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'Operation Wetback' deported 1 million illegals with only 750 agents
American Thinker ^ | 9/18/15 | E Straker

Posted on 09/18/2015 5:16:10 AM PDT by bestintxas

Jeb Bush says it will cost "hundreds of billions of dollars" to deport illegal aliens. President Eisenhower, however, deported a million alone in the space of a year, and with only 750 deportation agents, in an operation with a name we would never use today: Operation Wetback.

Some 750 agents swept northward through agricultural areas with a goal of 1,000 apprehensions a day. By the end of July, over 50,000 aliens were caught... Another 488,000, fearing arrest, had fled the country. 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.

Unlike today, Mexicans caught in the roundup were not simply released at the border, where they could easily reenter the US. To discourage their return, Swing arranged for buses and trains to take many aliens deep within Mexico before being set free.

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.

(Excerpt) Read more at americanthinker.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: aliens; wetback
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To: bestintxas

It probably is the answer, though I’m not familiar with that particular bit of history. I know we executed a joint invasion of Mexico and thoroughly handed the powerful, organized Mexican Army their asses, but I’m not clear on the “after” part of that.

The major additional variable I see now is a significant portion of the Mexican population (and a not-too-small portion of our own) seems to think Mexicans deserve as much of our freebies as they want...for some reason. How does that impact the strategy?


81 posted on 09/20/2015 3:08:43 PM PDT by Future Snake Eater (CrossFit.com)
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To: Future Snake Eater

why don’t you go to another thread where you can be useful?
If you don’t want to think about possible consequences then don’t

The IQ level on FR is getting lower dramatically lately. I thought this was supposed to be a think tank? I am hoping for some ideas.

I posted a serious question, so that some people might consider what contingency plans might be needed. YOU DO UNDERSTAND YOU NEED CONTINGENCY PLANS, DON’T YOU????

You are as stupid as odumbo, who kicked stable leaders out of the middle east, without considering the consequences and his failure to plan for ISIS. (yes I think he may have done it on purpose, for THAT knee-jerk crowd...)

Let me try to make myself as clear as possible, so the knee jerk dumb-asses here can exercise a brain muscle.

I am NOT suggesting we DON’T export the illegals. I am 100% in favor of doing it immediately. And i really don’t give a crap what it does to the Mexican economy.

But having a large country with 19 million jobless people back home within 2 years is going to cause civil unrest, that’s pretty certain- Isn’t it? Or is my premise wrong- maybe it will be negligible.

BUT WE SHOULD HOPE FOR THE BEST AND PLAN FOR THE WORST.

If you don’t want to think about it- then don’t participate in this conversation. Are there any experts here who understand what this might do to the Mexican infrastructure? Will drug lords amass an army of these people and invade?

I think we are might have to have military stationed all along the Mexican border, in a war posture.

ANY ONE WHO IS STUPID ENOUGH TO ONLY THINK “THATS MEXICO’S PROBLEM” PLEASE GO JOIN THE DUHMMIES. We need leaders who plan ahead.


82 posted on 09/20/2015 7:39:29 PM PDT by Mr. K (If it is HilLIARy -vs- Jeb! then I am writing-in Palin/Cruz)
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To: Future Snake Eater

Unlike the fool who started this thread, I think our power alone is enough to stop any assault by an inferior country like Mexico.

The problem we have is, like the Middle East, we refuse to exercise that power.

When we do not use it, we are a punching bag and taken advantage of.

I am tired of that happening and am awaiting a true leader who will not take it.

I see that in Trump and Cruz, but no others(especially the Jeb Bushes of the world).


83 posted on 09/21/2015 4:26:38 AM PDT by bestintxas (every time a RINO loses, a founding father gets his wings.)
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To: Mr. K
I am NOT suggesting we DON’T export the illegals. I am 100% in favor of doing it immediately. And i really don’t give a crap what it does to the Mexican economy.

You said that wasn't an answer.

84 posted on 09/21/2015 4:31:11 AM PDT by Future Snake Eater (CrossFit.com)
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To: Future Snake Eater

geez you argue like a liberal...

go do something useful.


