How Eisenhower solved illegal border crossings from Mexico | csmonitor.com — If you read this whole thing Ike saw illegal immigration as large scale corruption that was bad for America. Times changed. We are now officially a corrupt society.
Fifty-three years ago, when newly elected Dwight Eisenhower moved into the White House, Americas southern frontier was as porous as a spaghetti sieve. As many as 3 million illegal migrants had walked and waded northward over a period of several years for jobs in California, Arizona, Texas, and points beyond.
President Eisenhower cut off this illegal traffic. He did it quickly and decisively with only 1,075 United States Border Patrol agents – less than one-tenth of todays force. The operation is still highly praised among veterans of the Border Patrol.
Although there is little to no record of this operation in Ikes official papers, one piece of historic evidence indicates how he felt. In 1951, Ike wrote a letter to Sen. William Fulbright D of Arkansas. The senator had just proposed that a special commission be created by Congress to examine unethical conduct by government officials who accepted gifts and favors in exchange for special treatment of private individuals.
[Editor: Find a new punchline, David.]
Yet one thing the article overlooks is the fact that the 50s and 60s were also one of the most prosperous eras in US history. Wow, immigration is awful, isn’t it?
Hey, easy — John’s just angling to take over for Lou Dobbs or, failing that, become Pat Buchanan’s running mate in 2008. America would be a Norman Rockwell utopia if we just walled it off from the rest of the world. 🙂
This is a hugely complicated issue, but the net effect of immigration, legal and illegal, is almost certainly positive, even if it also causes real problems. The real danger is simplemindedness in trying to address the problems, especially when it’s tinged with bigotry.
#3 – Believe me when I say this to you…
I agree with you 110%. Hands down.
Yet one thing the article overlooks is the fact that the 50s and 60s were also one of the most prosperous eras in US history. Wow, immigration is awful, isn’t it?
Yeah, everybody overlooks things that they don’t want to think about.
Like, the 50’s and 60’s were NOTHING like today. Women, for the most part, didn’t work. (i.e. double available jobs in one fell swoop.) They stayed home and raised future productive citizens. Unions were a powerful influence over jobs and wages. The standard of living was lower. People’s expectations were lower. Interest rates were miniscule. Agriculture was still a viable occupation. People actually had savings accounts, and paid cash for the things they bought.
For #3, why is it that whenever someone advocates doing something about illegal immigration into this country, someone plays the bigotry card? This is similar to the tactic of asking someone when they quit beating their wife.
If anyone is a bigot, it is Mr. Ehrlichman, who throws the label “bigot” on anyone who opposes illegal immigration. That’s real bigotry. I think Mr. Ehrlichman owes Dvorak an apology.
How is Dvorak wrong? Back up the statement please. Don’t just say he’s wrong.
#1, David,
So how did Dvorack get this wrong? He posted an article for comment. If you disagree with the article then tell us why. If you agree, then great, voice your pleasure. Just don’t shoot the messenger, it makes you look foolish.
I don’t understand the people that are pro-illegal immagration.
We have a finite level of resources. Sure Mexicans and other illegals fill a niche by taking over some low paying jobs but, overall they only suck away our resources (Schools, roads, healthcare, jobs…).
Not to mention the fact that they are illegal.
If you like illegal immagrants so much you should volunteer your community to host them all.
You people have forgotten that also at that time, white people could kill brownskinned folk and got medals instead of prison years.
#9 & #10
This is what you reap for having a paranoid goverment who thought for decades that it was good for the country to f*ck up the nations south of the border. The only you have to blame are yourselves.
Actually, I live in a state (North Carolina) that has a very high population of illegal immigrants. The basic standing order around here is: don’t cause problems for us, and we won’t cause problems for you. Here’s a shocker: it works.
I actually know a good number of illegals in this country, and most of them are responsible members of society sans citizenship. A lot of them DO pay taxes, a lot of them have their own health insurance, and a lot of them own their own homes (which contributes to the banks’ ability to finance loans to other individuals, as they are getting interest from the houses the illegals are financing).
The vast majority of the illegals I know and to which I’ve had exposure have been good, honest people. Seriously, just talk with them, and you’ll see. Most of you probably already do without even knowing it.
There *is* an element of bigotry, and it goes as far back as our country’s founding. Our country has had its fair share of immigration waves from all different parts of the globe, and during each wave, the same arguments were made: finite resources, they’re taking jobs, they’re a drain on society.
