why is the government neglecting this?

[FederalSecurity]

If the United States set sights on the drugs and corruption in Central and

South America the way effort is being put into the Middle East, Mexico would

gain massive amounts of respect for our military capabilities in very

short order. As for the illegal immigrant presence, my choice would be to

deport them all with the exception of the those who went through the proper

procedures to live and work here, and have the nation's inmates resume

work in the fields, orchards, etc.

[NRM_Oz]

Hey I saw a similar program on Crime Network 2 weeks ago. The amount of discarded rubbish coming across the border and evidence of coyotes was incredible and showed the discarded drink and food containers as well as dropped possessions when evading capture.

[Rooney]

Next to terrorism, an insecure southern border is the single biggest threat facing Americans today. When are Americans going to start standing up and saying enough is enough? We already have enough crime being committed by our own; we don't need more of it being brought here by people who don't even belong.

I would say at least 80% of people here feel the same way. It is a multi-fold problem. The government is extremely back logged in applications for work visas. They do not allow enough visas to be approved to make a dent in the number of workers needed. I think that is one of the reasons they did not adhere to the immigration laws in the past 20 years like most people wanted. Now with the threats to the nation and violent crimes by illegals on the rise, they are finally thinking about the problem. The border areas down here in Arizona are turning into a wasteland. The environmentalists fight against the fences and barriers in the courts to try to slow down the construction. But, at the same time the illegal migrants coming across are doing far more damage to the environment with all of the trash they leave behind and the trampling of the natural desert. One of my friends has to haul off 3-4 truckloads of trash off his 150 acres every month. I don't know why the environmentalists think that leaving the border without fences or barriers is better for the environment than the trash and destruction. Hopefully something will be done for the better of all concerned. Maybe we should militarize the border. Obviously the Mexican government is.

[tattedupboy]

Next to terrorism, an insecure southern border is the single biggest threat facing Americans today. When are Americans going to start standing up and saying enough is enough? We already have enough crime being committed by our own; we don't need more of it being brought here by people who don't even belong.

[bpdblue]

The people's republic of New York

The govenor of New York is now going to give illegals driver's licenses. What's next? If the Illegal is using my social security number, will they get part of my retirement?

Gee, if I were in another country illegally, could I get all the benefits the USA provides, and a driver's license?

Hmmmmm, Italy might sound nice this time of year.

[NRM_Oz]

Thanks Rooney - appreciate the explanation.

Yes I am aware of the different interpretations and I do know back in `94 besides the Susan Smith arrest for the murder of her kids (I bet day 1 that said she was guilty and before we left the USA she confessed) as this issue on the children of illegal aliens. I know it had something to do with overuse of services for non-tax payers but it will be a debate for decades to come.

[Hank1]

I voted for President Bush twice. Unfortunately, I have a issue with him on the border security! I just wish I could see what he is thinking about in that regard. Homeland Security is paramount, but this border problem drives me crazy.

Be Safe,

Hank

[Rooney]

NRM_Oz:

The law today (which is under very high debate in our government) states that a person born on american soil is a US citizen. However there is also an understanding that if the person is born to parents that are here illegally the child has a couple options:

1. The child may return to the parents home country until the age of 18. At which time the child can come back as a citizen.
2. The child may stay here with a legal guardian (usually a relative) that has a residency visa or is a citizen.
3. At the age of 21 the child can apply to have it's parents allowed in with a permanent residency status.

I have done research and talked to immigration officials about US born persons of illegal parents. Even the officials I talked too could not give me a sound interpretation of the current law. The three points above are what information was told to me by whom I thought was the most credible on the subject of the people I talked too. Although I would not stake my life on it.

[NRM_Oz]

I recall in 1994 I was in the USA for a holiday and in Calif. there was something called Proclamation 187 (please excuse me if I was wrong) that had it down that the children of illegal aliens were not to be entitled to any services that were available to visa holders and citizens. I don't recall what happened there but I know it divided the state.

We have the same issues here with illegal workers from Asia who come for a holiday and stay for 5 years working for cash. Their own countryment will set them up on cash only jobs and to make ends meet they will work 7 days a week to send money home to their family to survive. Sadly it is far worse in the USA along your border and until some numb-nuts get it together and boost funding to this valuable piece of land for border control, the more problems you will have over there.

Imagine if this `back door` to the USA was shut of closed periodically what it would do for the USA ? The Coyotes would be out of business and I can see it in the not too distance future, the BP having a shoot out with the Mexican Army on US soil.

[bpdblue]

You all should be in politics!

You all have stated the facts clearly about this situation. You should be in politics and could possibly fix this mess.

I believe that things can be done, such as a guest worker program for farm workers. I also believe that if you are here from ANYWHERE illegally you should be deported, but only after you are fully, and clearly advised that returning to the USA illegally will get you some type of punishment, and that you will NEVER be allowed to become an american citizen if you return here illegally again.

