All-A-Blabber

Illegal Immigration, the National Guard, and Border Security

Illegal immigration puts a lot of stress on the border states' economies and especiallay their respective social services. It is also understandable why so many of the ranchers are crying foul and whose properties are being trespassed on by illegal immigrants crossing the border, so much so that vigilante groups have sprung up. What I find disturbing in many levels is the use of the National Guard in policing the border, a function better left to the Border Patrol, however overburdened they may be. What is needed is the cooperation of the Mexican law enforcement. They are the ones who ought to be held accountable for any lack of security on their side. But I guess they can turn a blind eye to this problem just as they do that of the narcotics trade. How difficult is it to hold Mexico and its government accountable for the misery of its citizens? Hell, do we need an excuse to invade Mexico or what? Albeit the dry humor in my last sentence, one should understand the near impossible job of completely closing the border with Mexico.

For instance, take the Minutemen, these vigilantes who feel they must take matters into their own hands. I just saw a report on CNN in which some of these organized minutemen were erecting barbed wire fences in the border areas lacking any fences at all. Way to go - good job guys - that is such a great idea! By the way, how is that flimsy fence going to keep out illegal immigrants from crossing over? Ever heard of this invention called pliers (sic)? Besides if you build a bigger, better fence, they'll break in over it, through it, or under it. Good luck posting those vigilante guards every mile of the border.

Through further reflection, the use of soldiers, Guard or Active, to patrol our borders can be counterproductive. Border Patrol officers lack the heavy firepower which the Army/Guard has. So since they have it they are more liable to use it. See where I'm going with this? So if they use it, and it turns out bad, how can we hold them acocuntable for something we allowed them to do? But even so, active military numbers available for border patrol deployment are low - they are serving in Iraq or Afganistan, or wherever this nation needs them, except for being deployed in US soil (posse comitatus prevents that very same thing). But the Guard is not prohibited in operating on US soil by the Posse Comitatus act of 1878 as long they are under no direct control of the Federal Government. Yet even that presents a challenge because the funding for this deployment would fall on the border states, further complicating the matter.

The best thing to do -and this may sound a little unfair- is to remove any and all incentives for all immigrants. By that I mean denying work to any illegal immigrants, nationality notwithstanding, scaling down any social services except medical care where appropriate, increasing the fines on employers who hire illegals, etc., etc. Unless we as a nation are of the same mind, a solution to illegal immigration can be found. But I still believe that immigration is a good thing, and we should not penalize legal immigrants to benefit illegal ones. Even by considering the notion of amnesty for illegal immigrants we are doing a disservice to ourselves and to those who abided by the laws and policies of this country. Besides even if amnesty would ever be entertained how will we discern who is eligible for amnesty of not. Out of roughly 11 million illegals in this country all would claim they have the moral fortitude and lenght of stay here to desereve amnesty.

In closing, if you can vote, this is your chance to make your opinion heard. If you can't vote, influence someone who can...

posted by Yogi @ 3:52 PM