| A quick glance at a map will show there are definite | | | | become US citizens. However, rather than resulting in |
| parameters indicating cities, counties and states. | | | | fewer border infractions as was hoped, illegal |
| These are all held together by the perimeter lines | | | | crossings and smuggling of both people and drugs |
| that show the extent of the countries geographic | | | | continues. |
| boundaries. Any problems between the United States | | | | Still the employers had no reason to stop hiring the |
| and our two neighboring countries were resolved | | | | cheap labor, because the laws forbidding this practice |
| many years ago. So what went wrong at our | | | | were not enforced or the fines not harsh enough to |
| southern border? | | | | put an end to this job magnet for illegals. Many |
| The federal government is responsible for protecting | | | | authorities believe that if the jobs were not there, |
| our borders, establishing points of entry through | | | | the people would not be here. With the nation's high |
| which goods and people flow as well as ensuring the | | | | unemployment rate it was expected that more |
| safety of this country's citizens from outside | | | | people would be returning south, but this has not |
| influences. For years those crossing into the US from | | | | materialized. |
| Mexico represented cheap labor, so the government, | | | | Currently there are millions of undocumented workers |
| business and individuals turned their collective heads | | | | living in a shadow society who plan to stay but run |
| to the violations taking place allowing undocumented | | | | the risk of being caught and possibly deported. On |
| workers to move back and forth with virtual | | | | top of this there is a big crime element within the |
| impunity. | | | | illegal community who leach off other aliens as well as |
| The rationale was simple: Americans would not do | | | | the general population. Most illegals don't speak English |
| the jobs illegals were willing to do; and if they did | | | | have limited skills and no medical insurance. Their |
| they would want to be paid much more money. The | | | | wages go to surviving rather than improving their lot |
| workers found that the United States offered far | | | | in life. |
| more opportunities than their homelands, so they | | | | Comprehensive immigration reform includes amnesty. |
| stayed. Even with the low pay, these immigrants | | | | So, the politics must be stopped before we make |
| managed to send money home. Often this money | | | | another irreversible mistake. First, the borders must |
| was used by relatives to join other family members | | | | be secured to stop the influx of people. Then, the |
| already living here. | | | | employment laws need to be implemented with big |
| Young workers soon started families and, the | | | | fines for hiring undocumented workers. After this, we |
| Constitution recognizes the children of illegals born in | | | | must decide how to handle the people who are |
| the United States as citizens of this country. In 1965 | | | | already here. In the meantime, let's hope and pray |
| a law was passed allowing mothers and some other | | | | that Canada's economy remains healthy, so we don't |
| family members' permanent US residency. A one-time | | | | have to worry about the northern border, too. |
| amnesty was declared in 1986 and many have since | | | | |