The Problem of Mexican Immigration: We Need Faith to Cross Our Inner Borders

As I reflected upon Herman Cain's notion that we build electric fences at the border which would actually kill any who tried to cross them, I was quite saddened by the fact that a person would advocate such a remedy for our border problems. But, what saddened me even more was the amazing number of people who agreed with him and felt that he might be onto a solution to our problem with undocumented folks arriving in our country.

First of all, it is very important to realize that this issue of undocumented Mexicans is not as simple as merely finding a way to stop them from coming here. It might help us to ponder what is making them want to leave their country in the first place. And along with this we might need to consider all of the ways that our country has encouraged them through our complicity in seeking them and hiring them to do work that we want to have done as cheaply as possible. Thus we need to look at how our greed has contributed to the situation. What is our government doing at present and what has been done in the past to assist with changing their economic situation? This is a very complicated matter and when someone talks about it as if it is not, then the conversation is quite counter-productive in terms of moving toward a better understanding and finding solutions that can help us to maintain our integrity and the dignity of the folks that we are trying to manage.

Among the complicating factors that we see in this matter of undocumented Mexicans is our fear and the projections that we are making onto them as the "other." I find this fact particularly interesting when I hear other people of color who have a history of oppression finding it so unthinkable to be compassionate and interested in seeking humane solutions to this difficult situation.

There is a wonderful story in Luke about Jesus's healing of the blind man sitting on the Jericho roadside who cried out to him, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me," (Luke 18:38 RSV). A few verses later, after Jesus has questioned him about what he wishes from him, Jesus proclaims, "Receive your sight; your faith has made you well," (Luke 18:42 RSV). We could use some help in overcoming the blindness that we have in this situation because we have allowed our fear and projections of Mexicans to become a blinding force in our communities and it is leading us to behavior that is shameful and certainly is not representative of the values that we like to imagine ourselves holding.

In the communities of faith across America we should be working together and standing up for our sisters and brothers who are the recipients of any inhumane attitudes and practices. But we cannot do it, unless we have faith enough to allow God to give us sight to see across the borders of our inner fears and the prejudice that is created by that fear. As an African American, I can hardly believe the attitude that I encounter from African Americans, such as Herman Cain's, about Mexicans in particular and Latinos in general. The outrage that is exhibited can only be explained in terms of fear. It was a similar system that was able to fuel the violent outrage toward African Americans for decades and that led to so many outrageous acts of violence against us. This violence which was exhibited through lynching and often mutilation of black men, talked about eloquently and passionately by James Cone in his new book, "The Cross And The Lynching Tree" came out of the same type of fear-based analyses that we are witnessing now in regards to Latinos. While the lynchings of the past were not about symbolism at all, there are many ways to lynch people and we need to be careful in our condoning of any behavior that reminds of those past acts of terror that were practiced against the innocent and unprotected.

While it is clear to me that we have to address the issues of immigration and the undocumented in our country, we need to be careful that we remember that everyone is God's child whether we like that fact or not and whether we like them or not. If more of us can allow our eyes to be opened to the inner monuments that we have built on the bases of fear and seek ways to cross over them and to dismantle them, we might begin to see our way toward solutions that are rooted in compassion and respect for everyone and that can be life giving. Our faith can make us well if we will allow it. Otherwise we stay held in the throes of the disease of fear and the hatred that it breeds where no real insight is possible and only violence can be born. We have done this too many times before and it would be wonderful to see us handle the immigration issue better.

 

Comments

[ajetboatman]

05:29 AM on 11/15/2011

Everyone complains that we are treating the illegal mexican aliens bad? Well I would like to ask them, how do mexicans treat illegal aliens in their country. There is no other country in the world that lets these lawbreakers in their country. I say, put two rows of electrical fences with claymore mines in between them with signs saying what will happen if they try to cross. And post pictures so if they cannot read they can look at the pictures and see if they still want to cross. It frosted me when their president spoke in our congress and complained how the illegal aliens from their country was treated when they are a hell of a lot worse. Look at the areas in our country with a lot of illegal mexicans, they are trashed, disease rampant area's. Prior to them comming here they were clean and nice. When they come into our country they complain, and burn our flag and fly theirs. If they are so proud of their flag, go and fly it in mexico.

