A New Wrinkle To Illegal Immigration

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In the spirit of the debate about illegal immigration, I felt like adding a new(or old, depending on how you look at things) wrinkle to what’s being said.

I have for a few years now not been totally sure what to make of the illegal immigration issue. I’ve seen things that make me question the capability of the government to naturalize legal immigrants into this country be applied in a non-partial way. I’ve seen the relative poverty that illegals live in in person, and realize that it’s a lot more than what they had in Mexico or other countries. I’ve been told of alleged abuses committed by the Boarder Patrol when they carry out their duties, but I can’t help but consider that they have seen violence committed by the Cyote’s and drug runners and that they may become jaded in such a way as to perceive all who cross as “bad guys”.

Now here is what I want to throw into this debate. Has anyone stop to wonder why so many flock here to the U.S.? And I can’t accept general poverty as a

Image by roberthuffstutter via Flickr

valid answer. There has got to be something more.

Two experiences come to mind. Please remember also that this is all anecdotal evedence and personal experience.

This first experience takes place about 6 or  so years ago. I was probably a junior in highschool at the time, and as part of my A.P. history class we got to hear the current congressman speak. This was Chris Cannon who was then Utah‘s 3rd district rep. When asked about illegal immigration and a number of issues surrounding it, we were told of a time when then Mexican President Vicinte Fox addressed the U.S. congress. Congress was told that lots of Mexican nationals may be encouraged to come here for educational and career purposes, and then they would go home to Mexico a number of years after arriving in the U.S. Though this may be true for some who come, I couldn’t believe this whole-heartedly. Much of the Mexico may live in poverty, and if encouraged to come here to the U.S., it would be for reasons including relieving the Mexican government’s struggle to help aleviate the strain on their own coffers.

The next experience is actually more of a conclusion after a number of experiences and time living in border cities such as Las Cruces, NM and Tucson, Az. After seeing all of the crime in both cities, coupled with the thriving drug trade, I have concluded that another problem is that of the drug cartels. Thefts and burglaries feed the drug habits of so many, and if drugs keep getting pushed into this country then the drug problem we already have will turn into the same stuff Mexico is facing. I don’t know about you, but I would not want to live in a county where I don’t know when violence could break out in my own city or neighborhood. The drug trade has feebled Mexico. I believe that the cartels are a large part of why the Mexican economy is the way it is. The cartels have so many inroads into the U.S. that it’s very tough to fight them.

We have to face the fact that America is a much better place to be than Mexico, despite what drug problems may be spilling over from there. I think that two things need to happen in order to control illegal immigration. 1)I think I may be beating a dead horse with this, but getting illegal drugs under control. It’s all more complicated than just saying it, but if we focused on that, and in particular working with the countries who’s drug trades affect us most, the U.S. can support the crack-down more than we already do. I feel that if we want the government to focus on something, this is worth-while. In this I tend to agree with the Arizona law, because it puts more power in a regular State sworn peace officer to handle the drug trade the same as I.C.E or Border Patrol.

The next is some sort of guest worker program that takes into account as many tangible’s as we can think of. In my mind this would allow us to get a better picture than we have now of who is truly a criminal and who is just here to work.

Let me know what you think in the comments. And what are your idea’s?

Related News & Stories

• Judge Blocks Parts of Az. Immigration Bill(usatoday.com)
• Southwest governors square off on immigration (trueslant.com)
• The Race to Leave Arizona (newsflavor.com)

~ by Daniel Crowder on July 28, 2010.