Mexican Border Problems The U.S.-Mexico border region is one of the most dynamic in the world. It extends more than 3,100 kilometers (2,000 miles) from the Gulf of Mexico to the Pacific Ocean, and 100 kilometers (62.5 miles) on each side of the international border and is marked by high concrete fences in the west and a broad shallow river in the east when it reaches Texas. The region includes large deserts, numerous mountain ranges, rivers, wetlands, large estuaries, and shared aquifers. While its people share natural resources like water and air, the border region is characterized by many social, economic, and political contrasts. There is the single biggest and most …show more content…
While Al Qaeda infiltration across the nation's southern border has been a constant concern since 9/11, US officials cite recent intelligence giving the most definitive evidence yet that terrorists are planning to use it as an entry point - if they haven't already. "I'm worried about our border," Sen. John McCain of Arizona said at a March 17 2005 at Senate hearing on threats facing the US. "We have now hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of people who are crossing illegally every year. And we are now seeing a larger number of people cross our southern border who are from countries of interest as opposed to just Latin American [countries]."
He pointed out that speaking about the illegal immigrants there is one more problem. There are “Mexicans” and there are “other than Mexicans” or so called OTMs. The Mexicans know that if they get caught all that happens is that they are deported. But the OTMs are different. They come from other Latin American countries as well as other parts of the world: Afghanistan, Iraq etc. When they cross the border, if there are caught, there are not deported immediately, but are allowed in, pending immigration hearings. They are given an appearance ticket for a court hearing and released into America's population. They don't show up for court, because they know they'll lose the case.
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, signed in 1848, officially ended the war between Mexico and the United States. Even though it happened over 168 years ago, its legacy persists, because the treaty redefined the border and the border region. Under the terms of the treaty, Mexicans who suddenly found themselves living in the United States choose either Mexican citizenship, in which case they would have to relocate south of the new border, or to stay where they were and become citizens of the United States. About 80 percent—a total of seventy-five thousand Mexican people—remained in the United States (Passel, 2011). Since then, continuing economic and political difficulties in Mexico, combined with economic opportunities in the United States, have encouraged the flow of migration from Mexico to the United States in large numbers. Today, Mexican Americans are the fastest growing ethnic group in the United States and the estimated Mexican American population in 2000 was 20.6 million people, the largest Mexican population outside of Mexico (Center for Immigration Studies, 2010). Most Mexican Americans entered the United States legally and have become full U.S. citizens, however, the number of illegal immigrants arriving from Mexico has been an alarming and concerning issue in the United States and especially the state of Arizona. Arizona is in a unique geopolitical location in the United States because it shares a 370-mile border with Mexico. Much of the border is open and
There is little question that aggressive policing needs to be done between Mexico and Texas. Blocking illegal drugs and violent cartels from entering the United States is crucial and dangerous work. At the same time, numerous indices of crime rates show border communities to be among the safer regions of the state. Such dissonance makes it difficult for the public and its representatives to create a response that also successfully navigates the political landscape.
The deaths in the border between Mexico and the United states have been increasing rapidly in the past decade. The fatalities have doubled since 1998 due to the increase of borders patrol and border militarization. The result is the redistribution of the migratory flow to more dangerous and remote areas such as southern Arizona. Even though the number of immigrants who try to cross the border has decreased, the number of fatalities continues to increase. Immigrants will not stop coming unless the situation in their countries changes and with a more protected border, they will look for more remote areas to try to cross. We are experiencing the largest numbers of fatalities in the border between Mexico and the United States. The increase
Officials are taking steps to curb illegal immigration which include trying to figure out how to handle the current border crisis. There are many solutions to handle the border crisis. One solution would be to establish new policies to help control the crisis. But before new policies are created this country needs a new Congress. Therefore it would be essential to elect an entirely new set of individuals to Congress. Maybe with a new Congress, they would work together so that they could get something done. It is also important to examine the border security policies and asylum processes of other countries. This would help the United States see how other countries handle the asylum process so that they could determine how the asylum process in this country could change.
