OPINION & EDITORIAL
Immigration issues demand joint effort
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Also by Jeff Carnes:
- Gay frat diversifies Greeks (May 4, 2007)
- Problems in city's environment vast (April 26, 2007)
- State budget must keep UW in mind (April 19, 2007)
- Students should take responsiblity for credit card debts (April 12, 2007)
- State must confront brain drain issue (March 29, 2007)
Related Stories:
- Spring elections story misleading (December 12, 2006)
- Scapegoating immigrants (April 15, 2005)
- From Wisconsin to Arizona (January 17, 2005)
- Lighting up hurts, endangers many (December 7, 2006)
- Dorkifying spring break (March 21, 2002)
by Jeff Carnes
Thursday, March 31, 2005
Many of us who were fortunate enough to escape from the snowstorms of spring break got to enjoy the sun and warm climates of Florida, Texas and Mexico. Living in Arizona for this academic year, I spent spring break on a small part of the Arizona Trail. Hiking from the Arizona-Mexico border to the first major peak of the Huachuca Mountains, I experienced breathtaking views of Cochise County and the Sonora Desert from 9,456 feet. Unfortunately, I also had to hike through trash — Coke cans, cookie wrappers and electrolyte bottles — and all of it had Spanish labels.
The trails in Southern Arizona now have a dual purpose: recreation during the day and a route for illegal entrants from Mexico to the United States at night. With the crackdown of illegal immigrants along the California-Mexico border, the Sonora Desert has become the choice illegal point of entry. The desolate landscape, the shortage of Border Patrol agents and the small population along the American side of the border make Arizona tempting for illegal Mexicans and Central Americans to cross into the United States.
The costs of illegal entrants are enormous. According to a 2004 study from the Federation for American Immigration Reform, illegal immigration costs Arizona $1.3 billion, or approximately $700 per Arizonan resident per year. Just as importantly, there are numerous deaths as a result of making the trek from Mexico through Arizona. The Arizona Department of Health Services reported that 196 illegal immigrants died from 1997 to 2002 because of heat exposure, and this number was a huge increase from the 90s due to the increase of crossings into Arizona in the same time period.
The increase of illegal entrants crossing into Arizona has led to an increase in the amount of drug trafficking across its border. The Border Patrol in fiscal year 2004 seized 446,754 pounds of marijuana crossing the border. This increase of drug trafficking has led the State Department to issue a public announcement urging Americans to be cautious in the Mexican border areas due to an increase in kidnappings and killings.
The response to illegal immigration has varied widely in the United States and Arizona. Some groups, especially church groups, put out barrels of water in high-traffic areas. Other groups, such as one in Hereford near where I was hiking, are forming militias to patrol the border. The citizens of Arizona in November passed Proposition 200, which limits public services to illegal entrants.
Outside of Arizona, the debate on a national level is just as heated. The U.S. and Mexican governments in September 2001 launched the Partnership for Prosperity, which aims to increase public and private investment in Mexico to provide more incentives for Mexicans to stay in Mexico. Since then, however, immigration talks have been stalled due to Sept. 11, 2001, and Mexican opposition to Operation Iraqi Freedom. The Mexican government has accused the United States of delaying legislation vital to immigration reform. The American government has accused the Mexican government of promoting illegal immigration; for example, in January 2005, the Mexican government published the “Guides for Mexican Migrants,” which mentions in one small section how to avoid U.S. Border Patrol agents.
The center of the issue is immigration reform. On the one hand, illegal immigration is just that — illegal — and leads to problems such as drug trafficking, smugglers abusing illegal immigrants, deaths and huge economic costs. On the other hand, illegal migrants are people and do not deserve to die.
We must push the United States and Mexico to work on the issue of immigration and find a solution. Illegal entrants are going to greater lengths to cross the border. The Arizona Trail is a difficult trail and even I was struggling to make it. I could only imagine the difficulties of someone not trained in hiking. The deaths and environmental damage due to illegal immigration are only increasing along with the problems that accompany it. Drug trafficking is making towns like Nogales unsafe to students on spring break, and the militia groups forming in Arizona may accidentally harm or kill a Border Patrol agent. These problems will only continue until both governments come to an agreement on how to solve the problem.
