Why Don't They Stop In Mexico?

We often hear that the sole reason that our southern border is under siege is that people from Mexico and Central America are merely seeking jobs for themselves and a better life for their families.

The latest news is that "a mother of all caravans" of what could be 20,000 people from Central America is forming to travel to the United States border.

It is over 1,400 miles from the Honduras to the U.S. border at McAllen, Texas. If walking, Google Maps estimates the journey would take 473 hours---60 days of walking at 8 hours per day.

Most of that journey is through Mexico.

Despite President Trump's tough talk on illegal immigration why is it there are actually more people trying to cross our border today than under President Obama?

U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Kevin McAleenan said Wednesday during a visit to El Paso that the border had hit its "breaking point" and urged Congress to come up with legislative solutions to the problem.

Border Patrol officials were on pace in March for more than 100,000 apprehensions and encounters with migrants – the highest monthly tally in over a decade, he said. Around 90 percent of those – or 90,000 – crossed the border between legal ports of entry.

The vast majority of those crossing between ports of entry turn themselves into Border Patrol agents, seeking asylum. 

“The surge numbers are just overwhelming the entire system," McAleenan said.

We know that the current unemployment rate is low in the United States (currently 3.7%) and that might be a reason for people from those countries south of our border to come here.

How about another reason?

Could it be that the people in these countries are starting to realize that President Trump is really serious about stopping illegal immigration?

Could it be that they are starting to believe that Trump's wall is really going to be built?

Could it be that they know time is running short if they want to get here illegally?

Do you know what the current employment rate is in Mexico?

What would be your guess?

15%?

10%?

5%?

This has to go down as the most surprising statistic I have come across this year.

The current unemployment rate in Mexico is 3.3%. It is actually lower than the United States!

Mexico Unemployment Rate

This then raises some other questions.

Why is anyone coming to the United States from Mexico  in order to get a job?

Why is anyone from a country south of Mexico traveling through that country to get a job in the United States?

Why make an arduous journey to our southern border for "jobs and opportunity" if the unemployment rate is actually lower in Mexico than the United States?

Beyond the fact that the journey is shorter (or non-existent if you are from Mexico), there are no language barriers to deal with and there are limited cultural differences.

Of course, perhaps it is not just about jobs. Why else would there be thousands of mothers with minor children being apprehended at the border? Could Medicaid, welfare, food stamps and access to an American education paid by American taxpayers have something to do with it?

This is what the Washington Examiner says about the upsurge in illegals at the border.

By now, the nature of the border problem is clear: Families and children, assisted by drug smuggling cartels, have figured out how to exploit loopholes in federal law to gain a foothold in the U.S. They are coming in larger numbers and poorer health, and Homeland Security says it has reached the breaking point.

What are the biggest differences between Mexico and the United States on this issue?

Why are these caravans not stopping and staying in Mexico?

First, Mexico has stricter immigration laws than the United States. The Mexican Constitution also limits the rights of immigrants.

Second, you can't expect welfare to take care of you in Mexico.

This is how Investors' Business Daily described Mexico's policy towards immigration in 2015.

Mexico's legal immigration policies are designed to provide the country with the skill sets that the country needs. There's no talk of letting in those who'll do the work that Mexicans won't do. Mexican immigration law accepts those who have the "necessary funds for their sustenance" while denying entry to those who are not healthy or would "upset the equilibrium of the national demographics."

There will be no fundamental transformation of Mexico under the Mexican constitution. While we invite illegal immigration with jobs, service in the U.S. military, driver's licenses and discounted college tuition denied U.S. citizens from another state, Mexico slams the door.

Article 32 of Mexico's constitution bans non-native-born residents from holding sensitive jobs and joining the country's military in peacetime. Article 33 gives the president of Mexico the right to deport foreigners at will without the deportation hearing that 90% of our illegals fail to show up for. Foreigners are prohibited from participating in Mexican politics "in any way."

Third, there is no major political party in Mexico that is encouraging you to break the laws of its country to come there while also hinting they will give you a short route to citizenship.

Another interesting fact about Mexican immigration.

Immigrants make up less than 1% of Mexico's population. Almost 3/4 of those immigrants are from the United States alone. Immigrants from other Latin American and South American countries are miniscule.

Foreign-born persons living in Mexico, 2017
Credit: Wikipedia

Compare the list of foreign-born immigrants residing in Mexico to the top 10 list for the United States based on country of birth.

Foreign-born persons living in USA, 2015
Credit:Wikipedia

In particular, compare the numbers from El Salvador and Guatemala which appear on both lists.

Let's put this in further context. In New York City alone there are over 3.3 million people who were born outside the United States. That is about 40% of the entire population of the city. That also means there are almost three times as many immigrants in New York City as in the entire country of Mexico!

We keep being told by the Democrats and the mainstream media there is no emergency on the southern border.

What do these facts tell you?