Although written in 2003, Andreas’ article “Redrawing the Line” provides an interesting perspective into national sovereignty and contemporary anxiety regarding American border security, specifically as applied to Mexico. Poignantly, the author states that no state will ever ensure complete control of its territorial integrity by sealing its borders (109). However, Andreas contends that this reality does not, in fact, imply that “states have ‘lost control’ over their borders” (110). Furthermore, he offers an interesting perspective into the different types of borders, which he categorizes as military, economic, and police (85). Each type of border, and its associated security, maintain their own costs and benefits. For example, although strict
For illegal immigrants, it is very dangerous for them to come across. They are risking their lives and their families’ lives in search for work. In the deserts that they cross are robbers, murders, no water and no food. The AZ Republic (2003) estimated that in a year’s time, approximately one million people will get caught trying to sneak illegally into the U.S., and over 1000 will die. According to the USCR (2002), in July, Mexico began a campaign to amplify the immigration enforcement at the southern border. The called their campaign “Plan Sur”, and it was aimed at stopping numerous illegal immigrants from stepping foot into the U.S. After September 11, hundreds more were deployed to watch the border from illegal immigrants. Also, The INS has the border wired with high-tech gizmos and practically 10,000 agents to slash the stream
Did you know that it will cost billions to finish the border wall between U.S and Mexico? Do you know where is Trump is going to get billions from ? Tax payers. Congress has no idea where to get the money to fund the building of the border wall between the U.S and Mexico. The fence will not stop immigrants from coming into the country at all, there are ways that people from Mexico can enter the U.S legally. The border wall is too expensive and impractical for us to continue building to complete it, it’s going to take 4 years for the border wall to completely finish covering the remaining 1,250 miles. A border wall won’t solve any terrorist problem that we as a country have. We shouldn’t continuing the building of the U.S- Mexico border because it just a waste of time and money because it will take 4 years for the border wall to be completely finish the border and maybe after the wall is finish, May not Trump won’t be president The border wall won’t help the crime rate go down in the U.S.
Coming from a life of poverty and despair would be enough cause for anyone to search for a better life; a life in which there is a belief that all of your biggest dreams can come true. This is the belief that many immigrants have about the United States. They naively believe for it to be the “land of opportunity”. Originally the United States was founded and settled by immigrants. Many immigrants, such as Mexicans, Eastern Europeans, Jews, and others from countries around the world came to America to escape war, poverty, famine, and/or religious prosecution. Some also chose to immigrate to take advantage of the opportunities and promises that America held. One such major group of people is Mexicans. Being a border line country neighbor to
Illegal immigration was an issue in the past and is a pressing problem in the present. The U.S. Government has been trying to find a resolution to this issue for years. The United States approved the Immigration Reform and Control Act in 1986, which allowed the American Government to punish American companies that consciously employed illegal immigrants (Nadadur 1037-1052). The United States’ Government Immigration Reform and Control Act has been unsuccessful in controlling illegal immigration. It is estimated that illegal immigration into the U.S. has a yearly interval of three hundred fifty thousand people (Rousmaniere 24-25). It is apparent that the 1986 act was not able to keep a handle on illegal immigration. Illegal immigration
Mexico border is the international land boundary line that crosses multiple types of terrains and geographical environments between Tijuana, Baja California and Imperial Beach, California running 1,954 miles to the east ending at Matamoros, Tamaulipas, and Brownsville, Texas. There is also maritime boundaries connected to the land fencing that includes 18 miles in the Pacific Ocean connecting to California and Tijuana, and 12 miles in the Gulf of Mexico connecting to Texas and Tamaulipas. This border is the most crossed and controlled border line in the world, with about 5 million crossings being made annually.
What does the message send to Americans and illegals by building a wall between the U.S.- Mexico border? This border wall would not be the first or last in this world there is actually a few walls still up to this day or broken down. Immigrants and their families come to the United States for a better life. Now are afraid to get caught by ICE agents and get deported back to their former country. While the president wants to build this wall, and keep U.S. citizens in and undocumented immigrants out. The idea of this wall shows how a nation would be divided by who wants to build the wall and why, the advantages and disadvantages.
The United States has long served as a refuge for people who seek to escape hunger, poverty, torture, and the oppression of the human spirit in their own countries. However, the issue of immigration in the United States has become a political flashpoint since the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. The sacralization of the tragedy has served to paint all immigrants with the same fear-ladened brush, and has marginalized and stereotyped an already vulnerable population. Today, more than ever, immigrants in the United States face increasing stressors as they try to assimilate in a politically charged post 9/11 world. To be an effective social worker, immigration issues and multicultural awareness is critical. Mary and Mario, a couple who
citizens north of the border into the United States. Not only were they pushed to America by the
One of the most controversial political issues of today is that of illegal immigrants from Mexico. Illegal immigration into the United States is a problem that should be stopped, as it is unfair to both Americans and to the people of the country from which they illegally immigrated. It is thought that the majority of illegal aliens residing in the U.S. are Mexicans (Anderson 55). Roy Beck clarifies the situation by stating, "The national consensus is that the United States should be a post-mass immigration country has included most leaders of business, religion, labor, academia, and social work." Illegal immigration from Mexico must be stopped by means of different policies and other methods of prevention,
between them and the natives. Those immigrants of the past also did not come to