[KHYYAMM]

01:50 AM on 10/28/2011

I don't condone illegal immigrants from Mexico, but there are a few things that should be known. Every day there are thousands of Mexicans lined up outside the American embassys in Mexico, trying to come here legally. They pay around $125 just for an appointmen­t. About 10% are given temporary visas to come to the states, the rest lose their money. They are given 3 chances (paying each time) to get a visa. After that, they can no longer apply. That is a lot of money taken in by our government every day, and there are a lot of Mexicans who are trying to do that which is correct.

[Catherine Meeks, Ph.D.]

08:01 AM on 10/28/2011

There is so much exploitation and greed mixed in this very sad situation that we have with those who are undocumented here and it is very important for us to stay mindful of as many pieces of this puzzle as possible and to try to go forward with compassion and integrity as our companions.

[Norski]

03:24 PM on 10/28/2011

How do you feel about compassion for American unemployed Workers? Per the Bureau of Labor Statistics Unemployment Report of October 7, 2011:

Construction and extraction occupations = 13.4% Unemployment
Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations = 11.2% Unemployment
Transportation, material moving occupations = 10.9% Unemployment
Production occupations = 10.4% Unemployment
Service occupations = 10.0% Unemployment

Total Adjusted US Unemployed Citizens and Legal Residents = 13,992,000
This figure and the above rates exclude 6,241,000 Persons who want a job but are left out of the above statistics for various reasons.
Total Number of Americans Looking for Work = 20,233,000
Plus that means the real unemployment rates for the occupations above are actually 45% larger when you include the excluded people.

Pew Center estimates indicate 7.5 million Illegal Immigrants work in the USA. A Pew study "estimated that illegal immigrants fill a quarter of all agricultural jobs, 17 percent of office and house cleaning positions, 14 percent of construction jobs and 12 percent in food preparation." That means 75 percent of all agricultural jobs, 83 percent of cleaning positions, 86 percent of construction jobs and 88 percent of the food preparation jobs are done by American Workers. These professions are where unemployment is worst for Americans.

Meanwhile Management, professional, and related occupations where few Illegal Immigrants work has a 4.4% Unemployment rate.

This disparity existed before 2007 so it cannot be blamed the Recession. Illegal Immigration hurts. Do you feel the American Worker's pain?

[Mark Lindley]

02:37 PM on 11/01/2011

You could start by using the proper immigration law term of "illegal aliens" instead of the PC term of "undocumented".

[Mark Lindley]

02:03 PM on 11/01/2011

Here is what you don't get. We allow in 1 million legal immigrants per year and it is based on our ability to provide them with jobs and resources while keeping in mind our population growth also. There are a lot more Mexicans and other potential immigrants that want to come here than we can accomodate. If you don't make the cut then that's it! You don't come here illegally anyway. By the way, Mexicans and other Latinos have by far the largest quotas for legal immigration into our country annually. You don't think we should keep in mind diversity also?

[Norski]

04:49 PM on 10/27/2011

Right next to the "welcoming the stranger" text in the Old Testament is the following:

Leviticus 19:11 – “Do not steal. Do not lie. Do not deceive one another.”
Leviticus 19:15 – “Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly.”
Leviticus 19:17 – “Rebuke your neighbor frankly so you will not share in his guilt.”

And in the New Testament, according to Matthew 5:17-20 "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.”

You have to ask yourself "what would Jesus do?" Would he steal someone's identity? Would he lie to an employer or a prospective spouse about his legal status? Would he refuse to repent his transgressions and demand amnesty?

[Norski]

04:46 PM on 10/27/2011

Romans 13:8-10 “Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. The commandments, "Do not commit adultery," "Do not murder," "Do not steal," "Do not covet," and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: "Love your neighbor as yourself." Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.”

