Mexico- our friendly neighbors

[Bronco Yoda]

CASEY WIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): LOU DOBBS TONIGHT has learned the border patrol caught seven men in camouflage armed with automatic rifles driving a Mexican military Humvee on the U.S. side of the border this morning near Yuma, Arizona. The Mexican military vehicle was being followed by the border patrol and ran out of gas about 200 yards from the Colorado River, which marks the border shown here in yellow.

The hummer was equipped with a turret-mounted machine gun. No shots were fired. The border patrol says the soldiers claim they were lost and believed they had not crossed into the United States because they remained on the south side of a newly constructed border fence. The border patrol says it took the men into custody and transferred them to the nearby San Luis Port of Entry where they were processed and returned to Mexico along with their vehicle and weapons which is standard border patrol procedure.

REP. TOM TANCREDO (R), COLORADO: This is not an uncommon occurrence, often time it is a result of the Mexican military providing cover essentially for drug transportation across into our country and/or creating a diversion, so it will draw our people away from the place where the drugs are coming across.

WIAN: Efforts to contact the Mexican government were unsuccessful. Previously it has said its troops were under orders to remain more than a mile from the U.S. border. In August, the border patrol acknowledged Mexican troops have crossed the U.S. border illegally 42 times since last October.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WIAN: According to Congressman Tancredo, the U.S. State Department for the first time lodged an official complaint with the Mexican government about military incursions just a few weeks ago. The State Department did not respond to our request for comment -- Lou.

DOBBS: Unbelievable. The first protest to the Mexican government comes with just about three months left in the Bush administration.

WIAN: Yeah, it seems that U.S. officials especially in the Bush administration are all too willing to believe the story of the Mexican government that these are simply accidental incursions and not something much more sinister, Lou.

DOBBS: Well of course, these are the same irresponsible, incompetent fools in the Department of Homeland Security who probably haven't noticed that Mexico remains the principal source of methamphetamines, heroin, cocaine and marijuana into the United States, 42 incursions. I mean that's simply crazy!

WIAN: It's really amazing. And when you have the stated policy of the Mexican government that the military is not supposed to go anywhere near the U.S. border, this really raises a lot of questions. I will add that the border patrol says it checked out all seven of these men for criminal background and for immigration violations. They all came up clean. So they returned these men to their military commander in Mexico, which the border patrol says is probably going to mete out much greater punishment than anything that can happen to them in the U.S.

DOBBS: Or perhaps the rewards will be even greater given their likely connection in these incursions, too, as you pointed out, the drug trade. Thank you very much, Casey -- Casey Wian.

Well evidence, as if we didn't need -- as if we did need it in any way, of corruption within the Mexican military, the Mexican Defense Department tonight is reporting that five members of the Mexican military are now under investigation for links to one of Mexico's most powerful drug cartels. Those five men reportedly have direct relationships with a suspected drug lord.

This is just the latest evidence of corruption at the highest levels of the Mexican military and Mexican government. Earlier this week, we reported to you on investigations of officials in the Mexican attorney general's office for its ties to the drug cartels and the arrest of a Mexican government immigration official for smuggling drugs into the United States."

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0810/31/ldt.01.html


:pity: We can't even protect our own boarder. :pity:

[Meck77]

It's not that hard to cross the border and not realized you crossed it. Buddy of mine owns a ranch right on the border. There is nothing there to even let you know you've crossed into Mexico. Besides the border security is a joke. We once snuck in a double decker custom made restaurant bus right through the border and for that one brief moment NOBODY saw a 30+ foot hamburger making bus driving through the border. It's parked near Sandy Beach in Puerto Penasco. If anyone is ever there stop in and grab a burger!

[Bronco Yoda]

Reverse incursion....lol

Funny story Meck.

They're smuggling drugs and who knows what in under the cover of military cover and we're sending back hamburgers and portable restaurants... lol.

[Meck77]

It was pretty fun actually. They kept us at the border for 8hrs and then all of a sudden a little Mexican (civilian) said "Go amigos! Go!".

The funniest thing about it is my buddies who were more hands on with the project worked illegally in Mexico for 6 months building the foundation/ the rest of the bar area for it.

Nobody likes to talk about the damn Americans taking Mexican jobs!

[Bronco Yoda]

Hilarious!

