How Eisenhower solved illegal border crossings from Mexico

http://www.csmonitor.com ^ | July 6, 2006 | John Dillin

[NKP_Vet]

WASHINGTON — George W. Bush isn't the first Republican president to face a full-blown immigration crisis on the US-Mexican border.

Fifty-three years ago, when newly elected Dwight Eisenhower moved into the White House, America's southern frontier was as porous as a spaghetti sieve. As many as 3 million illegal migrants had walked and waded northward over a period of several years for jobs in California, Arizona, Texas, and points beyond.

President Eisenhower cut off this illegal traffic. He did it quickly and decisively with only 1,075 United States Border Patrol agents – less than one-tenth of today's force. The operation is still highly praised among veterans of the Border Patrol. Recommended: Could you pass a US citizenship test?

Although there is little to no record of this operation in Ike's official papers, one piece of historic evidence indicates how he felt. In 1951, Ike wrote a letter to Sen. William Fulbright (D) of Arkansas. The senator had just proposed that a special commission be created by Congress to examine unethical conduct by government officials who accepted gifts and favors in exchange for special treatment of private individuals. Test your knowledge Could you pass a US citizenship test? Photos of the Day Photos of the day 02/08

General Eisenhower, who was gearing up for his run for the presidency, said "Amen" to Senator Fulbright's proposal. He then quoted a report in The New York Times, highlighting one paragraph that said: "The rise in illegal border-crossing by Mexican 'wetbacks' to a current rate of more than 1,000,000 cases a year has been accompanied by a curious relaxation in ethical standards extending all the way from the farmer-exploiters of this contraband labor to the highest levels of the Federal Government."

[NKP_Vet]

Article is dated, but still relevant today. Let's go back to the days when a president knew what to do about border security and did it. I give you........

OPERATION WETBACK!

[Aetius]

Coolidge and Eisenhower are far and away the best presidents we’ve had on immigration. It is those two that the current crop should look to.

[mylife]

Back then they came here picked tomatoes and went home.

I used to play near migrant camps

[Lizavetta]

Punish the employers with fines, taxes, license revocation, whatever. That will work. I remember when my teenage son was looking for a job. The employers would barely let him walk through the door until he was old enough to be legally employed. They were afraid of the government coming down on them.

If it works for teens, it will work for illegals.

[Paulie]

Look to those two for guidance, absolutely.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

I tend to annoy people when I point out that the boarder has not been seriously tended too since Ike was in power.

It's true though.

[Dilbert San Diego]

I wonder if we could do something such as Operation Wetback today. Today we live in a politically correct world. We live in a world of liberals demanding “rights” for illegal aliens and others who should not have certain “rights” under the law.

[Don W]

Funny thing: I noticed a quiz “could you pass the US citizenship exam” in the article.

On a lark, I tried it. I got to question #50, and the webpage froze. No biggie, I reloaded it and tried again.

I made it as far as question #48, and the webpage froze again.

I don’t suppose my perfect score had anything to do with that, could it? < /s >

The closest to a “trick” question was about cabinet level departments.

BTW, 80% is considered good enough...

[Ajnin]

Those 1075 agents made over 1.5 million apprehensions. Compare that today with 21,000 agents making less than 300k apps a year.

[21twelve]

“Those 1075 agents made over 1.5 million apprehensions.”

Ah - the old days when they actually worked.

I did some work on a gov’t site where it was 10-hour days, four days a week. The boss was PLEADING with his union guys. “If I can just get 4 hours of good work out of you guys each day, we can get back on track.”

He couldn't yell at them - then they would file a grievance.

[5th MEB]

Try the American Civic Literacy Test, they have their own web site and the test does not freeze.
Any body who cannot pass it at the 97th percentile should not be allowed to vote period.
I scored 100%; but I do read a lot of history, philosophy, and the classics.
Some of the economic actually made me stop and think about the way things are supposed to work.

[Guenevere]

Bttt

[NTHockey]

Fine ANY AND ALL employers of illegal immigrants $ 1 million per day per illegal. NO EXCEPTIONS.

That’ll cure the problem in - say, about a week.

[wita]

It would be helpful to know if this http://www.americancivicliteracy.org/
is what you were suggesting.

I don’t recall any economic questions, but I see there are at least three “tests”, and I took the quiz not the full civic literacy exam.

[Ajnin]

It’s not the fault of the agents. It’s the fault of the voters that keep voting in open borders politicians.

[moehoward]

Here's the money shot. It worked then, and it worked in AZ with sb1070...

"By September, 80,000 had been taken into custody in Texas, and an estimated 500,000 to 700,000 illegals had left the Lone Star State voluntarily."

[Salvation]

**Could you pass a US citizenship test? **

If not, learn the English language and be prepared to take the citizenship test the moment you step over the border.

[Salvation]

**boarder**

You mean the one who boards at your house?

[VRW Conspirator]

I did some work on a gov’t site where it was 10-hour days, four days a week.

Public unions should be outlawed. Conflict of interest.

[VRW Conspirator]

Fine ANY AND ALL employers of illegal immigrants $ 1 million per day per illegal. NO EXCEPTIONS.

Wouldn't it be nice to charge the South of the Border countries for each illegal? If it were possible to charge $2,000 per month per illegal, the Mexican Federales would protect the border for us.