Perhaps, not many people have given much thought to what America’s Founding Fathers thought about immigration.

But, that was the topic of Marcia Chambliss’ program at the Wednesday meeting of the Oliver Wiley Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

The local DAR Chapter celebrated Constitution Month at its September meeting at Troy County Club by inviting Chambliss back, once again, as their program guest.

Chambliss, the Alabama State Coordinator for Smart Girl Politics, said she, too, had not given much thought to the Founding Fathers’ positions on immigration. So, she had a lot of research to do to prepare for the program.

“Our Founding Fathers were open to the idea of immigration,” she said. “They wanted immigrants to come to America because they wanted America to grow and prosper and they realized the contributions immigrants could make. They want people to come and be a part of the experiment called America and share the blessings of liberty.”

However, Chambliss said the Founding Fathers insisted on assimilation.

“They realized the dangers of segregated pockets of immigrants,” she said.

“The Founding Fathers were not advocating that the immigrants totally discard their heritage and customs but they did require that they embrace the spirit of America. They realized that, if the immigrants did not assimilate and, if they brought their own culture and law into America, then the American fabric could unravel.”

Chambliss said Americans today are getting a glimpse of what America’s Founding Fathers envisioned.

“Today, America is on dangerous ground,” she said “We are losing our identity. That is why Donald Trump’s message is resonating with so many people. In a bold way, he is identifying the immigration problem in a way that others won’t.

“The reality we are facing is that we are a nation without borders. Many of the immigrants that are coming across the border are not coming for a better way of life. They are coming as separate groups and they are coming to do ill.”

Chambliss said by allowing immigrants to flood the border and not assimilate into the American way of life, a welfare state is being created.

“Disunited, we will unravel,” she said.

Chambliss said America has not recognized, as its Founding Fathers did, the dangers of failure to assimilate and the country is facing mass confusion.

“America must not lose its identity. If it does, the country is in danger of being divided – and conquered.”