We have immigration limits because five times in the past unrestricted immigration has led to devastating unemployment. Unemployment as bad as 30% nationwide and over 50% in several states. We also have an immigration process so that criminals cannot gain entry into the USA. Illegal Immigration by-passes both controls. You cannot love your neighbors if you do not respect them and the reasons they have for having their laws.

Why is it always a one way street when it comes to Illegal Immigration? That love must go only one way? Love is demanded for the person breaking the law, yet there is no love for the poor American forced out of work. No love for the poor Taxpayer forced to pay for it all. No love for the victim of identity theft. No love for the lost green space and the animals that populate it as we sacrifice it on the alter of explosive population growth. Where is the love and understanding?

[Norski]

04:44 PM on 10/27/2011

James 2:8-10 “If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, "Love your neighbor as yourself," you are doing right. But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it."

Too many people want variable morality. If you claim to love your neighbor, that makes everything all right. And if you repent for those you hurt the day before you die everything is absolved because the ends justified the means. But you cannot build justice for some on the backs of injustice to others. You cannot decide that those who break the law at the expense of those who keep the law are more just without maintaining the delusion that it is good for one person to enrich themselves at the expense of another. It is impossible to maintain the covenant of the Bible by lying, cheating, and ignoring the hurt illegal immigration does to others like unemployed American Workers.

Luke 20:45-47 While all the people were listening, Jesus said to his disciples, "Beware of the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and love to be greeted in the marketplaces and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. They devour widows' houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. Such men will be punished most severely."

[Catherine Meeks, Ph.D.]

08:01 PM on 10/27/2011

Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts.

[Walrus Man]

11:28 PM on 10/26/2011

Being fear, not everyone who comes through the Mexican border is a Mexican.

[Catherine Meeks, Ph.D.]

07:49 AM on 10/27/2011

This maybe true.You know I think that we should deal with our border issues. I just so happen to believe that it should be done with care and compassion as a guiding point. Also, I am very thankful for the faith that makes it possible for me not to have to be afraid all of the time.

[John Rohan]

10:09 PM on 10/26/2011

Dr. Meeks,

1. Consider that not everyone in the US citizen is a Christian. But they are citizens regardless, and many of them want our laws respected.

2. Instead of the blind man story in Luke, maybe you should consider some other scriptures that apply very aptly to this issue. For example, Romans 13:1-4: "Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. ... But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason." Or how about Exodus 20:17: "You shall not covet anything that belongs to your neighbor.”

3. Is it really compassionate to encourage Mexicans to make dangerous treks across the open desert? Are you really doing a cocaine addict any good by constantly giving them more cocaine? At some point, Mexicans (as well as other Latin Americans) need to fix their own homes instead of fleeing to ours. That's only being realistic; after all, even the most pro-immigrant person knows that the USA gravy train isn't going to last forever.

4. Most importantly, what is "inhumane" about controlling our borders anyway? When Mexicans are deported, are they tortured, whipped, starved or beaten? If they were, I would be the first one on your side. But they aren't. Overall, our system is actually incredibly humane.

[Catherine Meeks, Ph.D.]

11:04 PM on 10/26/2011

I think that I am rather respectful of the laws, but I believe that things are not so cut and dried as you have laid out. Many laws have been disrespected which is a part of the reason that we have this situation in the first place. Thank you for taking the time to comment.

[John Rohan]

12:59 AM on 10/27/2011

Yes, exactly, as you say, many laws have been disrespected. One reason for this is people like you, who use words like "lynchings" whenever we try to enforce our immigration laws! Why you can't see that simple thing is beyond me.

