How Eisenhower solved illegal border crossings from Mexico

CS Monitor ^ | Jul 6, 2006 | John Dillin

[Ray76]

(Jul 6, 2006) 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.

America "was faced with a breakdown in law enforcement on a very large scale," Mr. Brownell (Attorney General) said. "When I say large scale, I mean hundreds of thousands were coming in from Mexico [every year] without restraint."

In 1954, Ike appointed retired Gen. Joseph "Jumpin' Joe" Swing, a former West Point classmate and veteran of the 101st Airborne, as the new INS commissioner.

General Swing's fast-moving campaign soon secured America's borders – an accomplishment no other president has since equaled. Illegal migration had dropped 95 percent by the late 1950s.

[Ray76]

It can be done.

[wastedyears]

It can be done.

By someone that actually cares.

[tpmintx]

By someone that actually cares. About the USA.

[KC Burke]

http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0706/p09s01-coop.html
has a good summary.

[EternalVigilance]

Great article.

[Secret Agent Man]

too many on both sides want a north american union.

if we can oust them, it can be done.

[Nextrush]

And I don’t believe the Republican Party of today is capable of doing this.....

[greeneyes]

I have mentioned operation wetback several time recently and in years past on these type of threads. It’s good to keep mentioning it. Hadn’t seen this particular article before. Good read.

[Pelham]

I Like Ike.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Wetback

[Guenevere]

Bttt

[wastedyears]

By someone that actually cares about the USA.

Agreed, problem is, there's so few statesmen that will actually do the right thing. And I don't mean a politician. McCain and Reid are politicians, Palin and Cruz and Gowdy are statesmen.

[smoothsailing]

[goat granny]

I had heard of Eisenhowers way of dealing with wet backs years ago....they were dropped in the middle of Mexico and the walk back to the border was something none of them wanted to do again....Eisenhower was head of the allied forces during the war and was not a pussy politician.

[Pelham]

“Agreed, problem is, there’s so few statesmen that will actually do the right thing.”

Jeff Sessions. He’s doing it without seeking publicity because he’s not running for President.

Gowdy is pro amnesty. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

[TigersEye]

• Deport illegal aliens on contact with LE.
• Vigorously enforce the law on employers of illegal aliens.
• Build a border fence, use high-tech surveillance and fund adequate personnel to maintain security.
• Eliminate entitlements for illegal aliens.
• End the "anchor baby" policy.

Do those things and illegal aliens will deport themselves and pay for the trip.

[clearcarbon]

"1. End the current practice of taking captured Mexican aliens to the border and releasing them. Instead, deport them deep into Mexico, where return to the US would be more costly."

Even better, send them to North Korea. Mexican cuisine surely beats tree bark.

[greeneyes]

I am old enough to remember seeing I like Ike posters and posters of both Eisenhower and Nixon during a presidential election.

I wasn’t old enough to really follow politics and we didn’t have a TV then. The first election returns that I watched on TV was Nixon/Kennedy in 1960.

[Pelham]

Asset forfeiture for those foreign nationals who decide to camp here illegally for years. The prospect of losing their ill gotten gain will have a wonderful effect on their desire to ignore immigration law.

[greeneyes]

Maybe we need to look for a battle hardened successful General, who gives a damn and understands the threat to the USA from open borders to run for President.

Is there anyone fitting this description?

[TigersEye]

Sounds good.