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]

[Kevmo]

We’d need to use a different name... “Operation Wetback” would likely cause some panties to bind.
***Good place to bump this thread for further reading.

[dljordan]

“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.”

And those were the ‘good old days’.

[Bigun]

I like it! Let’s do it NOW!

[liberallarry]

It's more difficult than that.

I have a friend who's not conservative or liberal. He hates religion, is rabidly pro-choice, thinks Republicans are largely rich pigs and ignoramouses. However, he loves his guns and has used them to kill an intruder...and he wants all illegals deported or killed.

But he's living beyond his means and the only way he can remodel his horrifically expensive and impractical house is to use illegal laborers - which he does repeatedly. Worse, I wouldn't say he abuses them but he's certainly not generous.

Many, many people are like that. Our economy is dependent on them to an unknown extent. Raise costs significantly - in any way - and you risk disaster.

[KC Burke]

I believe there is some substance to what you say followed this program. Wasn't it the Brasarios program or whatever the word is for "Arms" in spanish?

To claim that all history is nothing but the charting of economic events and forces is too dialectic for me.

I will argue that no governemtal program can go without dispute, not simply that which doesn't satisfy the PC culture. Hence the log jam now.

Do you feel that a Ted Kennedy plan under a Hillary Presidency would yield a better, and more nationally satisfying remedy? I think it would produce a second class citizenry group, further polarization and marginalize hispacic people even more.

[KC Burke]

Coming from you, that is high honor.

[Ol' Dan Tucker]

We’d need to use a different name... “Operation Wetback” would likely cause some panties to bind.

One of my favorite Green Acres episodes revolves around Oliver Douglas being accused to 'wetbacking' illegals in to work on his farm.

[Bigun]

NO Sir! It is just plain old COMMON SENSE!

But thank you just the same!

[Gideon Reader]

Nonsense.
There are literally dozens of highly skilled, talented and dedicated senior or supervisory Customs or BP Agents available to take command immediately to administer and govern the agency.(ICE)
Law enforcement is not a military function and I have observed too many “military persons” misassigned attempt to perform law enforcement duties without the appropriate background, and experience and fail miserably. There is no need for yet another vain attempt at rounding the square peg of LE.
Select the correct person carefully and let him have a little support in completion of the mission and provide the support services and the problem can be resolved professionally.
However, the caveat is: Political will is vital to the performance of this function. Withhold that support and the function quickly dies, as does the individual morale of the Agents and Officers of the agency.

[KC Burke]

In the construction industry, with which I am familiar, we have the instance of minority drywall contractors in the LA basin having gotten a major foothold in the market, paying union level wages, or wages on residential higher based upon union equvilancies, to many employees.

The rampant influx of illegals in the 90s killed these minority trade contractors because the minority contractors were under-cut by bids using 12.00 per hour labor instead of 18.00 labor.

The economic disasters have already occured. Furthermore, our Social Security system is going to have further disaster that now can only be minimized.

I will doulbe what I pay for lettuce to have this problem significantly mitigated and workmen paid better. How about you?

[KC Burke]

Then perhaps the Eisenhower element of a military head is not central to the issue. I imagine that that choice was only used by Ike because he had a candidate, someone he was ready to back, close at hand. It sounds like BP veterns at the time came to respect the selection.

It certainly isn't central to me that a guy from outside be used.

What is central is what you cite -- a man who gets the political backing.

Would it work then?

[liberallarry]

Look, the relevant questions for this thread are

1)Did the deportation of all those illegals result in a farm labor shortage in 1954 and later. It didn't...because a new "guest" worker program was immediately put in place.

2)Could a modern version of Operation Wetback be put in place "quietly" as was done in 1953? Absolutely not...because the Internet has replaced the major networks as a source of news (or - less controversially - supplemented them)...and because America and the World are not what they were 50 years ago.

You want to claim that leaders of the past disregarded world opinion. That's complete nonsense. Hitler and Stalin, Roosevelt and Churchill were very conscious of its power and did everything they could to manipulate it favorably. Eisenhower and Truman the same - despite your foolish claims. They were better at it than Bush - much better - but that's easy since he's one of the least skilled we've ever had.

I've never said that concern with the opinion of others should determine our policies. I merely pointed out that modern day Presidents will have a harder time of it than Ike did.