[broncofan7]

pretty sickening--thanks for the article Yoda. Ashame that the economy had to tank so badly that the press was not able to focus on this issue for a more considerable amount of time...It truly is going to shape our next century in terms of our legislature (both parties attempting to pander to the "latino" block), healthcare costs and quality /cost of education in our schools (FEX- to get hired in the Dallas independent school district you basically HAVE TO BE bilingual --though ONLY IN spanish and english). We have a somewhat controlled process already in place to control immigration, yet mexicans feel it is their RIGHT to 'cut in line' ahead of many indian nationals, phillipinos etc simply because they can. Sadly, any attempt by the US/local governments are suddenly turned into racial issues as oppsed to the national security/economic issue that IT IS.

[cutthemdown]

usually the more socialist a country goes the harsher they get on immigration.

You just can't offer great healthcare, education and other services because people will flock to take advantage.

People love to talk about some of the socialist countries in EU but there populations are small and they don't let just any immigrant come live there.

Everyone in CA/ARI knows about the Mexican Army being accused of running point for the drug smugglers. Mexico is so corrupt and devoid of strong central govt I fear they are decades away from improvement.

Outside of shooting to kill I don't see what our border guards can even do they are so out manned. Obviously that is no solution so in the mean time we are screwed until we build a huge wall which doesn't seem feasible in ever aspect.

It's almost like a no win scenerio.

[Needa Pass Rush]

John McCain on Border Security
and Immigration

"As you know, I and many other colleagues twice attempted to pass comprehensive immigration legislation to fix our broken borders; ensure respect for the laws of this country; recognize the important economic contribution of immigrant laborers; apprehend those who came here illegally to commit crimes; and deal practically and humanely with those who came here, as my distant ancestors did, to build a better, safer life for their families, without excusing the fact they came here illegally or granting them privileges before those who have been waiting their turn outside the country. Many Americans did not believe us when we said we would secure our borders, and so we failed in our efforts. I don't want to fail again to achieve comprehensive immigration reform. We must prove we have the resources to secure our borders and use them, while respecting the dignity and rights of citizens and legal residents of the United States. When we have achieved our border security goal, we must enact and implement the other parts of practical, fair and necessary immigration policy. We have economic and humanitarian responsibilities as well, and they require no less dedication from us in meeting them."


- John McCain


John McCain believes America's immigration system is broken. He is committed to a two-step process to reform.

Securing Our Borders First. John McCain's top immigration priority is to finish securing our borders in an expedited manner. Governors of border states will be required to certify that the border is secure. Steps to border security include:

Setting clear guidelines and objectives for securing the border through physical and virtual barriers.
Ensuring that adequate funding is provided for resources on the ground, but also training facilities, support staff and the deployment of technologies.
Dedicating funding to US Attorney’s offices in border states.
Implementing sound policies for contracting Department of Homeland Security software and infrastructure.
Deploy Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and other aircraft where needed and appropriate in the border region.
Continue implementation of the US-VISIT comprehensive visitor security program.Comprehensive Immigration Initiatives for a Secure Nation. Once the borders are secure, John McCain will:
Prosecute “Bad-Actor” Employers. John McCain will implement a secure, accurate, and reliable electronic employment verification system to ensure that individuals are screened for work eligibility in a real-time fashion. John McCain will use this new system in conjunction with other Department of Homeland Security resources to identify and aggressively prosecute employers that continue to hire illegal immigrants. The Electronic Employment Verification System will:

Establish a user-friendly system employing a limited set of secure documents that contain biometric data and are electronically verifiable to check a worker’s identity.
Provide responses to employer inquiries in a prompt and timely manner to provide both the employer and employee security in their hiring decisions.
Update and ensure the accuracy of current databases of government agencies that play a role in employment verification.
Protect the identities of each employee being screened and allow both employer and employee adequate time and opportunity to correct possible errors with any information in the system.
Institute targeted auditing by Department of Labor in order to weed out employers abusing the system.Meet America’s Labor Needs. John McCain will implement temporary worker programs that will reflect the labor needs of the United States in both the high-tech and low skilled sectors while protecting the employment opportunities for US workers:

