The reprehensible comments allegedly spoken by President Donald Trump, castigating the continent of Africa and Haiti as unworthy of immigration to this nation misunderstands their history and this nation’s part in their persistent struggles.

I have always maintained that until Haitians are allowed to come into this nation with the same abandon that has been granted to Mexicans and South Americans, the inherent racism of our immigration system will persist.

Haitians were subjected to the dry-wet discrimination which allowed Mexicans land passage for economic relief while Haitians were returned to the sea as they struggled for political asylum and disaster relief. Only in the last months of his administration did President Obama change this. The approximately $50 million post-earthquake relief raised by the Clinton-Bush efforts left little tangible evidence of a positive effect on Haiti.

Historically over $3 billion has been spent on outreach to that nation aimed at overthrowing crooked regimes and installing democratic governments — which didn’t happen, likely because it wasn’t what they wanted but what we felt was best. Haiti’s significant role in protecting the United States’ hindquarters in the War of 1812 and acquisition of The Louisiana Purchase are often forgotten. If that doesn’t merit special consideration, what does?

There isn’t enough ink to tell the other sides of African history where England, the United States and now Russia, China and others have kept tribal wars going, allowing the continued extraction of diamonds, oil and gold just to name a few strategic minerals. Note also the meager numbers of darker peoples into European and Asian nations, so don’t just blame Trump. Practices of wholesale genocide or female circumcision are too often overlooked as Africa’s nations do what our ghettos too often experience, self genocide as others later march in to seize the spoils of our internal confrontations.

I agree with the Trump Administration’s call for fairness and selectivity in terms of who gets to come into this nation for we must control our border. Immigration to the United States by any and everyone is not a right. Chain migration must also end, for each entry must be on its own merit not family unification concerns.

Escape from political oppression and natural disasters must also be on that entry list.

The Trump Administration should also eliminate benefits for illegal immigrants that aren’t afforded our citizens. Why should “dreamers” get help with tuition while citizen students are denied the same? Why is the minimum wage higher on H-2A temporary agricultural workers than for those who are citizens? Though DACA students are here often through no fault of their own, unaccompanied minors should be returned to their country of origin — unless in service to this nation in the military. Why should others stay? No other nation allows such unparalleled rights for those not legally within its borders.

The ruse of meritocracy ignores the wishes of one party to increase its election prospects while this bid is also fostered by others seeking to pay low wages even at the cost of cultural disarray. Will the  people of Asia and India be given preference for entry based on their technological acumen while those from U.S. colleges and universities struggle for these same jobs face obliteration in unfair competition?

I don’t understand the passivity of U.S. citizens, particularly those of color, to unchecked immigration, for we are being displaced. A fundamental question is should citizens have rights that non-citizens don’t?

Dr. Ada M. Fisher, author of “Common Sense Conservative Prescriptions Good for What Ails Us Book 1” (available through Amazon. Com) and is the N.C. Republican National Committeewoman.