Immigration thoughts - Wednesday

Remember the stories I found about skirmishes at the Mexican border with men wearing the uniforms of Mexican army troops? I couldn't verify the story, so I concluded it was NOT PROVEN.

Michelle Malkin has further information, and it looks as though the stories were true. Fox News has confirmation of the reports from Texas officials. Texas Governor Rick Perry has ordered an investigation. On the other side of the border, Mexico denies that its troops were involved, saying that the armed invaders were drug smugglers using Army uniforms and equipment.

What's ICE saying?

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff has said reports of Mexican incursions into the United States were overblown and most were just mistakes.

R-i-i-i-g-h-t. Just a little ole mistake. That happens all the time.

What is ICE concerned about these days?

Federal Agents Execute Six Warrants Searching For Counterfeit Designer Furniture As California Antique Store Widens

Now, maybe they just failed to update their website recently. Heck, if I had to worry about the Mexican army shooting it out on my southern border, I might not bother gittin' online to add in the data until it was all over.

On the other hand, why is the national news media not jumping all over this? Well, some of the news outlets have featured stories, notably CNN. They are in line with the official ICE version - the invaders are NOT army, but criminals. However:

Drug traffickers often disguise themselves in military or public security uniforms to avoid capture, and Mexican police and soldiers have been known to join the drug trade.

Recent reports that Mexican army and police have crossed into the United States on an average of about 20 times a year have irked U.S. border states.

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff downplayed the seriousness of the problem, noting that in many places the border is not clearly marked.

One of the main concerns for U.S. law enforcement officials are the "Zetas," a gang of deserters from an elite Mexican army military unit who have engaged in a bloody turf war for control of trafficking routes on the border. U.S. citizens have been caught in the resulting kidnappings and killings.

Frankly, if the men were former "elite" army members, I would think the Mexican government has a responsibility to deal with them. Allowing them to operate on the border might jepardize US-Mexican relations (as it SHOULD).


Tags = Immigration