[P3]

03:13 AM on 10/27/2011

Hi Catherine, good article, one of the "laws" John needs to read-up on is "Human Rights":
http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/index.shtml
like the "divine providence" of "nature and nature's God" having "endowed us with inalienable rights" such as the following rights: to travel, enter a country, work, marry and have children, buy property, receive education

People can lose sight of compassion for other human beings, some reasons could be h@te and selfishness

[HotelDrama]

08:12 PM on 10/26/2011

The patterns continue. The majority of Americans only seem to care about immigrants (legal or illegal) when the economy sucks. When things are going great, we are so happy we have cheap labor. But when the economy starts to tank and Americans start to lose their jobs, they start to complain about and perpetuate social action against immigrants (both legal and illegal). We saw this in the mid 1800s with the Irish Catholics. No one really cared about them, until the economy started to sink. And then we saw the struggle between the Irish and the African Americans due to labor shortages.
Also in the mid 1800s, we see the backlash against the Chinese. The Chinese came here to work on the backbreaking railroads. Most Americans wouldn't take those jobs (sounds familiar). When the work was over for the Chinese (the railroads built), anger started to pile up and Congress passed laws restricting all Chinese immigration and denied naturalization rights to the Chinese. During WWII, we see the Japanese rounded up and put in camps because Whites in the Western US were afraid the Japanese were taking too many jobs from the "Americans." Sounds familiar again.
All of these attacks against immigrants have to do with the economy. Fix our broken system. Stop demonizing people for trying to make a living.

[markspence]

09:25 PM on 10/26/2011

The Japanese were rounded up because they were taking too many jobs

Is that what you are saying

[HotelDrama]

11:56 PM on 10/28/2011

Besides that obvious racism factor, jobs and the economy were a large part of why the Japanese were rounded up on the West coast. Hawaii is a different story and I won’t go into that much detail (it’s pretty much the opposite of the mainland, without the Japanese labor, the economy on the Islands would have failed). In a report to the AG in Feb 1942, FBI director Hoover “concluded that the proposed mass evacuations of the Japanese could not be justified for security reasons.” Despite the facts, the press and many patriotic and economic groups campaigned for Japanese internment. In Jan and Feb 1942, farming interest groups Grower-Shipper Vegetable Association, the Western Growers Protective Association, and the California Farm Bureau Federation made public statements stating that they wanted the Japanese interned for “selfish reasons” ie, they were tired of the Japanese workers and wanted the White Americans to have the jobs. In California, the Japanese labor was not necessary (unlike Hawaii). Many white farmers obviously viewed the Japanese farmers as competition. Again in Feb 1942, AG Biddle had lunch with President Roosevelt and said “there were no reasons for mass evacuations [of the Japanese].” One can wonder why the Japanese on Hawaii weren’t rounded up en masse similar to CA and the West coast, but its obvious that the economy and Japanese labor were a significant factor.

Taken from "The Myth of "Military Necessity" for Japanese-American Internment" by Ronald Takaki

[Catherine Meeks, Ph.D.]

11:06 PM on 10/26/2011

We do have a rather poor track record in this regard. We do need to make changes in our way of doing many things.

[PATOISJAM]

04:44 PM on 10/26/2011

Imagine that two countries joined and yet separated by a border and culture and yet so different. The situation existing in Mexico is sad. Why is it that Mexico has become this hotbed of violence and where a person cannot carve out a means to live well. From all reports the place is beautiful just like America and has all the components for success.

I am also amazed that many of the same religions that exist in America exist also in Mexico. Isn't Mexico predominantly Catholic? So doesn't that make Mexicans (illegal or not) a brother in the faith and worthy of principled love? That principled agape love means you will want what is best for any man especially those related in the faith - at least that is what the scriptures say.

Turmoil will plague humans until God intervenes.

[Catherine Meeks, Ph.D.]

07:24 PM on 10/26/2011

You are asking important questions. I think that we all know that we have to solve this riddle of how best to deal with the issue of Mexicans coming here as undocumented persons, but we need to all make sure that we work toward doing it in a manner that celebrates everyones personhood.
Thank you for your comments.

