On Tuesday night, a lot of Americans learned, perhaps for the first time, there is really an urgent crisis at our southern border. The crisis is causing human suffering and death, and it is heartbreaking.

As a doctor and a physician, I have dedicated my life to alleviate human suffering. I will tell you it is an absolute joy to watch someone who was in pain find health and life once again. Tragically, that is not every patient’s story. I’ve had the terrible task of diagnosing many patients with terminal illness. I’ve had to tell mothers and fathers, sons and daughters that they have a disease where there is no cure. I’ve also known injured soldiers die in service to their country on the field of battle. There is no worse emotion as you watch someone die than the feeling of knowing there’s nothing you can do to stop it.