Tighter Border Yields Odd Result: More Illegals Stay

The Wall Street Journal ^ | As of Friday, October 10, 2003 | EDUARDO PORTER

[tomball]

STOCKTON, Calif. -- Something unusual is happening among the illegal immigrants who work in the lush fields of the San Joaquin Valley. Instead of leaving after the harvest, as they did for years, they are staying here, settling into lives of poverty and putting new strains on the city.

[blanknoone]

What an odd position. Seems pretty obvious that the solution to the 'conundrum' is not only tighter borders, but to also do a little bit inside the country, say maybe, have police who identify illegal aliens in the course of regular operations turn the information, if not the people, over to the INS.

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[concerned about politics]

Why should they go home? The Democrats will make sure they steal more than enough of the Republican tax dollars to support them (the democrat base pays little in taxes). Heck, with partners in crime like that, why bother?

[tomball]

"llegal immigrants are still willing to risk crossing the border between the U.S. and Mexico, arriving at a rate of about 400,000 a year, by some estimates. "

If things were stepped up at the borders, 400,000 people wouldn't be here illegally on an annual basis - unless there is money to be made in it.  Furthermore, just a few days ago there was a post about a city in the southwest who instructed their law enforcement people to release 200 South American illegals back into the community.  After these people are caught and detained, they should be deported.  Ted Kennedy's INS is not - nor has it ever - had our national security in the forefront of its function.  It is obvious this agency is obsolete, and its leadership inept.  400,000 people coming across our borders annually is not immigration - it is an invasion.

[blanknoone]

In all, they say, they earned about $18,000 last year, well under the poverty line of $24,260 for a family of six. U.S.-born children of illegal immigrants have access to the country's social safety net. The Silverios get $650 a month in welfare on behalf of Flor and another $319 on behalf of Cristian. So, are they getting $12,000 in welfare in addition to making $18,000, or is 12 of their 18 from welfare? Regardless, America would be far better off is we sent this unlicensed drunk driver back to Mexico.

[11B3]

The Republican party had better get their heads out of their a$$es and do something about all of the illegals inside this country - as well as tighten the border and crack down on anyone who employs illegals.

This issue, along with the Assault Weapons Ban, are the two issues that will decide my vote this time. Yes, I know that the president is ten times better than any other candidate, but he'd better do something about this if he wants to see this nation get back on track. Enough of the open borders, enough of the world community and free trade - we need to go back to the "America First" policies that the president had right after 9/11. (Note to Karl Rove: You're screwing up - BIG TIME!!)

[TruthShallSetYouFree]

Hispanics and Middle Easterners are not all that different in physical appearance. Both groups tend to be of swarthy complexion and are fond of facial hair. It wouldn't be all that difficult for an aspiring Mohammad to pass himself off as a harmless Juan and blow up a few buildings. I suppose the Homeland Security Office won't act until this actually takes place. Wouldn't want to alienate any large voting blocs, now would we?

[Klickitat]

ping list ping

[11B3]

They're alienating the voting block that put him in the White House - Conservatives. Right now, if a charismatic conservative would step forward with the original party message of a smaller government, enforcing the laws of the nation, and returning to the use of the Constitution as the standard for judging new laws, this person would kick GW's butt.

Ann Coulter would suffice. (Which one would you vote for?)

[TruthShallSetYouFree]

No fair. I'd vote for Ann even if she were a democrat. :)

[Sabertooth]

Stricter policing of the U.S. border -- begun in the 1990s and reinforced in the wake of the terrorist attacks of 2001 -- was supposed to stem the flood of illegal immigrants arriving in the U.S. Instead, in Stockton and other places, it is having an entirely different effect.

Illegal immigrants are still willing to risk crossing the border between the U.S. and Mexico, arriving at a rate of about 400,000 a year, by some estimates. But as the number of border-patrol agents has doubled since 1995, the price of an illegal crossing has roughly tripled to about $1,500 for a three-day trek across the Arizona desert. As a result, many immigrants have cut out much of the back-and-forth travel and decided to stay put in the U.S.

< -snip- >

"The militarization of the border hasn't stopped the people from coming. It just drove up the cost and the risk," says Mr. Massey. "The response of migrants was to stop going home, and the result was a big growth of the Mexican population here."

This article speaks to the decline in the apprehensions of Illegals in the past couple of years. It's not because there are less of them.

So long as 90% of the aprehensions and deportations of Illegals occur within three days of them crossing the border, the borders will not be secure. Both Presidents Clinton and Bush have attempted the borderland band-aid solution, when the problem is internal bleeding.

The only way to secure the borders is not through militiarization, it's to secure the American interior, and that can only happen with apprehensions and deportations of long-time Illegals there.

Once the process is begun in earnest, they will deport themselves.

[11B3]

It would be interesting to see Ann run against Hillary.

[boris]

The oxymoronic nature of this piece is evident. If we had perfect border security we would have an infinite number of illegals.

Round them all up and ship them home. Buy up a one-mile-wide strip of border and salt it with land mines.

Let us see what unfortunate result emerges.

--Boris

[Apple Pan Dowdy]

" Seems pretty obvious that the solution to the 'conundrum' is not only tighter borders, but to also do a little bit inside the country, say maybe, have police who identify illegal aliens in the course of regular operations turn the information, if not the people, over to the INS."

You are exactly RIGHT!

And I might add, that if we tightened the borders AND strictly inforced immegration within, we could easily issue legal temporary work permits for needed farm laborers to come do their jobs, then leave when they are finished. The same concept could work for other industries as well... legal work permits, legal temporary drivers licenses (that clearly say temporary on them)... perhaps even incentives whereby a temporary worker can earn perminant citizenship by demonstrating complying with the laws, paying taxes, supporting his family. I would also add a provision that children of those issued the permits either demonstate the same qualities upon turning 18, or be sent back to Mexico (or whereever).

Problem is that programs like this can't ever work as long as we ignore illegal status.

[umgud]

The illegal immigration issue is a bipartisan issue. Niether party is interested or willing to do anything about it, even though 70+% of Americans want it to stop.

A a mjority of Americans may be against illegal immigration, but I don't believe thay are passionate about the issue. I don't hear them screaming enmasse.

[FITZ]

U.S.-born children of illegal immigrants have access to the country's social safety net. The Silverios get $650 a month in welfare on behalf of Flor and another $319 on behalf of Cristian.

This is the real reason they stay ---- not the tighter border but because once they get the kids up here and give birth to that welfare-getting anchor baby, they have no need at all in going back. Hard work back home will get the family about $100 a month, but this family already gets ten times that in welfare handouts. Plus there are the free breakfasts and lunches at the free schools, Head Start---- the free babysitting service. They never will be expected to learn English or change from what they were either. It's all too easy and there are millions more packing up to come.

[FITZ]

At San Joaquin General Hospital, women often wait until they're eight or nine months pregnant to seek prenatal care.

End the anchor baby program and end all welfare to these moochers and most of the problem would go away. This guy is a regular welfare baby-maker ---- why should he limit his family size when the government pays him to just keep having more welfare kids? He's got plenty of money for beer ---- enough to get drunk but has no money for car insurance. If one of these guys crashes into you, you're tough out of luck. Welfare is attracting the worst low-lives from the third world.

[dano1]

End the anchor baby program and end all welfare to these moochers and most of the problem would go away.

Agree. Babies of women illegally in the U.S. should not receive U.S. citizenship.

[winodog]

The reason you dont hear screaming is because the media controls the screaming.