[HotelDrama]

07:57 PM on 10/26/2011

Of the biggest factors is drugs. Prohibition of drugs leads to corruption, violence, massive para-military organized crime, etc.
Along with that, the separation between the haves and the have-nots in Mexico is massive.

[Shane Ricks]

07:30 AM on 10/26/2011

What is making them leave their country and come to ours? Our immigration laws and restrictions are lax. They can come here and work without jumping through any of the hoops that people have to jump through when immigrating to their own country or to the surrounding countries.

This does not have anything to do with faith. It does have to do with dealing with the Other, because they are the Other. But attempting to simplify this into an issue of merely reacting against the Other is dishonest and damaging to the situation. I'd be more willing to bet that this line of thinking has more to do with your perceptions of the Other, and your reactions to it, than any real assessment of anyone else's motivation.

What is needed is real, honest dialog without all the nonsense that gets heaped on top of it.

[Catherine Meeks, Ph.D.]

08:15 AM on 10/26/2011

The fact that you do not see the spiritual component in this issue means that there is very possibility that you will ever understand my point of view, though I do understand yours and we have a very different view of the world. My view does not however, preclude working for a solution and I wonder if yours incorporates the possibility of compassion?
Peace to you and thank you for your comment.

[Shane Ricks]

08:45 AM on 10/26/2011

I appreciate that you feel your position is correct, but the fact that we do not see eye-to-eye does not denote an inability on my part to understand your point of view. And to make such a comment is disingenuous and does not support your claims. Compassion is a wonderful thing, when properly applied. As with all things, anything in excess becomes destructive. As we, as humans, continue to discuss the things we each believe our fellow man ought to do we must become more and more aware that our positions, our valuations, our survival depend upon properly applied actions.

It is easy to denigrate an opposing position and use assumptive claims in an attempt to devalue that opposition. It is much more difficult to actually address an issue without such rhetoric. True compassion would be working towards improving the situations that give cause to illegal immigration. Those situations are not the fault of the United States. Any claims otherwise are either intentionally ignoring, or blatantly ignorant of, the conditions in other countries that bring people to the United States.

We must protect our own first, or else there will no longer be anything that is "our own". Beyond that we should be quite capable of aiding in the improvement of the motivating conditions in other countries. This of course has been our policy all along. We simply need to enforce it.

[Mark Lindley]

02:20 PM on 11/01/2011

Again, what about compassion for the rightful owners of this country and their loss of jobs and higher taxes due to illegal immigraton? I could go on and on about a lot of other negatives also. Why don't you ask Mexico to be compassionate to their own people instead of taking what belongs to Americans by coming here illegally and hurting us in so many ways?

[mira chancleta]

11:50 PM on 10/25/2011

Dr, Meeks,

Your comments reflect YOURphilosophical/theological perspective, however you're missing a few insights into Americans whose response to and feelings about the human tsunami of ILLEGAL ALIENS is felt onvery visceral levels. For mostAmericans, the situation is dire and not one that too many are going to entertain on intellectual/religious levels.

American educational, health and municipal services are SWAMPEDby the MILLIONSof ILLEGAL ALIENSwho are tapping these resources at unprecedented levels nearing collapse..

We hear about how they will only take the jobs that Americans won't do. This is a lie, given the 10s of MILLIONSof Americans that have exhausted their unemployment benefits, have lost their homes, whose pensions have been raided by Wall St. thieves and whose savings have been exhausted and whose careers may have ended forever.

Their children are told "NO"when they apply for financial aid, while ILLEGALS NOW qualify.

They see crime escalating outside their windows and more and more of the names of the perpetrators have surnames that end in "EZ"..., even in historicallyNON-Hispanic areas.

Should I go on?

AmericansCANNOT take anymore abuse from our "leaders", our dysfunctional government and CERTAINLY NOT from an invasion of ILLEGALS that they just CANNOTaccommodate on any level.

If life for CITIZENS was replete with jobs, affordablehousing, securepensions, retirements filled with happiness and not despair, maybe they could turn the "other cheek", but right now, they have been slapped around so much, theycan barely see through the blood dripping infront of their eyes.

