencies and their 400-plus affiliates include the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Lutheran Immigrant Aid Society, Immigrant and Refugee Services of America, Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, Church World Service, and the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Service of the Episcopal Church of the U.S.A.

Since funding is based on the number of refugees they serve, these private contractors have an incentive to maintain or increase the number of refugees they resettle every year rather than allowing the number of refugees to decrease.

These groups are organized and are ready to lobby for their constituents, further paralyzing politicians from acting to enforce the laws on the books or reforming those laws.

Love and compassion may motivate the support for open borders, but so does money.

As a result of governmental negligence and ineptitude, illegal immigrants have become profit centers to be exploited by employers seeking cheap labor, by political parties hoping to increase their membership, by criminal gangs seeking to extend their turf, and by Mexican cartels, human traffickers, and drug smugglers seeking enrichment by extorting money from border crossers.

The most disturbing consequence of the current crisis is that a backlash is developing not just against immigration but against the people who want to get into the country.

Calling this current mass migration across the Mexican border a humanitarian crisis is yet another means to block challenges to our failed immigration policies.

The generosity of the United States has been well documented and no country in human history has given more aid or help to those in need. This country does not need to prove its generosity.

The U.S. takes more than twice as many refugees as all other countries from the rest of the industrialized world.

The immigration crisis has now hit home here in Massachusetts. It appears that Gov. Patrick has put his personal affection for the president above his duty to the people of Massachusetts by agreeing to house 1,000 unaccompanied children who crossed the border, without a plan for their permanent placement.

We can't wait until our schools, hospitals, shelters and jails are overwhelmed. Immediate action needs to be taken. Our leaders need to enforce current laws, secure our borders, and develop an agreement on comprehensive reform. The debate needs to be thoughtful and thorough. It needs to be carried out in good faith rather in an environment of hysteria and chaos.

The process used in passing Obamacare through Congress should not be a model for the process of passing immigration reform. Real long-lasting and fair reform cannot be done in a crisis.

If immigration reform is accomplished, Congress and our elected leaders should enforce the new process and not commit the same sins as those we currently suffer from.

Konstantina B. Lukes is a Worcester city councilor.