Most sane people will agree that rape is one of the most atrocious crimes that can be committed. Rape of a child is a sickening twist that sadly plagues our society much too often.

It is a sad but true fact that most rapists do not serve the full sentences they are given. An overcrowded system and legal loopholes given many chances for early release. “Prison sentences for rape are not uniform. A study made by the U.S. Department of Justice of prison releases in 1992, involving about 80 percent of the prison population, found that the average sentence for convicted rapists was 9.8 years, while the actual time served was 5.4 years. This follows the typical pattern for violent crimes in the U.S, where those convicted typically serve no more than half of their sentence.”

Other countries are similar although there are those that do have stricter punishments, recognizing rape for the horror that it is.

A brutal assault took place in October in Sweden and the perpetrators involved have just been convicted and sentenced. The victim was a 15 year old boy whose identity is being kept secret to protect him.

The criminals responsible were also teenagers. 5 of them dragged the boy into the woods in Eastern Sweden at knife point. He was then beaten and held captive for over an hour as the group savagely raped him.

All five denied the accusations with one saying he was not present. Two other boys said they did not remember what they were doing while the final pair made ‘some concessions’. According to Swedish media, the perpetrators and the victim knew each other.

The motive is unknown but one of the defense lawyers gave a weak excuse. Stefan Wallin, representing one youth, said his client neither admits nor denies the charges. “He has no recollection of the events because of alcohol intoxication,”

Incredibly they videotaped the crime and then posted it on social media. This of course led to officials being able to find and identify them.

Court records report that the 5 teenagers ‘inflicted beatings’ to the child’s head and body before ‘grabbing the defendant, covering his mouth and dragging or carrying him into a woodland area’. At this point, the court papers say, each of the accused carried out serious sexual assaults on the child who was also bitten on the back and spat on.

In a world where this happens, the only solace is brought through swift and appropriate justice. By the time line, it is obvious that the Swedish government got the swift part correct. Unfortunately, that is where justice came to a screeching halt.

After a trial, the teenagers were found guilty of aggravated rape. Four of the defendants received jail terms of 15 months while the fifth was given 13 months.

The short sentences might raise some questions all on their own but perhaps could be explained by the boys’ ages. It is the rest of the story that takes this tale from heartbreaking to bizarre.

All of the boys, including the victim, are refugees from Afghanistan. The 6 boys had arrived in Sweden as unaccompanied minors seeking asylum. It was assumed at the time of arrest that if the 5 boys were convicted, they would be deported back to Afghanistan.

It came as a shock to many when the verdict was announced. The teens, aged 16 and 17, were not only given unusually short sentences, they would not be returned to their country.

They will not be expelled from Sweden because of the dangers they would face in their homeland. The court said that the boys would have been ‘hit very hard’ by deportation because of the security situation in Afghanistan.

This sets a dangerous precedent, not only for Sweden but for all the countries who have generously taken in refugees from the Middle East. The United States is the world’s top resettlement country for refugees. Despite criticism, Obama has allowed more than 85,000 refugees into the United States this year.

Violence committed by refugees is growing and this story from Sweden brings to light the arguments that can be made in punishing them. Obama has faced arguments already due to his frequent protection, pardon, and refusal to deport criminals.

Many of the people seeking asylum in America do not just come from the Middle East. One of the major arguments from illegal immigrant advocates is that they come to the U.S to escape terrible conditions in their home country.

Mexican immigrants have shown especially adept at using children to sneak into the country. Obama’s weak immigration policies do not allow for deportation of minors and illegals often take advantage of that, disguising themselves as families.

It is easy to condemn adults but what about the children that are entering the country, either with adults or unaccompanied? It is a dilemma that many do not want to recognize because it requires admitting that minors can commit terrible crimes.

Young or old, male or female, Hispanic or Middle Eastern, it is past time for America to be the final stop for millions. Too much proof has been collected, detailing the dangers of immigrants and refugees on our country.

As a first step to making America great again, President Elect Trump has promised to stop the river. Whether he builds a wall, increases patrols, increased deportation, or some other implementation of a solution, it will be a welcome change. It is not acceptable for American citizens to continue to live in fear of people who should not be here.