By Vanessa Zamora
Vista, Calif.

As the border crisis in Texas worsens daily, with an average of 155 undocumented children crossing every day, the opinions of Americans have grown more complicated. Recent interviews of Princeton residents confirm the complex and conflicted nature of the crisis.

“It’s not a humanitarian crisis — it’s a safety crisis,” said Steve Beamer, 61, of Princeton. When asked if he thought the children’s reason for crossing the border was valid, he replied, “It’s a good excuse.”

Beamer said that he had no problem with immigration, and that he knows that the United States was built upon immigrants. However, he believes that it should be done through legal means.

“Our current administration has invited children to come illegally and the taxpayers pay for them,” Beamer said.

But another resident, Walter Frank, 68, disagreed. “The idea of blaming Obama for the situation is ludicrous,” he said. “I don’t think they are a threat to society.”

Friends Anna Wojick and Lisa Love demonstrate that strong arguments on both sides can make forming an opinion difficult.

“We have to take care of our own people that are on the streets,” Love said.

And while she said she saw validity in Love’s statement, a few moments later Wojick said, “How could you not feel bad for innocent children?”