Highly Skilled workers:
Ensure high skilled workers trained and educated in the United States have the opportunity to stay and work in the United States upon graduation.
Reform caps for H-1B visa program to rise and fall in response to market conditions. Reduce bureaucracy and waiting times for workers to arrive in the United States.
Increase available green card numbers to reflect employer and employee demand.
Extend the ability for H-1B visa holders to renew their H-1B status while waiting for their green card number to become available.
Ensure available and qualified American workers are given adequate and fair opportunities to apply for available positions.
Low-skilled non-agricultural workers:
Implement a usable, market based system for low-skilled workers to enter the United States in an orderly fashion.
Ensure that the cap rises and falls with market demand to meet the changing needs of the economy.
Provide for adequate worker protection to guard against employer abuses of temporary workers.
Protect American workers by designing a program that allows willing and eligible United States workers adequate opportunity to apply for available positions.
Ensure that workers return to their home countries after their temporary period in the United States.
Allow for appropriate visa renewals to assure that both the employer and employee have stability in the workforce.
Offer a limited number of green cards to reflect the small number of workers that may wish to remain in the United States permanently.
Low-skilled agricultural workers:
Reform the H-2A visa program to provide a non-bureaucratic, adaptable, useable program that is reflective of market needs and protects both the immigrant and US workers.Address the Undocumented. John McCain will address the fact that we have a large number undocumented individuals living in the United States and working in our economy:

All undocumented individuals will be required to enroll in a program to resolve their status.
This program will use background checks to identify criminal aliens for prosecution and deportation.
Assure that the remaining undocumented immigrants learn English, pay back taxes and fines, and pass a citizenship course as part of a path to legal status.
Guarantee that no person here illegally receives a green card before those that have been legally waiting outside the country.
Do a proper accounting of all social security numbers used and attained illegally, rectifying the accounts and alerting those whose identity had been compromised.
The program will also ensure that all undocumented aliens either leave or follow the path to legal residence. America cannot permit a permanent category of individuals that do not have recognized status – a permanent second class.
In addition, the program will provide a system that is fair, humane, realistic, and ensures the rights of the individual and families will be protected.
Ensure that families are reunited.
Address in an expedited manner the status of individuals brought here illegally as minors through no will or intention of their own.Eliminate the Family Backlog. John McCain will commit to clearing out the backlog of individuals that are waiting legally outside of the country, some for up to 20 years, for their green card number to become available.

[Needa Pass Rush]

Obama Plan for Immigration

The Problem

Undocumented population is exploding: The number of undocumented immigrants in the country has increased more than 40 percent since 2000. Every year, more than a half-million people come illegally or illegally overstay their visas.
Immigration bureaucracy is broken: The immigration bureaucracy is broken and overwhelmed, forcing legal immigrants to wait years for applications.
Immigration raids are ineffective: Despite a sevenfold increase in recent years, immigration raids only netted 3,600 arrests in 2006 and have placed all the burdens of a broken system onto immigrant families.
Barack Obama and Joe Biden's Plan

Create Secure Borders

Obama and Biden want to preserve the integrity of our borders. He supports additional personnel, infrastructure and technology on the border and at our ports of entry.
Improve Our Immigration System

Obama and Biden believe we must fix the dysfunctional immigration bureaucracy and increase the number of legal immigrants to keep families together and meet the demand for jobs that employers cannot fill.
Remove Incentives to Enter Illegally

Obama and Biden will remove incentives to enter the country illegally by cracking down on employers who hire undocumented immigrants.
Bring People Out of the Shadows

Obama and Biden support a system that allows undocumented immigrants who are in good standing to pay a fine, learn English, and go to the back of the line for the opportunity to become citizens.
Work with Mexico

Obama and Biden believe we need to do more to promote economic development in Mexico to decrease illegal immigration.
Barack Obama's Record


Crack Down on Employers: Obama championed a proposal to create a system so employers can verify that their employees are legally eligible to work in the U.S.
Fix the Bureaucracy: Obama joined Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-IL) to introduce the Citizenship Promotion Act to ensure that immigration application fees are both reasonable and fair. Obama also introduced legislation that passed the Senate to improve the speed and accuracy of FBI background checks.
Respect Families: Obama introduced amendments to put greater emphasis on keeping immigrant families together.

[NYBronco]

It was pretty fun actually. They kept us at the border for 8hrs and then all of a sudden a little Mexican (civilian) said "Go amigos! Go!".

The funniest thing about it is my buddies who were more hands on with the project worked illegally in Mexico for 6 months building the foundation/ the rest of the bar area for it.

Nobody likes to talk about the damn Americans taking Mexican jobs!

My brother in Crested Butte Co. has complained to me for years concerning all the Hispanics working and taking jobs in that area where he works. I have and continue to encourage him to head south of the border and fill the void where these people have left job opportunities open.

[watermock]

It's all Canada's fault!