When we think about what to do about the flood of unaccompanied children pouring illegally across our southern border, we have to look for the root cause, and we have to do that compassionately. As others and I have said, that means making it clear to parents in Central America that there will no longer be any payoff for subjecting their children to a dangerous, unconscionable journey in the hands of criminal human traffickers. We need to send the children home as soon as possible.

What’s surprising is that anyone finds this argument surprising. But a CNN host seemed taken aback when comedian Paul Rodriguez, himself an immigrant, made the case. Here's how Rodriguez put it:

“My heart goes out to the parents that have to traumatize their kids to go through Mexico. They must go through terrible abuse. But at the same time, if we accept these children and we don't repatriate them, it's only going to send out a clear signal to everyone in Latin America that, if you get to America, you will stay here.”

Imagine how many children will be riding atop a freight train then, Rodriguez said. He pointed out, correctly, that we already take in many immigrants legally. He said, correctly, that we must treat the children who already have arrived humanely. But he also gets the key question:

“But if we -- if we accept -- let's say we accept these children, we let them stay here in America, we give them good homes, what is this going to say to everybody else? Are we prepared to be overwhelmed? Because that's exactly what's going to happen.”