With the recent debates about nationalized healthcare, the border issue has somewhat disappeared from the spotlight.  Unless of course you live somewhere in the southwestern United States.  Here in Arizona police agencies from around the metro-Phoenix area are finding drop houses almost daily.  U.S. Title 8, section 1325 states any alien who enters or tries to enter the U.S. at anytime or place other than designated by immigration officers or "eludes examination or inspection of immigration officers shall be fined or imprisoned."  This federal code is very straight forward and should not leave any doubt that a person simply cannot legally enter the U.S. whenever or wherever they choose.  Yet, approximately 2000 people illegally walk across our southern border each day.  It has been estimated that there are 10 20 million illegal aliens here in the U.S.

 Most citizens would be happy if our current immigration laws were properly enforced, but that is not happening.  Whenever a suggestion is made to government and law enforcement officials to enforce the immigration laws, activists come out of the woodwork, point fingers and attack those who want border enforcement.  Supporters of immigration enforcement are labeled racists and bigots and they are accused of not wanting to help the needy.  Some individuals even go so far as to claim that we Americans are not even true citizens, therefore we have no right to even have immigration laws. (More on that stupidity later)

I have nothing against immigrants coming to America, but it is ridiculous when people twist the debate about immigration laws into hatred of immigrants.  For the majority of Americans it is not about immigrant hatred.  Most Americans want border enforcement.

Everyday people from all over the world still flock to the U.S.  We are still the Land of Opportunity.  But, that does not mean we should just open up our borders without some sort of border control or security.  I find it quite interesting when the Mexican government complains about our border enforcement.  Mexican border enforcement along their southern border with Guatemala and Belize makes our border enforcement look like daycare.

 The majority of Central Americans who make their way to the U.S. have to cross through Mexico first.  They usually cross at the Mexican/Guatemalan border.  Those unfortunate to get caught by the Mexican authorities are usually robbed, beaten, imprisoned or killed.  Now remember I said Mexican authorities.  That is in addition to the regular thugs and criminals who look for illegals crossing into Mexico.  So what happens when the U.S. Border Patrol catches illegals? They send them back to Mexico.  Well, most of the time.  When aliens are caught, immigration determines nationality and if they are Mexican and are not wanted for any crimes in the U.S., they are sent back.  If they are wanted for a crime or if they are not from Mexico, they are released into the U.S.  They cannot be sent back to Mexico and our detention centers are almost always full so they cannot be incarcerated.  Instead of being sent away or jailed, these illegals are given a court date for an immigration hearing and then asked to wait around the U.S. until their immigration hearing.  What a joke!  85% of these displaced criminal or non-Mexican illegals are never seen again.  You cannot tell me this is not a perfect place for terrorists to make their way unnoticed into the U.S.  Even illegals from countries such as Iran or Syria are allowed to roam free. Here is a statistic to think about.  In February of 2009 it was reported that there were "554,000 illegal alien-fugitives running around the U.S."

 There are record numbers of rapes, murders and kidnappings in the border cities in both Mexico and the U.S.  Phoenix, AZ has the second most kidnappings in the world.  The only city with more kidnappings is Mexico City.  The U.S. government and the courts have only made the situation worse.  Here are some examples: Two Arizona ranchers held a group of illegals at gun point after catching the illegals on their land.  The ranchers held the illegals until authorities arrived on scene.  Later the illegals successfully sued the ranchers and were awarded $78,000.  The illegals said they were traumatized and their civil rights were violated.

 In April of 2005 a Texas deputy pulled a late night traffic stop on a van.  The van was full of illegals, but they were all lying on the floor.  As the deputy approached the van, the driver took off and tried to run over the deputy.  Rather than shoot the driver (which the deputy had every right to do) he shot out the tires to the van.  Everybody in the van except for one woman took off running.  The U.S. and Mexican governments prosecuted the deputy for violating the illegals civil rights and for using excessive force.  The deputy was jailed for nearly one year, was fined $5000 and the illegals sued him for damages, medical expenses, pain and suffering and mental anguish.  The only casualty was the woman who did not run.  Her teeth were broken from shrapnel.  Nobody else was injured.  The illegals were awarded $100,000.

 There was an MS-13 gang member in the U.S. illegally, and he wanted to go home to El Salvador for Christmas.  So, he turned himself in to the government and they flew him home on taxpayer dollars.  When Christmas was over the gang member snuck back into the U.S. and then he repeatedly did this year after year.

 These incidents are just a few of many examples of a system in place that could be effective, but the government decides the rights of non-citizens are more important than legal citizens and tax payer money.