In 2009 alone, 419 bodies were discovered along the Mexican border. In the even shorter time between April and September 2010, some 11,333 illegal immigrants were kidnapped throughout Mexico. And just last year, 72 immigrants were brutally slaughtered by the Los Zetas, their bodies dumped in mass graves. Unfortunately, this violence is nothing new.
It is both shocking and unacceptable, and it’s finally getting recognition. On July 6, The Washington Post produced a piece about the treacherous journey of illegal immigrants from Mexico. This timely front page spread had striking similarities to a Heritage Foundation study published on June 22.
Both articles noted that since the economic decline in 2004 and 2005, illegal immigration has significantly decreased, but unfortunately, the dangers of illegal border crossing continue to grow.
Between hiring coyotes, riding on top of trains, or boating across dangerous waters, many have taken extreme actions in pursuit of the American dream.
The Heritage report noted:
Criminal acts committed against illegal immigrants include kidnapping, robbery, extortion, sexual violence, and death at the hands of cartels, smugglers, and even corrupt Mexican government officials.
And the Post writes:
Where migrants once faced being robbed or molested, they now fear being killed and dumped in mass graves—or forcefully recruited into a gang and made to smuggle drugs—or abducted and tortured for weeks.
The alarming rate of violence has led to more than just deaths. Mexico now has the second highest kidnapping rate in the world. It is three times higher than Colombia’s rate at its height of violence in the ‘80s and ‘90s.
The violence on our border is in need of resolution. However, amnesty is not the answer and would only make matters worse. The escalating violence, ad hoc border security, and spotty immigration enforcement demands a more comprehensive and robust strategy for combating human smuggling, violence, and the huge numbers of illegal aliens. This would move the United States in a direction that stems the tide of dangerous illegal migration.
Kudos to the Post and Foreign Policy magazine for picking up on such an important issue. Now Congress and the Administration need to take note.
3 Step Plan
1) Seal the US-Mexican border.
2) Give illegals a choice to stay or return.
3) Those who stay pay 3% higher income tax for the rest of their life to offset the revenue already spent on them.
The under belly for truth called "Human Suffering," pointed out in Jessica's article is called unidentified bodies found in our desert areas.
Triple digits, exposure from dehydration,Scorpion bites, snake bites and abandonment by coyote guides in the formidable desert terrains, are some causes for certain death.
This video was filmed in 2010 for just ONE border sector ( Tuscon), AZ ( please embed) http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=c11_1293552661
The cycle has begun for 2011: .
The John and Jane Does' that can't be I'D, in our morgue after a specific period of time, are cremated.
And the likelihood our government will do anything positive to stop the flow, is abysmal. Amnesty only encourages additional illegal entries. We will have to have serious blood spilled before politicians will do what most of the public wants. That is to actually & properly secure that porous border.
Someone else made this comment related to this ages ago in another article. For what it is worth, I'll repeat it as well as I can: The Mexican people would be better off if the USA got out of the middle east, decided to invade Mexico, conduct a counter insurgency program and set up a republic or just make it a territory in advance of making it a state in a generation or so.
Good point. Mexico has a bunch of oil too.