As for the border crossings, I can only hope that the persons using military vehicles are not real mexican military members, because that would show that mexico has no control over their military.

I believe that our military should be prepared for a rapid response to any border incursion, with the intent to utterly destroy those using weapons of war to cross the border. (This is not meant for the average border crossing type looking for a better life.) With the evidence recovered from one or more of these destroyed convoys we will have shown the Mexican government what is going on, and who is involved in the incursions. Additionally, the criminals committing the illegal crossings will be a little more fearful taking on our military and will most likely have to go back to using the low key drug smuggling ways they (mostly) used in the past.

As long as I'm ranting and raving here, if we took all the give-aways that our government provides to illegals (ie- all food aid, school aid, and any other aid) it might make it a little easier to convince all of them to go back home.

One more thing, and this is a big one, we should change what ever laws there are, including the constitution if necessary, to simply state that if someone is in the country illegally, and they have children that are born here, that their children are not born American citizens, but are citizens of the country that the parents are citizens of.

I have more ideas, but this is enough for now. Now you rant and rave, for or against the ideas I have put forward. You might put mine to shame with your great ideas.

[Bill Warnock]

about farmers, they CAN'T hire americans because they can't afford to pay the wages that would keep them there. They pay the illegals less than minimum wage because they know it will never be reported. that increases the profit margins on the executive ends of the conglomerates those farms all belong to. and guess who gets a piece of that?

in the mean time we have kidnappings, military incursions, armed smuggling trains, cartel rivalries and street killings, and of course that spent RPG casing that somone found in the Rio Grande.

My lad, you have come to grips with the problem. Now if we could only get our national "leadership" to come to the same understanding as you have, maybe, just maybe some good will come from this.
A tip of the hat, young man!
Enjoy the day,
Bill

[Ron Jessee]

about farmers, they CAN'T hire americans because they can't afford to pay the wages that would keep them there. They pay the illegals less than minimum wage because they know it will never be reported. that increases the profit margins on the executive ends of the conglomerates those farms all belong to. and guess who gets a piece of that?

in the mean time we have kidnappings, military incursions, armed smuggling trains, cartel rivalries and street killings, and of course that spent RPG casing that somone found in the Rio Grande.

[Rooney]

Living in the "zone" as well as my client base gives me a little understanding of the incursions that take place everyday. The Mexican military has been involved with gun and drug smuggling (guns their way, drugs ours) for quite a few years. The money of the large drug organizations is very tempting to the military personnel as well as the Federalies that patrol the border areas. The border government of Mexico is in itself extremely corupt. Some Federalies have to pay their superiors up to a million dollars a year to be posted along the border.

Having an exchange of gunfire between us and them is, at some point, going to happen. An armed military escorting smugglers across our border is an act of war. We have every international legal right to protect our citizens and border from these incursions. It is time to send a message that this will not continue to Pres. Calderon. Between the Mexican government supporting human trafficking and its military backing up drug and arms smuggling, we must send a strong and firm message. Destroying the armed smugglers and whomever is escorting them is the only way to send a message. Pres. Calderon is not stupid enough to retaliate against us for protecting ourselves. We could cripple the Mexican economy just by stopping all Western Union money transfers from the illegals here and systematically deporting the 10-20 million lawbreakers here.

[Maelstrom]

Soldier of Fortune mag ran an article on the BP assistances who provided eyes and ears on Coyotes to assist the BP but alot more is needed. When you work it out, can you send us the operations manual for our illegal fishing boats from Asia ?

You mean the ones our Navy reportedly set fire to and/or sink?

[Bill Warnock]

Sadly Bill, you're probably right. We need another Ronald Reagan, if you ask me.

Integrator, Ronald Reagan was forced to face political reality when he wanted to clamp down on illegal migration. He took a triple hit, the farm lobby, the labor lobby and the third from various religious groups.
Many from Mexico, Central and South America see the United States as a refuge from a double headed predator, corrupt governments and criminal gangs or cartels.
Shortly before I retired, an assignment to me to federal courthouses and magistrate courts along the US-Mexican border in Texas. While doing one of the night inspections, a deputy sheriff accompanying the deputy marshal and I told us of two incidents where Mexican soldiers force their way into this house and kidnapped a teen aged daughter taking her back to their barracks and gang raping and sodomizing her. They brought her back to her house and a Mexican officer drew his service pistol and shot the father in the knee as a warning to keep his mouth shut. In both instances the daughters and their fathers crossed the border for medical help.
A tale far more prevalent, both Mexico and Central America are the "processing fees" charged families who receive money orders sent by loved ones in the US. In some instances it can amount to one-fourth the total sum of the money order. Corrupt government officials and check cashing firms receive a windfall. I'd bet it still goes on to this day, probably worse!
Enjoy the day,
Bill