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We have no problem with the Shenandoah Valley Juvenile Center housing unaccompanied minors who risked their lives to cross our southern border.

Some of these children are literally running for their lives from poverty and violence in their home country. Others are seeking family members already in this country.

And, yes, some may carry disease and have a criminal background. Sadly, the latter is true at almost every public high school in the country.

Regardless of these children's individual situations, in America we have a legal system that allows them due process before they are deported and the capacity to care for them in the meantime.

This is, after all, America. They are, after all, children.

To quote Ken Shetter, the mayor of Burleson, Texas: "If you have at any time said you live in the greatest state in the greatest nation in the world, but are now crouching in fear, because you think we don't have the capacity to care for refugee children, then you didn't really believe what you said about us being the greatest state in the greatest nation in the world."

We believe America is the greatest nation in the world.

We are not afraid of these children and do not see them as a danger or as an undue burden on our nation's vast resources.

If any of them are a danger, we remind readers that these immigrants are locked in the detention center and will not be attending public schools.

Because our local juvenile center had room to house these children, our localities sharing in the center's operations were by all means right to help our overwhelmed border states and take them in.

The bigger threat to our country comes not from these kids but from people who demonize them, whether out of ignorance, bigotry or paranoia.

Our immigration system is broken and has been for years. We are long overdue for an intelligent, civil conversation that leads to real reform.

But none of that is possible, so long as we allow our political dialogue to be dominated by people who insist that this tragic influx of unaccompanied minors is part of President Obama's "grand plan to destroy the country."

These days, the shrill voices often drown out more thoughtful ones. At The News Leader, we get the phone calls and emails insisting that this country must throw these children — some of them younger than 10 — back across the border immediately.

Our local boards of supervisors and city council members certainly receive the same messages.

If you are of a cooler head and a warmer heart, we hope you will offset the anger and the scare tactics.

Speak out, as protesters on both sides did Saturday in Verona.

Because this is, after all, America. And they are, after all, children.

Our View represents the majority opinion of the newspaper's editorial board, Roger Watson, president and publisher; David Fritz, executive editor; and Deona Landes Houff, community conversations editor.