The illegal alien problem.

SIERRA BLANCA, TEXAS) -- Local lawmen in remote west Texas came face to face with ten armed men wearing what appeared to be Mexican army camouflage uniforms who came to the aid of one of three suspected drug dealers' vehicles when it became stuck in the riverbank of the Rio Grande, law enforcement officials said today.

The Mexican govt. is denying that these people were not in the Mexican military and I doubt they were. I haven't written much on the border situation because I really have mixed feelings about it. I do believe that the guest worker program is a good idea. Millions are here illegally and they must be dealt with. Finding and deporting them is just physically impossible. But along with the worker program there must be a stronger presence at the border.

The reason I have mixed feelings is because of my personal experience with illegals. They are the hardest working people that I have ever seen. There is no doubt that they do jobs that no American wants to do. In the summer here I see them sweltering on a roof in 100 degree weather. My son worked at large garden nursery when he was 15. Everyone that worked with him was an illegal. One of their jobs was wading through a swamp and scooping up the scum on top with a net. Anyway, I asked the manager about them. He said they had papers but he doubted they were real. I actually snuck a look at some payroll stuff while I was in the office alone and he was paying them above minimum wage, which was a relief to me. If he had been paying them less I would have had to talk to him. (he was a friend) Please don't tell me that I should have called the police. Who would win there? Everyone would lose. I'm not going to take these men away from their families and the only real money they have ever made. If that was wrong, then I have to live it.

I had a woman who worked for me for 11 years named Pat. During that time I helped her get her citizenship. If I had any job that needed to be done whether it was moving something or digging up a tree or taking down a swingset, all I had to do was ask her and one of her relatives was there the next day to do it. I just always admired their work ethic. So I do have sympathy for those who cross over for a better life. Pat had to work in bean fields when she was a child. They had nothing. She told me she never believed or imagined that one day she would own a car or a house, but she now owned both with her husband and three girls.

Although the above story did happen in Texas, I think it is worse in other places. I have an Aunt that lives in Arizona. It seems the situation there is more out of control. Especially with medical services being free. Hospitals have closed because of it. The lands near the border have become pathways for drug dealers, those who deal in taking people across the border who do not care about their safety. It has become a dangerous situation. So much so the people have taken the law into their own hands to monitor the border themselves.

There is no doubt that we need a stronger border protection. There is no doubt that our government is not doing enough about it for political reasons. I'm just not sure we should direct our anger at the illegals. They don't know or care about our politics, they don't look at what they are doing as illegal. Most of them are only look at having a better life. The worker guest program allows us to know who his here now and get them on the road to citizenship if that is what they desire. It will stop the abuse in wages from employers and illegals will not be afraid of being deported. But along with that, we must STOP those crossing the border NOW. That situation must be brought under control and it's time for our government to seriously do something about it.

Update: Patrick alerted me to this article with some more information on the incident.

Also Interesting video from MSNBC with reporter Sara A. Carter
regarding this kind of thing too.