[Catherine Meeks, Ph.D.]

12:18 AM on 10/26/2011

I happen to be a part of a group of people who were viewed in a similar fashion and that history along with my faith commitment help me to try to see more than one part of this challenging dilemma of having so many undocumented people here from Mexico. You see as far as I am concerned there is nothing that justifies not having compassion. Also having compassion does not prevent a person from looking for the best solutions for complex problems.
Peace to you and thanks for your comments

[markspence]

03:57 PM on 10/26/2011

I am interested in feelings of the African-American community towards illegal immigrants. Al Sharpton and other people who were involved in the civils rights movements of the 60s seem to believe that there is a natural connection between the two communities.

I am somewhat confused about that. People whose civil rights were being violated in the 60s were present in the country legally; they did not violate our immigration laws.

Second, people in the civil rights movement were not violating our civil laws. Illegal immigrants are usually in violation of one or more of our civil laws, either identity theft or tax fraud, or both in many cases.

Is there really a relationship between these two groups?

[nee]

10:51 PM on 10/25/2011

This has nothing to do with "liking" ILLEGAL ALIENS it is about spending BILLIONS of tax dollars on them and the jobs that they are taking from LEGAL immigrants and CITIZENS. We need to HEAVILY fine those who hire ILLEGALS so that the jobs for them would dry up and they would self-deport. ILLEGAL ALIEN advocates need to go to the countries that send us their poor and hold them accountable for their citizens.

[Catherine Meeks, Ph.D.]

12:19 AM on 10/26/2011

I have already disagreed with you in the content of my blog. We need to be careful about our attitudes.

[nee]

08:29 AM on 10/26/2011

Careful of what "attitudes"? The attitude that those who come to this country ILLEGALLY shouldn't be here? The attitude that we should take care of our own LEGAL immigrants and CITIZENS with the BILLIONS of tax dollars that we are spending on ILLEGALS? The attitude that our own LEGAL immigrants and CITIZENS should be given the jobs that ILLEGAL ALIENS are given? The attitude that our LAWS should be enforced? The attitude that our educational and heath care systems should be used by our LEGAL immigrants and CITIZENS and not be sucked dry by ILLEGAL ALIENS?
Which attitude do I need to be careful about?

[mira chancleta]

08:46 AM on 10/26/2011

And we also "need" to NOT dismiss the very REAL anguish and pain of Americans in the MOST tragic, tortured and tumultuous combination of economic, social and cultural circumstances as just another example of hating "others" racism.

That card is so overplayed you can spot across the table with a blindfold on.

[KHYYAMM]

10:42 PM on 10/25/2011

“Until 1848,Calif­ornia, Arizona, New Mexico,Uta­h, and Colorado, were territorie­s of Mexico! In 1844 James Polk was elected president due to his advocacy of "Taming the Mexicans", by grabbing their land. His high priority was the attainment of California­, which Mexico had refused to sell. May 11th,1946, Congress declared war on Mexico. One of the commanders of the invading U.S. forces, Colonel Hitchcock, wrote in his diary:"We have not one particular right to be here. We are the aggressors­! It looks as if the Congress sent this force on purpose to bring on a war. My heart is not in this business." Then Congressma­n Abraham Lincoln insisted that the President name the exact location where the Mexican troops fired first. Lincoln never received an answer.
Lincoln addresses Congress, "The President unnecessar­ily and unconstitu­tionally commenced a war with Mexico." Lincoln then admonishes Congress, "The marching of an army into the midst of peaceful Mexican settlement­s, frightenin­g the inhabitant­s away, leaving their growing crops and other properties to destructio­n, to you may appear a perfectly amicable,p­eaceful, un-provoki­ng procedure, but it does not appear so to us!"
Over a two year period, the Mexican army was forced as far south as Mexico city. Several years later, General Ulysses S. Grant, in a statement to the press declared," The Mexican war was the most unjust war ever undertaken by a strong nation against a weaker one!
Now you know the truth! Our government started this problem years ago by their greed!”

