b'pitch to desperate Central Americans living in the mostoptions on the subject of illegal immigrationrare and dangerous cities on earth, wrought with poverty andbloody or well-done and smoldering.void of opportunity, the human traffickers have usedWhile there is an argument to be made that the President Trumps plans to build a border wall and de- cost of preventative and non-urgent medical care under ploy the military, plus his threats to close the borderMedicaid, for example, costs far less than emergency entirely, as signals that its now or never for thoseroom care, and is more compassionate, thats not what waiting for their chance to go to the U.S. Make no ques- voters heardthey heard tones of truth lent to dogmatic tion that hatred for Trump has acted as an additionalovertures from the far-right: that illegal aliens are given incentive to create an overwhelming surge that wouldmore rights and more freebees than American citizens. stretch the capacity of the U.S. Government to its lim- If one considers that we citizens and legal immigrants itand it has. are expected to prove our legal right to re-enter the U.S. Overall border apprehensions in the 2nd quarter ofwhen returning from a foreign country, and that we are 2017 totaled about 57,000in the 2nd quarter of 2019 itgenerally required to pay for our healthcare, either di-was over 327,000, with the spike attributed almost en- rectly or through our employment, the 2020 batch of tirely to family units and unaccompanied minors fromDemocratic immigration proposals sound just like what the Northern Triangle countries. With Mexican drugRepublicans have been warning about.cartels feeling the sting of numerous multi-million-dol- Agiantborderwalldesignedtoeliminatethe lar seizures of cocaine and methamphetamine in recentsmuggling of humans and narcotics into the U.S. from years, happening in Texas after making it across theMexico is never, and was never, going to happen. Aside border, a flood the zone benefit has resulted from thefrom just looking at the Rio Grande River on a map, con-migrant crisisa Border Patrol overwhelmed with hu- sider that some 900 private landowners along the Tex-mans illegally crossing and voluntarily surrendering,as-Mexico border would either have to cede land for a have less manpower to deal with narcotics. wall voluntarily, or will have to be dealt with in federal The 2020 election cycle threatens to be the mostcourt using eminent domain claims. Not to mention the brutal, caustic, and divisive since Abraham Lincoln wasfact that a big wall is both the most expensive and least reelected in 1864, at the apex of the Civil War. Trumpeffective means of interdiction at the border90% of seeks to harden his right-wing base who wants a bor- human and narcotics smuggled into the country come der wall and for as many illegal immigrants as possiblethrough the ports of entry, i.e., over the international to be rounded up and deported without hearing. Thebridges. The most effective, least intrusive and fast-increasinglyprominent,Democratic-Socialistwingest method of screening vehicles crossing the bridges of the Democratic party is calling for the complete ab- is with x-ray scanning technology, and currently only olition of ICE (Immigration & Customs Enforcement),about 17% of bridge traffic is scanned. If you truly want and the decriminalization of entering the United Statesto take a bite out of smuggling, increase scanning tech-unauthorized, between ports of entry, by overturningnology to 100% of vehicular traffic.a provision in the Immigration and Nationality Act ofUltimately, in order for Americas illegal immigra-1929, also known as Beales Law, which made unautho- tion problem to be solved, federal law requires reinven-rized entry into the United States a federal, criminaltion: (1) the black market system of illegal labor must misdemeanor, and the unauthorized re-entry of a per- be dismantled through an immigrant worker programson who has been deported, a felony. this will raise wages for all low- and semi-skilled work-Thisdecriminalizationproposal,championedbyers; (2) drug smuggling over the border must be all but former San Antonio mayor and Housing and Urban De- eliminated by implemented 100% x-ray vehicle scan-velopment Secretary Julian Castro, who is running forning, a serious national drug treatment system on scale the Democratic nomination for president, would reduceof the VA, as well as the federal legalization of marijua-unauthorized entry to a federal civil offense, punish- na; (3) American corporations should shift 20% of its able by no more than a fine, although the possibilitymanufacturing done in China, Vietnam and elsewhere of deportation could still exist. Castro and fellow pres- in the Far East, to Mexico and Central America, and; idential candidate Senator Elizabeth Warren claim that(4) A period of universal amnesty should be established the change in the law is necessary to prevent Presidentin the U.S., during which all persons residing here il-Trump from separating parents from children at thelegally would be required to register in exchange for a border, justified as part of the processing of criminalpath to citizenship that gives credit for years residing suspects. Both Democrats skip over the fact that if theirin the U.S., along with retroactive credit for federal tax-candidacies succeed, Trump wont need to be preventedes paidthis measure will normalize those living in the from doing anything, and that their proposal will nev- U.S. peacefully and working in legitimate enterprises, er see the light of day unless they, in fact, succeed. Ul- while setting apart illegal immigrants who are engaged timately, the message to voters is that Democrats do,in criminal activity and deterred from registration.indeed, support an effectively-open border between theWhile the lovably naive, clear-thinking, practical U.S. and Mexicoadd a slew of raised hands among can- band of hippies can dream of actual immigration re-didates in the first Democratic debate when asked whoform, our national political leaders are determined to supports government-paid healthcare for illegal immi- extend our imprisonment in the confines of extreme grants, and voters see themselves with two electoralchoices, with nothing in the middle.38 THE COASTAL BEND MAGAZINEFEATURED: The Stories that Mattered TheCoastalBend.com'