Border Security and Jobs

Immigrant bashing happens on the US-Mexico border, but it is just as bad, if not worse on the Mexico-Central America border:

... As tough as the United States can be for workers who slip in from south of the border, Mexico is in a poor position to criticize. The problem goes far beyond the predatory gantlet of thugs and crooked cops facing defenseless transients like Moisés. There's ample precedent in Mexico for just about everything the United States is—or isn't—doing. Calling out the military? Mexicans may hate the new U.S. plan to deploy 6,000 National Guard troops on the border, but five years ago they cheered President Vicente Fox for sending thousands of Mexican soldiers to crack down on their southern frontier. Tougher laws? Hispanic-rights groups are enraged over U.S. efforts to criminalize undocumented aliens—yet since 1974, sneaking into Mexico has been punishable by up to two years in prison. Foot-dragging on amnesty? Fox has spent the past five years urging the United States to upgrade the status of millions of illegals from Mexico. Meanwhile, his own government has given legal status to only 15,000 foreigners without papers.

... At least a few Mexicans are balking at the hypocrisy. Late last year their National Human Rights Commission issued a report criticizing Mexico's widespread mistreatment of aliens; the report described sub- human facilities where captured illegals are kept until they can be deported. Several international news agencies ran stories on the publication. But most of Mexico's leading papers ignored it.

People will immigrate if their economic opportunities are limited, and the Mexican economy is relatively well-off compared to some of its Central American neighbors. Building fences may slow things down, but "economic gravity" dictates that immigration will continue as long as immigrants continue to find employment. Improving the enforcement of employment laws that are on the books will be a much more effective strategy. But that requires going against the Chamber of Commerce and convincing the local population to pay higher prices for goods and services. Bottom line: immigrants come to work, and as long as there are jobs that pay higher that what they can get back home, they will continue to find a way to come.