Americans Oppose Open Border
September 10, 2001
Newsmax.com

It was showcased as a meeting between two presidents who like, trust and admire each other and could thus tackle one of the thorniest issues to face both the United States and its southern neighbor and trading partner Mexico – immigration.

If Social Security is the third rail of American politics, legal and illegal immigration from south of the border rivals it as the trip wire of an explosive issue capable of destroying political careers and dividing the nation and its political parties into warring camps.

Last Wednesday, barely a day after Mexico’s President Vicente Fox arrived for his state visit, Fox unexpectedly lit the fuse and set off the explosion before the two presidents could get down to brass tacks in discussing the presence of millions of illegal Mexican immigrants already in the U.S., and millions more who ache to come here.

Solve the problem before the year 2001 ends, Fox demanded of his host, who had no idea it was coming.

The extent of the problem is illustrated by the fact that since 1970, the number of Mexicans living in the U.S. has swelled from around 800,000 to more than 8 million, half of them illegal, according to BusinessWeek magazine.

Moreover, with the Mexican economy in even worse shape than the U.S. economy, millions more look northward for jobs and a better life. As a result, the tide of illegal immigrants swarming into the U.S. has become an unstoppable wave crashing over the U.S.-Mexico border day and night.

“The cold fact is that we have more undocumented immigrants today than we’ve ever had since they started counting,” Michael Fix, director of immigration studies at the Urban Institute, told BusinessWeek. “It makes sense to rethink the policy.”

PLease read the rest and send it to your U.S. Senator.