Over the last three years, 8 million illegal immigrants have entered the United States. That is more than the population of Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, and North Dakota — combined. It is putting a tremendous strain on many of our nation’s cities and is beginning to appear in Colorado Springs.

On Feb. 13, the Colorado Springs City Council passed a resolution titled “A Resolution Protecting the Security and Quality of Life of the Citizens of Colorado Springs.”

In this resolution, we clearly state that Colorado Springs is not, and will not become, a “sanctuary city.” We state that we will not spend taxpayer dollars on illegal immigrants, and we call on the federal government to “perform its constitutional duty and secure our nation’s borders.” We declare our solidarity with state and local governments dealing with the chaotic surge of illegal immigrants entering our nation.

The resolution passed on a 6-3 vote with Councilwomen Nancy Henjum, Yolanda Avila and Michelle Talarico voting against it.

The purpose of the resolution was to make a clear statement to our citizens, and to others watching Colorado Springs, that we are not a city that is willing to sacrifice our citizens’ quality of life, or security, to alleviate a crisis created by our federal government and welcomed to Denver by their City Council and mayor.

In The Gazette editorial titled “Springs adopts a policy statement,” the Editorial Board states that “Mayor Mobolade supports the council’s resolution and the county’s pledge to avoid funding services for migrants.” The fact is the mayor contacted several council members and asked them to not support the resolution. He did not want it to pass. There is no doubt about that.

The mayor has stated that “I came here through the more traditional way of the immigration story, going through the proper channels and the right paperwork… These families are looking for opportunity, and hence the federal government needs to step up to ensure that they are taken care of.”

First, it is concerning that the mayor thinks he came here “the more traditional way” — as if we have options to do it the traditional way or some new nontraditional way. He came here the legal way.

That is the only way foreigners should enter our country. Millions of people crossing our southern border (anywhere other than at one of the 50 authorized crossing points) are showing disdain for our laws as their initial act to enter our country. To then claim asylum after they are caught doesn’t change how they entered our country.

Second, just because a family, or an individual, is “looking for opportunity” does not mean that “the federal government needs to step up to ensure they are taken care of.” If they entered the country illegally, then the federal government needs to step up and ensure they are deported.

There are more than 7.5 billion people outside the United States — many of them “looking for opportunity.” If only 10% of them want to come to the United States, and I am sure it is more than that, that is 750 million people. Our entire population is 340 million. An uncontrolled border, as we now have, is national suicide.

The mayor did a radio interview two days after we passed the resolution and was asked a straightforward question “Will you commit to not spending taxpayer dollars on illegal immigrants?” Unfortunately, his answer was not “Yes.” Instead, he pointed out that in the past he has said that we have to take care of our citizens first.

During my more than two decades in the Army, I spent one year in South Korea, and several years in Iraq defending their borders. The mayor’s attempt to stop the City Council resolution, his views about “traditional” versus new ways of entering our country, and the federal government’s responsibilities to those who come here illegally, along with his unwillingness to give a straightforward answer has this veteran and councilman concerned.

Dave Donelson is the Colorado Springs city councilman for District 1.