How Eisenhower solved illegal border crossings from Mexico [a proposal for Bush]

The Christian Science Monitor ^ | July 6, 2006 | John Dillin

[KC Burke]

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.

[see link for balance of article]

[wildbill]

A stringent green card system that gives permits to workers for a specified period of time.

A stringent penalty for lawbreaking employers is the answer. Mister Tyson, of Tyson Chicken for example, probably wouldn’t want to spend a year in jail for hiring illegal chicken pluckers.

[Iwo Jima]

what would happen to the many children (who are legal citizens because they were born here.

That's really simple. A child's parent decides where he/she will reside. The deported parents could and should take the child with them, if they really love the child and are decent parents.

If, however, the parents abandon their child, then the same thing will happen as when American citizens abandon their child. The state will terminate the parent-child relationship, and the child will be put up for adoption.

I don't think that that would happen too often, for as we are constantly told, family values don't stop at the Rio Grande.

[Darnright]

While Eisenhower’s plan might not be as effective today (because even Mexico has better methods to move about the country than it did in the ‘50’s), it sure makes more sense than does simple catch and release:

>”Tens of thousands more were put aboard two hired ships, the Emancipation and the Mercurio. The ships ferried the aliens from Port Isabel, Texas, to Vera Cruz, Mexico, more than 500 miles south.

The sea voyage was “a rough trip, and they did not like it,” says Don Coppock, who worked his way up from Border Patrolman in 1941 to eventually head the Border Patrol from 1960 to 1973.<

[KC Burke]

A stringent penalty for lawbreaking employers is the answer.

I am not against that as an augmentation but you won't get that through Congress on its own. There are already penalties that aren't being enforced. My plan simply calls for using existing law.

[Vigilanteman]

By the end of July, over 50,000 aliens were caught in the two states. Another 488,000, fearing arrest, had fled the country.

Splendid article and there is the gist of the answer to the straw-man question-- how are we going to deport 12 million illegal aliens? Show you are serious and for every one which you deport, 9 or 10 others will self-deport.

[KC Burke]

LOL, I like your emphasis upon the rough voyage being a deterent. Shallow bottom, low draft gulf boats do shlosh about, don’t they?

[Bahbah]

LOL. Well, I see I write in such a convoluted fashion that it wasn’t clear I was agreeing with you mostly. A bold move is very much needed. I see problems with the second part caused by medddling lawyers but that is not a reason not to try.

We dodged a big mortar round with this Senate bill. I think it would be great if the president would move in the way Eisenhower did because I think it would make possible the second steps, maybe something along the lines that you suggest which seems far more likely to have the people here we would like to have and to get rid of the kind we don’t, like criminals and gang members and people who work to feed their habits instead of their families.

[Fee]

The Reagan enforcement failed because Congressmen would get calls from algri businesses and factories in their districts protesting the immigration raids. Many of these INS raids involve comparing employment records to social security numbers. INS teams would show up with computer printouts at the business or factory offices and start to compare the names. While that was happening, the businessmen would call their congressional reps and the INS would get a call. Numerous INS officials were hinted that if they continued, budgets, and careers would be impacted. The INS officials of that time took the hint and many of these raids were halted until now. Congress did not neglect, but actively impeded the law of the land in order to placate their business supporters. The real enemy is businessmen.

[KC Burke]

You’ve been a good sounding board over the years...what do you think of my proposal?

[AuntB]

Check out a good enforcement bill in the Senate.

Common Sense ‘ENFORCE ACT’ introduced By Sen. Inhofe
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1837422/posts

Major Provisions in Inhofe’s ENFORCE Act:

· Establishes the National Border Neighborhood Watch (NBNW) Program allowing retired law enforcement officers to assist Border Patrol agents by reporting illegal border crossings.

· Makes unlawful-presence in the United States a felony.

· Establishes an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

· Authorizes funding for online immigration training for state and local law enforcement officers.

· **** Eliminates the practice of granting automatic U.S. citizenship to children born to illegal immigrants in an effort to reduce ‘anchor babies.’******

· Establishes an independent verification system for Social Security numbers; also mandates that immigrant’s Social Security numbers expire when visa runs out.

· Establishes electronic birth & death registries to fight fraudulent Social Security cards

· Helps reduce Individual Taxpayer Identification Number abuse.

· Empowers state & local law enforcement to carryout immigration laws (but does not make it mandatory).

· Establishes penalties for most flagrant employer tax violations—i.e. if an employer willfully files incorrect tax returns, they will be assessed the maximum penalties available.

· Makes it illegal to operate day laborer centers for illegal aliens and to give them unemployment assistance.

· Eliminates in-state tuition benefits for illegal aliens.
###

[Squantos]

About 1000 clones of old Bill Jordan would solve all this crap.....

Congrats to all who called and harassed their polidiots and congresscritters in person on that Immigration BS bill.

Keep up the heat......... IMHO we get rid of the sugar on the counter we get rid of the sugar ants that are drawn to it.

Fine and imprison those who employ illegals from any country !

Maybe we call this operation “Sugar Ant”...........:o)

[Tijeras_Slim]

If if that doesn’t do it, clone about 1000 Charlie Askins...

[Squantos]

LOL.......Good point !

[Major Matt Mason]

One problem: W doesn’t think he’s caused a mess!

To be fair, Bush is not the sole cause of this problem. It existed before he came on the scene (he has exacerbated it, however). The real problem is the Congress critters that have been around since the last deal was struck in '86. None of these pols should be allowed anywhere near the negotiations of this deal as they have already demonstrated their ineptitude on this issue.

[Paperdoll]

>Bush has no intention of enforcing the border. Never has, never will.<

Never say never = MR BUSH BUILD THAT WALL!!!!

[liberallarry]

In 1953 I was 15 years old...and I was interested in history long before that. I thought about a detailed reply but your comment is so wrong-headed that it’s not worth it.

[Half Vast Conspiracy]

The operation is still highly praised among veterans of the Border Patrol.

I'm sthere are lots of agents still serving from 53 years ago, huh?

[KC Burke]

Businessmen are no less practical than you or I. I am one, I guess. I even work in an industry where this issue is rampant -- the constuction industry.

Small residential trade contractors nad big specialty contractors are the worst offendors in my industry and there are many that would grouse but they know what is coming.

Enforcement has gone way up in the last two years.

I have seen hundred man raids, so I know this issue first hand.

As long as their competition was subjected to the same changes and limits, contrators are an adaptive breed.

[Weeedley]

Ike had personal preparation for the top executive job by commanding the Allies in the defeat of the Axis. He knew how to issue orders, move bureaucracies and Get ‘er done. Contrast a man like Ike to the run of presidents who flounder at their executive responsibilities because they are in over their heads due to no experience or ability. Above all we cannot afford to put another inept manager in the Executive Mansion.