[Catherine Meeks, Ph.D.]

12:22 AM on 10/26/2011

And sometimes those chickens just come home to roost. We have to begin to learn from our history or we will continue to repeat it forever. I hope that we will remember who we are and how we got here as we work with ideas about what to do about undocumented people here. We have a few things to set right and we need to be careful about our paths that we choose to follow with this issue. Thanks for your comment.

[Mark Lindley]

02:26 PM on 11/01/2011

The past aka history has nothing to do with our right to have and enforce our immigration laws today. We don't discriminate against any potential immigrant today and we have worked hard to anhilate racism in this country which has nothing to do with illegal immigration anyway. Mexicans and other Latinos hold the highest quotas in our country for illegal immigration by far. We can't just let them all in based on some misplaced compassion that would hurt our own people.

[mira chancleta]

12:24 AM on 10/26/2011

Okay, let's return CA, AZ, NM,. UT & CO, but please let's keep the Bronx.

[markspence]

10:41 PM on 10/25/2011

What if anything do the people of Mexico need to do to address this problem

[HotelDrama]

10:45 PM on 10/25/2011

Occupy Mexico City?

[markspence]

03:38 PM on 10/26/2011

Exactly

1. Arab Spring
2. England Summer
3. Occupy Wall Street Fall
4. Mexican Winter???

[Catherine Meeks, Ph.D.]

11:02 PM on 10/25/2011

They certainly do need to be involved in working for a solution. But we have tremendous responsibility in helping to create these problems. We need to seek to work collaboratively with Mexico and they need to work with us.

[mira chancleta]

08:49 AM on 10/26/2011

so Mexico just gets another spin on the irresponsibility wheel which has NO slot named "it's my people and it's fault"?

[Mark Lindley]

02:30 PM on 11/01/2011

Again, with the "we". "We" regular Americans didn't want 11 million plus illegal aliens to enter our country and "we" are not going to pay for the sins of our government and the greedy employers by allowing these people to remain here. They need to go back home according to our immigration laws and take their problems up with their own governments. We have enough trying to solve our own problems. We can't be the saviors of the world without committing national suicide.

[Norm]

09:42 PM on 10/25/2011

You are well meaning, but you need to consider the amount of frustration many people are feeling. And, if people indicate any frustration, there is an assumption they are racist, which immediately puts them on the defensive and they escalate. Some of the anger may not be rational, but some of it is; it is directed at people, because everyone is impotent in the face of institutions - and institutions are not responding to what really are desperate pleas. Certainly the black community is currently feeling economic pain from economic competition; blaming the competition may not be gracious, but it certainly is reasonable - and if politicans were responsive to the anger of their constituents and worked on the problems affecting them, there would not be so much anger directed at other people. Americans are drowning and no one is throwing a lifeline; this may not be the people's most compassionate moment, but consider to whom you are showing your compassion. Your neighbors also need some. LIke it or not, immigrants right now are a very real economic threat, especially to the most vulnerable Americans.

[Catherine Meeks, Ph.D.]

09:51 PM on 10/25/2011

I agree with you that this is a tough issue, but if we allow ourselves to become inhumane in our treatment of one group of people because of the plight of ourselves or others, we lose a very important part of our souls. This is a very high price to pay for fear. Thank you for taking the time to write this thoughtful response.

[Norm]

11:01 PM on 10/25/2011

I'm not sure what inhumane means when speaking to this problem; for some, the only humane solution seems to be a gracious welcome, which, when you think about it, is expecting a lot. Too much. And it will not happen. Politicians need to address this in an honest way; their refusal to do so fans flames.

[mira chancleta]

12:30 AM on 10/26/2011

Do you mean "more" inhumane than sweatshop meat-packing plants where ILLEGALS are abused, exploited and cheated out of their salaries and can't complain because they live in terror of being exposed and deported?