A Growing Problem
John H. Adler
April 19, 2006
Our borders with neighbors, Canada and Mexico, are as porous as sieves. It would be a tremendous task to keep people from entering territory that spans thousands of miles.
Canada, a country of laws and enlightened government, presents no real problem. Most Canadian citizens are satisfied and proud to live within the confines of their borders.
Mexico, and some other countries of Central and South America, suffer from poor management and largely corrupt governments. While endowed with natural resources, a disproportionate number of those nationals live in dire poverty. The profits end up in the hands of super-wealthy companies and individuals.
The United States attracts workers from Mexico and other nations as the country where they hope to find honest work for decent wages. The strength of the American dollar, which they intend to send home, will afford them and their families a decent way of life. However, once they arrive here and become used to the American standard of life, many decide to send for their families and make the United States their home.
I fully understand the ambitions of people to better their standard of living and improve their lives. I sympathize with these people; I was one of them. But I can not condone the lawlessness that accompanies their ambitions.
I was expelled from Germany in 1939 and eventually joined the British Army. In 1946, at the end of WWII, I wanted to immigrate to the United States and build a new life. One of my American relatives opened an affidavit of support for me, assuring the government that I would not require monetary assistance. Fair enough!
I had to wait almost two years for my quota number to come up. Before I was required to undergo and pass a medical examination, I had to provide proof of a clean, personal record. Only then did I receive a visa. Once I settled in Los Angeles, I waited five years before becoming a citizen. During that time, I needed to study the structure of the American government and to speak English, the legal language of the United States of America.
I recognized that these requirements were necessary in order to manage proper, legal immigration. It never occurred to me to enter the States any other way.
To enter the United States illegally is a crime! Yet, the Mexican Government encourages their citizens to illegally cross the border, amounting to a blatant, international breach of sovereignty.
Twelve million illegal immigrants? Don’t tell me that the economy of the United States would collapse without this “blessing”. Much, perhaps most, of the money earned by Illegals is sent back to Mexico anyway thus removing it from our economy.
I say YES to guest workers, with temporary visas. I say YES to legal and orderly immigration.
But I say NO to the unchecked inundation of our country by millions of people who insist on speaking their own language and waving their countries’ flags. Criminals among them converge into vicious gangs. Our schools and hospital emergency rooms are overwhelmed by Illegals.
We, the taxpayers of our country, are asked to support the inability or unwillingness of our government to put a halt to the violation of our borders.
The unchecked influx of people across our Mexican border should, and could, be eased greatly by the Mexican government. United States and Mexican border control, working in unison, could greatly slow the unabated flow of illegal immigration into our country. But that would be unacceptable to the Mexican government.
At the end of the day, the solution to the problem can not be legislated by the American Congress. It lies with the Mexican Government. Benefits that could be derived from a well-run Mexican economy are kept away from its people.
It is my opinion that the solution lies in negotiations between the United States and Mexican governments. The infusion of capable and honest people into the Mexican Government could do wonders. We never hear that Mexico is blessed with enough good people to be able to create a country that can revitalize its soil, build factories and afford their people a decent living.
Why is our government, Republicans and Democrats, unwilling to forcefully tackle a solution to the growing problem? Is politics rearing its ugly head? Are votes derived from changing demographics at the bottom of all this?
It would be naïve to think that there is a quick solution for this problem. Even if an acceptable resolution would be found it would take a long time to implement. We must come to terms with the fact that, for the foreseeable future, we are faced with more of the same.
Canada, a country of laws and enlightened government, presents no real problem. Most Canadian citizens are satisfied and proud to live within the confines of their borders.
Mexico, and some other countries of Central and South America, suffer from poor management and largely corrupt governments. While endowed with natural resources, a disproportionate number of those nationals live in dire poverty. The profits end up in the hands of super-wealthy companies and individuals.
The United States attracts workers from Mexico and other nations as the country where they hope to find honest work for decent wages. The strength of the American dollar, which they intend to send home, will afford them and their families a decent way of life. However, once they arrive here and become used to the American standard of life, many decide to send for their families and make the United States their home.
I fully understand the ambitions of people to better their standard of living and improve their lives. I sympathize with these people; I was one of them. But I can not condone the lawlessness that accompanies their ambitions.
I was expelled from Germany in 1939 and eventually joined the British Army. In 1946, at the end of WWII, I wanted to immigrate to the United States and build a new life. One of my American relatives opened an affidavit of support for me, assuring the government that I would not require monetary assistance. Fair enough!
I had to wait almost two years for my quota number to come up. Before I was required to undergo and pass a medical examination, I had to provide proof of a clean, personal record. Only then did I receive a visa. Once I settled in Los Angeles, I waited five years before becoming a citizen. During that time, I needed to study the structure of the American government and to speak English, the legal language of the United States of America.
I recognized that these requirements were necessary in order to manage proper, legal immigration. It never occurred to me to enter the States any other way.
To enter the United States illegally is a crime! Yet, the Mexican Government encourages their citizens to illegally cross the border, amounting to a blatant, international breach of sovereignty.
Twelve million illegal immigrants? Don’t tell me that the economy of the United States would collapse without this “blessing”. Much, perhaps most, of the money earned by Illegals is sent back to Mexico anyway thus removing it from our economy.
I say YES to guest workers, with temporary visas. I say YES to legal and orderly immigration.
But I say NO to the unchecked inundation of our country by millions of people who insist on speaking their own language and waving their countries’ flags. Criminals among them converge into vicious gangs. Our schools and hospital emergency rooms are overwhelmed by Illegals.
We, the taxpayers of our country, are asked to support the inability or unwillingness of our government to put a halt to the violation of our borders.
The unchecked influx of people across our Mexican border should, and could, be eased greatly by the Mexican government. United States and Mexican border control, working in unison, could greatly slow the unabated flow of illegal immigration into our country. But that would be unacceptable to the Mexican government.
At the end of the day, the solution to the problem can not be legislated by the American Congress. It lies with the Mexican Government. Benefits that could be derived from a well-run Mexican economy are kept away from its people.
It is my opinion that the solution lies in negotiations between the United States and Mexican governments. The infusion of capable and honest people into the Mexican Government could do wonders. We never hear that Mexico is blessed with enough good people to be able to create a country that can revitalize its soil, build factories and afford their people a decent living.
Why is our government, Republicans and Democrats, unwilling to forcefully tackle a solution to the growing problem? Is politics rearing its ugly head? Are votes derived from changing demographics at the bottom of all this?
It would be naïve to think that there is a quick solution for this problem. Even if an acceptable resolution would be found it would take a long time to implement. We must come to terms with the fact that, for the foreseeable future, we are faced with more of the same.
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