A strategy on border security - A Republican Senator From Idaho Speaks Out

WashingtonExaminer ^ | August 4, 2005

[JohnnyZ]

Your comment..."Until we address the demand side of the equation, the border is not going to be secure." is interesting.

I look at it as risk/reward

A potential illegal (let's just consider the ones who just want to come here to work, not deal drugs etc) examines the risks:

money spent
danger (will his coyote leave him in the desert to die, leave him in a locked van or semi)
whether he could legally immigrate in a ~5 year time frame and avoid the risk)
punishment if caught

and potential Rewards:

chance of success
chance of getting a job
chance of getting deported
chance of getting govt benefits, from license to welfare to in-state tuition

Look at those risks and rewards, address the ones that are most cost-effective first, and you'll discourage most illegal immigration, and many of the rest will be the gang members, terrorists, etc. who you can zero in on much more easily

[bayourod]

Rewards? Yes there are rewards, but most come here to work simply because there is no other way that they can provide food, shelter and clothing for their children.

People don't leave their homeland, family and friends just to be able to sit in emergency rooms all night or get a drivers license.

They come to do the dirtiest, hardest, lowest paying jobs while living in draconian conditions, not to get college degrees.

They would prefer to be in Mexico if they could support trheir families there. They use to be able to freely return to be with their loved ones one several times a year. Now with the Buchanan/Tancredo immigrant hysteria they cannot go back and forth so their families are having to come here to live.

If you were married with children what would it take for you to leave them and risk your life traveling to a distant country to live under the conditions they live under doing the work they do? Free emergency rooms, drivers licenses, in state tuition? They really are human beings just like you, with fears, anxieties, pains, loneliness, and a determination to provide basic necessities for their family

[Allons]

Sorry, but a bit off topic...

No I was the first to post it. But Alipac does not seem to trust me even though I'm a good standing member within the Minuteman Project serving 10 days on the border. I'm also a spokesman for Chris Simcox when he can't make it to a function.

Alipac does not like the fact that I'm more moderate in my tune and when I point out racist language or elements within the movement. Since I'm a Latino their more suspicious of my motives, Alipac even tried to warn Jim Gilchrist that I'm a plant or a spy. Fortunately, Jim knows me very well and paid no attention to it. Here in lies the problem as I see it within segments of the Anti illegal alien movement, to much paranoia!

Here is a copy of the e-mail from Alipac removing my thread:

Date: Mon, 8 Aug 2005 23:55:16 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: message to Michael
From: williamg@alipac.us Add to Address BookAdd to Address Book
To: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Michael,

I removed the fundraising post. Please read my Private Message to you
on
the ALIPAC forums and respond.

Thanks,

William