Two developments in the last week have brought American immigration policy back to the fore. First up, the Department of Homeland Security was dealt an embarrassing blow when Lorraine Henderson, the Boston area port detector for the Customs and Border Protection Agency, was caught employing three illegal aliens from Brazil as housekeepers.
While that story is good for a chuckle or two, a far more interesting story is unfolding just south of our borders. For years, Mexico has been a staunch opponent of our immigration policies. They have decried our efforts to check the flow of illegal aliens from Mexico into the U.S., assisted those who were trying to sneak across the border (both tacitly and openly), and fiercely championed its citizens who run afoul of our laws, even those who have committed crimes that have earned them the death penalty.
Mexico’s attitude towards its northern border stands in stark contrast to its practices along its southern border. While it argues for essentially open border into the United States, it guards its own southern border with a zeal that would make the most raging xenophobe step back and say “whoa, dude, somebody call the ACLU.” Now, thanks to Michelle Malkin, we see that Mexico is sounding a lot more like Pat Buchanan than La Raza. They’re not only cracking down on illegal immigrants (from Cuba), but they’re talking about bringing back the death penalty.
Mexico is vaguely reminiscent of Pakistan and Lebanon, in a way — all are theoretically independent nations threatened by powerful, armed groups within its borders that are intent on causing trouble in other nations. And both governments aren’t directly threatened by these groups as long as inaction continues to let them thrive. It’s not that far removed from the Saudi Arabian approach to their troublemakers — give them money and encourage them to go abroad and cause problems for anyone else.
Winston Churchill once described appeasement as “feeding the crocodile, hoping he will eat you last.” A solid observation (as one can always expect from Sir Winston), and an apt description of how Mexico, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia are dealing with the vipers at their throats.
And it’s not too much of a stretch to compare it to the United States’ own policy towards illegal immigration and border control.