85 posted on 09/21/2015 4:45:01 AM PDT by Mr. K (If it is HilLIARy -vs- Jeb! then I am writing-in Palin/Cruz)
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To: Future Snake Eater

I also refer to this article today posted.

http://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2015/09/the_southern_border_and_our_army.html


86 posted on 09/21/2015 4:58:00 AM PDT by bestintxas (every time a RINO loses, a founding father gets his wings.)
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To: bestintxas

Interesting proposal, but his numbers are off. He projects three Soldiers per mile of border. Well, they can’t work 24 hours a day. So, you’re talking at least two shifts, most likely 3-4 shifts of 6-8 hours. Now we’re back to those 40,000 troops. We’re also placing them in currently very austere conditions, which can be built up to not suck in time. There’s also the command and control question. You’re not going to see three-man teams in the Army for a job like this, more like a Staff Sergeant-led 9-man squad, at the least a five-man fire team led by a Sergeant. That would at least enable enough firepower to overwhelm the huge numbers of people crossing the border they’d have to stop and detain (some of whom could be armed). There’s also the “what next” part when they do. Take them to a detainee facility for processing and deportation? Turn them around to walk back into Mexico? And while they’re messing with those folks, the rest of the mile is unguarded, with more slipping through potentially. We could make them more mobile with ATVs, but that increases fuel and maintenance logistics in that austere environment. A good border barrier with UAV and motion detection patrolling could help close some of those gaps, I suppose.

I don’t know, just spitballing.


87 posted on 09/21/2015 5:19:28 AM PDT by Future Snake Eater (CrossFit.com)
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To: Future Snake Eater

That ‘spitballing’ has taken place on the North/South Korean border for over 60 years, with thousands of US troops.

How effective is it?


88 posted on 09/21/2015 5:35:04 AM PDT by bestintxas (every time a RINO loses, a founding father gets his wings.)
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To: bestintxas

That’s a much smaller border, and we have a lot more than 10,000 people there. It’s also considered a hardship tour.

These are real logistical issues that don’t solve themselves. There are solutions, but they’re generally pretty expensive ones.


89 posted on 09/21/2015 6:00:06 AM PDT by Future Snake Eater (CrossFit.com)
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To: Future Snake Eater

It is extremely expensive to allow these illegal alien invaders to stay here (murders, rapes, other crimes, welfare, assorted “programs”, pollution, use of resources and so forth). The “it is expensive” argument is BS.


90 posted on 09/21/2015 6:05:28 AM PDT by hal ogen (First Amendment or Reeducation Camp?)
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To: Future Snake Eater

But did it work?


91 posted on 09/21/2015 6:09:42 AM PDT by bestintxas (every time a RINO loses, a founding father gets his wings.)
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To: hal ogen

It’s not BS. It is expensive. That doesn’t mean it isn’t worth it.


92 posted on 09/21/2015 7:41:20 AM PDT by Future Snake Eater (CrossFit.com)
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To: bestintxas

Kinda sorta. It’s apples and oranges in any case. Totally different dynamic going on in Korea vs. the Mexican border. In some ways easier, in some ways harder.


93 posted on 09/21/2015 7:42:13 AM PDT by Future Snake Eater (CrossFit.com)
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To: Future Snake Eater

“Kinda sorta. It’s apples and oranges in any case. Totally different dynamic going on in Korea vs. the Mexican border. In some ways easier, in some ways harder.”

EVERY border has a different dynamic, as the Canadian is different than Mexico as the Hungarian border is different as Korean and on and on.

This seems to be simple exercise: control the border as you would control your own house. Nobody gets in unless you want them to, and if they get in anyway, you have a right to defend yourself. Set up security systems or guards outside, if that makes it easier.


94 posted on 09/21/2015 9:28:53 AM PDT by bestintxas (every time a RINO loses, a founding father gets his wings.)
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To: bestintxas

It’s simple in broad concept, but not in execution. This could easily turn into a MAJOR portion of the mission of the U.S. Army. I’m not saying that’s bad or wrong or unnecessary, but it is more complex than the article made it sound.


95 posted on 09/21/2015 12:38:19 PM PDT by Future Snake Eater (CrossFit.com)
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