They were Italians, Irish, Scandinavians, Chinese, Japanese, Germans, Russians… And all of them were hated when they got here. And yes, some were involved in crime (the Irish mob, cosa nostra, Chinese mafia, etc.). Yet if crime is your reason for deportation, why are you not focusing on these organizations as well?
In the end, the immigrants from the above-mentioned countries became welcomed residents and citizens of our great nation, and the Hispanics will eventually be accepted as well.
And for those who claim they aren’t playing the race card… Why is it that on one side of the mouth, so many claim they aren’t bigots, yet on the other side of their mouth, they so often refer to Hispanics and illegal immigrants in the same breath?
11. Angel, strangely, I agree with your statement.
No matter what your opinion, it is a fact that this country cannot cope with millions of additional immigrants pouring in over the next few years. We simply do not have the resources. So many emergency rooms have had to shut down in Southern California that it is a serious public safety issue. The quality of life in this area is going down fast and it is partly due to the huge rise of illegal immigrant population. When it hits your area, you may change your mind also.
12. Because in the SW, its is surely not illegal Irishmen causing the problems. I wouldnt care if it were illegal Australians. You make good points except you are forgetting the fact that one was legal immigration the other illegal. I gaurantee you its easier for the gangs to work in this area than in N Carolina.
People sneaking across our borders is a problem on many fronts. #5 points out the disturbing trend I have seen almost everywhere I go: crews (construction / maintenance ) are manned by non-English-speaking people. It is just too hard for a legal American worker (of any race or nationality) to compete with an illegal who will work for next to nothing, who the company doesn’t have to pay SS on, and who the company doesn’t have to worry about paying workers’ comp. on. If an illegal gets hurt on the job, another takes his place and it was like he was never there. That is just too hard for our labor force to contend with unless the government helps out in some way. Corporate America just makes too much money by silently letting the illegals work for them under the table.
It doesn’t help matters when the legal American worker sits and complains about doing his job.. all the while demanding higher salary.
There are other concerns in regards to allowing whomever to cross our borders uncontested and unannounced: perhaps Mexicans looking for work are not the only ones crossing the border into the U.S. Anyone out there heard of O.T.M.? This is a very disturbing concept.
As the U.S. is permeated by illegal labor, who’s to say Canada isn’t next? Or perhaps our legal U.S. labor forced who has been supplanted will be sneaking across into Canada to work?!
#10 : you hit the nail on the head
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14: Emergency rooms are closing down left and right? Really? Wow, then surely the problem is so severe that we should ban even citizens from having children!
Engage brain before engaging fingers.
#3
However, one could argue that we propsered *because* we control immigration.
#4
Wrong. The net effect of *legal* immigration is definitely positive, however the net effect of illegal immigration is definitely negative. It costs far more to deal with illegal immigrants than the benefit they provide.
#17
What stresses people is a tripling of the population by criminals. By definition, if they circumvented the immigration laws they are crminals. Did you ever stop to think about the people that actually go through the proper channels and immigrate here legally feel in regards to illegal immigrants?
As I’ve said numerous times, it all comes down to one issue: do you think there should be *any* limits on immigration? If no, then we should simply dismantle the border and let in everyone. However, if the answer is yes, then by definition one more than the limit must be prevented otherwise the limit has no meaning.
We can talk all day about whether we should increase the immigration limits, but at the end of the day, we must agree that we cannot allow people to circumvent the system or the limit means nothing.
#17 – Actually, I think John C is originally from Wisconsin. And being originally from there myself, there aren’t too many cabbies like in NYC. 🙂
17. John, where do you live? Just curious. The legal Mexicans in my town dont like it anymore than anyone else. They have gotten used to living in a clean, low crime rate area. They are a welcome part of the community. They dont want to return to Mexico, or for this town to return to Mexico. Its why they left in the first place.
As for your signs “Irish need not apply”, I remember Norfolk Va. just after the Vietnam war, in some bars would hang a sign, “No sailors or dogs allowed”.
Anyone can be discriminated against.
Wow, what a bunch of ding dongs. Immigration is wonderful. But what we are talking about is people entering this country illegally. There is a prescribed method to immigrate to this country and it needs to be followed, else, get the fuck out.
#22 – It is extremely difficult for people to get into this country legally, regardless if you’re a computer programmer, doctor, or plumber. Even to get a tourist visa has salary requirements that are above and beyond what the average foreigner earns, making it difficult for them to come visit the country they often dream about – the USA. This builds poor relations with other countries, fomenting vile anti-US sentiment in countries like Venezuela, Argentina, Colombia, Egypt, France.