[KC Burke]

The quiet aspect of the Eisenhower initiative was never part of my suggestion. In fact, I suggested a public initiave announcement with the appointment of a new chief as a cornerstone.

It was pointed out by others that a professional BP-ICE appointment from within would be even better for staff moral and I grant that is sensible, if and only if, that person would get the administration's political backing to be able to do the job envisioned.

We can argue about impact in the future -- that is certainly valuable, but arguing about Bush versus Truman is useless to determining a course for this month.

I don't think any party is dealing with this well right now and see no better alternative for this administration.

If this administrations failure due to future political strength is your first preference and we can set that aside for serious discussion of other points, what is wrong with this as an implementable solution with economic issues to be dealt with as they arise?

[Gideon Reader]

What is needed is the political will to enforce the laws on the books.
It is contrary to U.S.Law to enter the country without proper entry procedures being followed.
Any activity that assists or supports such breach of law is subject to appropriate enforcement activity.
Enforcement activity against industrial, corporates, or individuals who encourage or support immigration related criminality may be addressed thru current U.S. statutes.

Legislation prohibiting the garnering of free medical or educational benefits or Social Security or tax credits or other taxpayer funded entitlements by individuals who have broken U.S.immigration laws is mandatory, as is punitive economic fines for corporate entities who support breaches of law.

Federal funds for municipalities, counties or states who refuse to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement activity should be denied, and elected officials who provide “sanctuary services” to illegal aliens should be subject to conspiracy laws.

Build an efficient and operable fence/wall/barrier with height, form and technical sophistication and substance sufficient to reduce most if not all illegal entries throughout the entire Southern boundary, manned by personnel (enforcement and judicial), vehicles, vessels and aircraft, both manned and in UAV configuration to locate breaches of the border, and arrest, detain and return any and all violators to whence they came, AFTER recording their photos, fingerprints, DNA and retinal identification features, with permanent legal exclusion
from entry, attainment of residency or citizenship FOREVER.

[liberallarry]

The process of globalization proceeds exponentially. Short of a really destructive event - like atomic war or world-wide depression - no nation can stop it. So the price of labor will ultimately be equalized, same as for currencies and commidities.

What we're fighting over is how we get there, who profits and who loses.

Is the price of lettuce all that important? I think so. Basic economic theory contends that if you raise the price of food (without significantly raising income) the demand for other things will drop. That's being tested right now. Energy prices are soaring while salaries are not. That should result in a major depression.

We'll see.

Personally, I'd like to see all illegals deported. The reasons are not economic. It offends me that they are rewarded for butting in line, getting to live and work in this country while hundreds of thousands - or millions - more deserving and law abiding have been waiting years.

[KC Burke]

What is needed is the political will to enforce the laws on the books.

Your central point is consistant with my purpose in proposing my Eisenhower-Bush Program.

Bush doesn't have the political will or the desire. His desire is to satisfy his compassion and keep happy economic times.

My plan, with his compasion central, allows the political will to be correctly focused. It takes the initiative away form Congress, something any President on the ropes can see the utility of in their legacy.

It satisfys the need for immediate reform and it truely is gentle reform and not innnovation for innovation's sake.

You and I aren't going to get the Hunter plan. We son't even get it if he gets the nomination or the Presidency.

I am attempting to deal with the issue and deadlock as it stands today and give Bush the ability to "have his way" but in a way that satisfies many conservatives.

Let me ask your review in another way. If step one was being implemented and implemented rigoursely, would you be fighting very hard against step 2 being done in any sort of responsible manner?

[hiredhand]

Thanks for the ping! The author noted that Eisenhour had a “sense of urgency”. We need this in our leaders, instead of them “sleeping” with the enemy and not acting in our best interest. “Operation Sugar Ant” sounds good! :-)

[KC Burke]

I hate the law breaking as well.

I am frustrated enough to settle for the reasonably useful as I am tired of awaiting the best.

I think you are wrong to expect universal leveling of income due to forces of economics and globalization. I believe geographic and agricultural forces will prevent that from ever happening.

I just want to see equality under the law and freedom from arbitrary poser spread, those old classical Whig principles. Economics will take care of itself in a much more equitable manner if that happens.

Thanks for you comments.