Jeff Carnes (jmcarnes@wisc.edu) is a junior majoring in linguistics.
Anonymous (March 31, 2005 @ 9:37am):
Arm the border militia. That's my solution.
Anonymous (March 31, 2005 @ 9:50am):
The USA can surrender to the "la Reconquista" or it can protect its territory and citizens from the invasion - there is no third way.
Anonymous (March 31, 2005 @ 10:06am):
This is one of those situations in which both political parties are on the wrong side of the issue. Dems have unrealistic ideas about the rights of illegal aliens and seek to increase the population that votes on entitlements, and Repubs are beholden to businesses that seek to employ workers at below market rights.
The National Guard should be on both borders, immediately. And silly rules about drivers licenses and "rights" for illegal alieans should be stopped.
Anonymous (March 31, 2005 @ 5:48pm):
I think it is imperative that we consider the underlying causes of this migration. The economic imperialism of multinational corporations (largely US), compounded with corruption within the Mexican government creates a huge disparity of wealth. This was perpetuated by NAFTA. Small farmers are not longer able to compete with large landowners and many flock to the cities to work in maquilas etc. The only way to sustainably address this issue is to address the underlying problems that are the root of this immigration. Border militia etc. only will perpetuate the violence and suffering and not solve anything.
Anonymous (March 31, 2005 @ 5:56pm):
Yeah, and crime will be solved by making everybody rich.
Anonymous (March 31, 2005 @ 7:13pm):
For more than a decade, at least several hundred thousand -- possibly several million -- illegal aliens have crossed the U.S. border with Mexico every year. This was inconceivable as late as the 1980s, well before the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, but even the worst attacks on U.S. soil were not enough to compel the Bush administration to build a functional border there.
The White House believes such measures as a color-coded terror warning system and a requirement that one partially disrobe before boarding a plane should coexist while millions of people streaming across our borders go unchecked every year.
***
It's interesting that while the president regards this as vigilante activity, it is precisely what his administration has asked from banks, travel agencies and even plumbers and cable television installers in connection with the Justice Department's Citizens Corps (search) program.
According to DOJ materials, the Citizens Corps program "works to enhance the capacity of state and local law enforcement to utilize volunteers." The program asks the cable installer, for instance, to observe what is in plain view while in a customer's home and to report "suspicious" activity to the FBI.
***
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,151987,00.html
Anonymous (March 31, 2005 @ 10:47pm):
Immigration is the lifeblood of this country. Ever wonder why Europe and Japan are dying societies? It's because they are hostile to immigrants. If the US turns hostile to immigrants, they are only hurting themselves in the long-run.
Anonymous (March 31, 2005 @ 11:06pm):
"Immigration is the lifeblood of this country."
China and India don't see much inflow and seem to be booming.
Europe is getting more immigration than they can handle - check out the situation in France, Germany, Netherlands, etc.
The problem in Europe is that no one wants to have children - why bother when the government will take care of you when you get old. Hmmm, sounds like really good SS can have side effects.
Immigration is one thing - an INVASION is quite another and make no mistake, the Mexican politicians brag about how they will reconquer all the lands they lost in the wars. Baja California will go all the way to Oregon, New Mexico will just be Mexico, etc.
Anonymous (June 30, 2005 @ 9:40am):
ALL immigration is illegal. Opinion polls show 80% of Americans want at least 80% LESS
"legal" immigration. Pro-immigration forces use bribery, blackmail, and extortion to prevail. It's common sense immigration causes pollution. When 1.5 million new people come to the US (one third illegal), they will need houses and apartments. Where are you going to build them--in mid air? The only place to build them is on land that is now either wilderness or devoted to agriculture. Since greater New Orleans occupies 5,000 square miles, that is how much land we lose each year. America may be a nation of immigrants, but so are ALL nations.
