Typical of This Administration

[GenuineRisk]

Originally Posted by Rupert Pupkin

The reason that the parents are sending their kids here is not because of the poverty and violence. There has always been poverty and violence in those countries. Yet in 2012, it was estimated that 6,500 of these underage immigrants came here. This year the number is over 90,000. It has nothing to do with the poverty or violence. It has to do with their belief that the policy of this Administration is "catch and release". Obama is now starting to speak out publicly saying people should not send their kids here because we are going to send them back. I'm glad he's finally speaking out. But what he's saying is not totally true. They are going to send some back but they are going to let others stay.

I agree with you that our country is a better place to live than countries that are poor and have a lot of violence. But what do you think we should do? Do you think we should just open our borders and let anyone in? I'm just as much of a humanitarian as you are but I'm certainly not in favor of an open border.

Rupert, the violence in Mexico and Central America has escalated the past few years as drug cartels destabilize the nations in that area. It's torn Mexico to shreds and now it's moving into Central America. Things are very, very bad there. Sixty thousand have died in drug-related violence since 2006 in Mexico alone (and that's a lowball estimate). On Monday, 22 traffickers and soldiers died in a single firefight. It's hardly surprising parents are trying to get their kids the hell out of there by sending them to relatives in safer countries.

The state Mexico is in is largely our fault; we have created this situation with our War on Drugs policies. In addition, the US has a history of turning a blind eye to drug trafficking, and even aiding it, if the factions doing it are serving our own interests- that's been going at least since the Reagan Presidency (remember the Nicaraguan Contras and the CIA?) and for all we know, longer. The US role in creating the situation in Mexico cannot be overstated.

So, where young children are concerned, yeah, I have a bit of a "we broke it; we bought it" opinion.