America's Walls: The Cost of Turning Inward

America is building walls again. Not just physical ones, but barriers that keep people out and ideas in. This isn't new. It's happened before, like when the country tried to stay out of world conflicts. But now, it's different. The focus is on shutting out the world, not just wars. In just over a year, many changes have been made. Help to other countries has been cut. The U. S. has stepped back from global groups like the United Nations. The idea is to put America first, but it's not clear if this is helping or hurting. The National Security Strategy talks about Europe being in decline. The reason given is immigration. This idea supports groups that want to keep their countries pure. It's a dangerous path, one that could lead to more division and hate.America has always been a place for immigrants. But now, it's getting harder to come in. Fees for visas have gone up. The number of refugees allowed in has gone down. This is hurting communities, especially in rural areas. Hospitals and clinics are struggling to find workers. It's not just about coming in. People who have lived in the U. S. for years are being treated badly. They are being taken away by a growing force. This is causing big problems. Farms, construction sites, and hospitals are losing workers. It will take a long time to fix this. Even tourism is feeling the impact. National parks are charging more for non-residents. And soon, visitors from other countries will have to give up a lot of personal information. This is making people think twice about visiting the U. S. All this is happening in the name of security. But is it really making the country safer? Or is it just making it harder for people to live and work? The answer isn't clear. But one thing is sure: these changes are having a big impact.