With the story taking command of the recent news cycle, the images are hard to miss. Masses of people with only the clothes on their backs and whatever they could carry. Men, women, and children of all ages huddled together as they push forward with the rest of the crowd.
They gather in whatever space is large enough to hold them all. They often travel by foot along trails and next to highways. Sometimes they travel by small boats that are filled to capacity.
We’ve seen masses of migrants move from countries in the Middle East towards countries in western Europe. On this side of the globe, they move from countries in Central America towards Mexico and the U.S.
There has, of course, been just as much debate about what to do with them once they reach the borders of their destinations. The only thing everyone agrees on is that something needs to be done.
Tense Situations and Tough Decisions
In many cases, those fleeing their countries are doing so to escape violence. Between war-torn Syria and the violence that plagues Honduras, natives of those countries have fled for safer lands and hope of better, more stable lives.
If you keep up with these stories, you’ve likely seen that the responses these migrants face range from deportation, to arrest, and even a military response. Here in the U.S., those who have made it in the past have been held in detention centers, for instance. Recently, the Trump administration has promised to deploy over 5,000 troops to the Mexican border to meet the growing caravan making its way there.
This kind of response stokes strong emotions on both ends on the political spectrum. Some say that human rights are being violated while others believe these actions are justified in the name of protecting the homeland.
I’m personally of the opinion that those are simplistic viewpoints — neatly-packaged narratives that make it easy to evoke a reaction. The aim there is to keep the political echo chambers and “us or them” contests going. That’s been the agenda in this political climate for some time. There’s no reason for those whose words have the widest reach to change things now.
In reality, a measured response in addressing the issue is needed. Like most things, nuance comes into play here and the truth is somewhere in between what’s reported and what’s really happening. On one hand, it’s been shown that these caravans have been infiltrated by human traffickers, people fleeing arrest warrants in their own countries, and others who mean more harm than good. On the other hand, there are those among the refugees who have valid reasons to seek asylum in a foreign land. Ideally, the response of countries like the U.S. and those in western Europe should do something to help the latter while denying the goals of the former.
But context doesn’t usually get clicks or reactionary comments from TV pundits and armchair analysts.
It can, however, make you money if you know where to look.
The Growing Business of Secure Borders
The process for vetting migrants to this or any other country is a necessary one, and there are tools available to make the process as complete as possible. Not only that, but it’s possible to keep track of people once they’re allowed into the country. This would ensure their successful integration into a new society. The market for these ID-vetting processes is a multibillion-dollar one that’s only going to grow in the years to come.
That growth will continue because the trends point to these migratory crises continuing in the near future, if not getting worse. The war, poverty, and violence that I mentioned above aren’t the only reasons, either. Destination countries like the U.S. could punish countries of origin by cutting off aid in retaliation for the continued mass exodus of people.
Donald Trump has threatened to do just that. It’s undoubtedly a move that would further cement the support of his base enough that he could potentially shrug off any further loss of political capital that he would experience from any other demographic.
Whether or not you feel that such an action is right, it’s clear that doing so would continue the cycle that causes people to take the dangerous journey to another country. In turn, this would increase the need for companies that offer services designed to help keep borders secure.
Jason Simpkins’ publication The Wealth Warrior has insight on a pair of companies that have been providing just those kinds of services and rewarding their investors while doing so.
The recent pullback in prices across the entire stock market makes these companies perfect points of entry for anyone who wants to get in on this growing segment. Don’t miss your chance.
Keep your eyes open,
Ryan Stancil
Outsider Club, Contributing Editor