Put yourself in an immigrant’s shoes: You’re a hard-worker with a good work ethic. You’re talented with tools and machinery, and you have a good working understanding of how things work mechanically. However, your country’s in the shitter, and there’s no work to be found. Your government is corrupt and doesn’t care less about your problems, and you can barely provide for your family.
Tell me you wouldn’t want to come to the US.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m no bleeding heart liberal (hell, I’m anything but). But I am a humanist, and I can certainly see why the US is a sparkling gem compared to the countries where these people are coming from.
“This builds poor relations with other countries, fomenting vile anti-US sentiment in countries like Venezuela, Argentina, Colombia, Egypt, France.”
I wonder how easy it would be for an American to immigrate to these countries. Hell, go to Mexico illegaly and see what kind of welcome you get.
Actually, it’s a LOT easier for an American to go visit another country than vice-versa. They love our money.
#18 natefrog
Children have nothing to so with emergency rooms closing. It is all about poverty. Many of the illegal aliens that come here seeking a better life have few options and end up living in poverty. This is a real problem with no simple solutions.
But make fun of it if you wish. I feel sorry for you. Maybe you are so isolated from real life that you do not know what the reality is. Maybe you are just ignorant. Either way you are not worth any more of my time.
everything has a cost and a benefit. I’m all for getting rid of illegals too, but I’m not for higher prices at fast food joints, grocery stores, or any other places were this cheap labor has an effect. its this cheap labor that, for better or worse, picks our fruit. I mean, come on, haven’t you all seen the news the last couple of days, imported wheat from china laced with rat poison(accidental???) was what harmed all those pets and our nation had a hissy fit.
What if that wheat was for our (human) food supply cause there wern’t enough workers to help with the wheat crop?
I don’t know if there is a good solution that all parties can be happy with, but I do know one thing. Most Americas don’t tell their sons & duaghters that when they grow up they should go out to the fields and pick fruit for a living
12 – Mac Guy, ref your last paragraph. Just out of curiosity, how many illegal immigrants are NOT from Hispanic countries? I know in the past Haitians have been turned back. There were also the boat people in the late-70s early-80s.
However, if you have 1 000 000 illegals immigrants per year, and 90% of them are Elbonians, why then, how the hell is it racist to talk about “Elbonian illegals”?
Steve is right, many hospitals have been shut down, due to lack of illegals paying their bills. No taxes are being paid by these illegals, yet they get free schooling, health care, etc. Most of the money they earn here in the states gets sent back to Mexico. Listen, this is a huge problem, and these rich idiots that are running this country don’t care. Make your voice heard by voting.
“John Erlichman”? An apt phonyism for a conservative who would be fascist.
The name of a man who served Nixon well while extending the number of Americans and Asians who died in the name of greed trying to perpetuate Imperial Indochina.
The 50’s were all so wonderful. Our coins were stamped with “In God We Trust” for the first time. The department of labor revealed that unemployment really shouldn’t drop below 4-5% because commerce would lose a “flexible” work force. And we all got to enjoy Loyalty Oaths to get a job.
Black folk kept striding forward regardless of pap and patrimony from the kinds of people who bankrolled both Kennedy and Nixon.
True, Democrats did have balls enough to press Eisenhower into a new record for vetoes of social legislation – and used it against Nixon in the election to follow.
And labor strife under Taft-Hartley didn’t need to be settled by scabs and cops as in earlier days – so, now, the scabs all speak Spanish.
Don’t kid yourselves my Liberal friends. Yeah, everyone is a nice guy just looking for a steady job. That includes the poor bugger who used to have the same job at higher wages.
Meat cutters earned on average $19 an hours – 20 years ago. Now, the average wage in that union is $9 an hour. You’ll have to look it up because I’m pretty confident ain’t too many commenting here earn their daily bread with bent backs.
To ALL of you that are quick to condemn anyone as a racist or bigot that dares to raise the issue of illegal immigration:
1) Should the United States have open borders, YES or NO?
1a) If you answered YES (you want open borders), how do we as a nation control the entry of illegal drugs, terrorists, diseases such as TB, and so on from entry into the country? Corollary- should we stop checking passports at airports and other points of entry?
1b) If you answered NO (you don’t want open borders), how would you control our borders? I can guarantee that the honor system doesn’t work.
Here’s a chance for all of you geniuses to put the rest of us at ease with your words of wisdom.