From Neglect to Murder: Immigration Horror

The media isn't reporting it. No one seems to know anything about it. Illegal immigrants, when captured at the Mexican border, are beaten or robbed by the authorities, and then summarily deported back across the border. Sometimes the uncontrolled vigilante gangs get to the immigrants first, and then the unfortunates are lucky if they can beat it across the border before being murdered. Sometimes they're shot by border guards, and left to die.

This is true. The government accepts it as the status quo, and looks the other way. It happens every day, as a matter of course, business as usual.

To Guatemalans crossing into Mexico.

Mexico's Illegal Immigration Population

In Guatemala, approximately 80% of the population live in poverty. The illiteracy and infant mortality rates are terrible, and many of the poorer families live primarily on remittances from relatives working legally or illegally in the United States.

But to get to the US, Guatemalans must either boat through the Caribbean or travel through Mexico. The Caribbean is a long and treacherous journey, and those making the trip in small boats must deal with weather, navigation, starvation, and even pirates. That's assuming they can even get a small boat. It's easier and sometimes safer to go through Mexico, or just to immigrate to Mexico, where at least they have some chance of finding a job.

These illegal immigrants are treated in a couple of ways when they wind up in Mexico. When they're captured, they are immediately arrested and taken to a deportation center. They do not get free medical care. They do not have citizen rights.

From the deportation center, illegal Guatemalans are sorted out and bussed back to their home country - where they're turned over to the local immigration authorities. No "catch and release," as in America. No court proceedings. And this despite the fact that it's illegal according to Mexican law for the police and military to catch and detain illegal immigrants.

This is the best-case scenario. Because the southern border is guarded with armed men, it is not uncommon for illegal immigrants to be shot. Guards shooting people sneaking across the border are not put in jail for eleven years; instead, they are given a pat on the back for doing a good job. And those detained may be treated quite poorly. The UN Human Rights Commissioner complained that Mexico often violates human rights when they capture illegal aliens.

By contrast, the United States pampers illegal aliens who make it to our country - assuming they get caught. Yet Mexico complains about American treatment of their citizens?