Border Unsafe for Children

With more and more people attempting to cross the Arizona/Mexico border, the lives of children are put at risk on a daily basis. Smuggling drugs and illegal immigrants are common along the border and can spark violence that is absolutely inappropriate for young children.

On Thursday, a man was stopped and arrested at the Nogales port of entry for attempting to bring 2,700 pounds of marijuana into the United States, according to the Arizona Daily Star. This type of incident happens daily, if not hourly along the border, and therefore we must implement a plan to protect the lives of small children traveling with their families. Often, kids become involuntarily become part of the violence. For example, smugglers often kidnap children, in an effort to either regain their lost drugs, or trade for something else.

Recently, President George Bush and Homeland Security have established rules which allow children to be excluded from the new passport regulations. Children ages 15 or younger, with parent consent, will be allowed to enter the United States with copies of their birth certificates. This is a well-organized plan, because or government is thinking about the futures of these children.

Children will simply be able to cross the border with less risk, and will eventually perceive the border has a place for protection, not exploitation. The rule was originally proposed to help sports teams cross the border. In the past, teams were missing games because of the lengthy document checks at the border.

This is an important step for Homeland Security because it shows that children, for once, are the number one priority at this point. Kids often become victims of dehydration and starvation, which are clear signs of the border being a dangerous area.

To eliminate or reduce the number of child deaths, we need to make sure the border is recognized as area of refuge, not a place for exploitation. The futures of these children are extremely critical, because they are the ones who will have a lasting effect on modern society. It is our duty as a government to ensure that every child is given the appropriate opportunity to learn and succeed. The border should not blur academic aspiration, it is what our constitution is structured around.

All information taken from:

*http://www.sxc.hu/home (photos)

*http://www.azstarnet.com/allheadlines/170543.php (statistics)

Mexican Drug Gangs

Even though authorities have heavily cracked down on drug trafficking along the border, Mexican drug gangs have still remained prevalent and an ongoing problem for federal troops. It is extremely difficult to eliminate all of the gangs in some areas, because drug dealers have gradually replaced local government authority.

According to the Arizona Daily Star, President Felipe Calderon has sent 24,000 troops and federal police into Mexico. They are focusing primarily on Tijuana and Acapulco, in an effort to impede some of the success these drug cartels have had. Drug trafficking was responsible for more than 2,000 killings along the border last year, according to the statistics in the Arizona Daily Star.

In an article published by the Associated Press, Campa said, "The first objective of the military operations is to regain national territory." Campa also stressed the immediate importance of working together with federal, state and local officials.

Later this year, federal officials are planning to create a vehicle registration program that would place Mexican cars with computer chips that can be scanned and located. The chips would also provide valuable information, such as the vehicle's history and also previous owners. The system is primarily targeted at the increasing number of auto-thefts along the border.

This computer chip plan seems like a good idea, but the technology can be easily forged or manipulated. In other words, gangs will most likely catch on, figure out a way to get passed the chips, and continue to move illegal drugs.

This crackdown on Mexican gangs will greatly benefit everyone, and hopefully make the border a safer place. Mexico's lack of control and well-known corruption will slowly become a major problem for the United States. More importantly, our own counties in southern Tucson would feel unsafe because of the proximity to the border.

It is dangerous to send troops to the border, but at this point, the sooner the better these Mexican gangs are put in jail. Hopefully, with time, the lives of these people living on the border will drastically improve because authorities will regain control of the border.

All information taken from:

*http://www.azstarnet.com/allheadlines/169489.php

*http://www.sxc.hu/index.phtml

Crack Down on Immigration Crimes

According to the Arizona Daily Star, the Arizona Department of Public Safety has recently formed a new task force to help law enforcement agencies along the border. The task force will primarily focus on dismantling organized gang activity and also the smuggling of illegal narcotics. The project is called the "Arizona Border Strike Force," and Governor Janet Napolitano plans to put the project into action immediately.

This special task force has most recently become a popular topic because of the consistent crimes surrounding the border. For example, on February 7, U.S. Border Patrol agents seized 2,500 pounds of Marijuana in the Sierra Vista area. Agents were able to follow a 2006 Ford F-250 into the town of Whetstone, where the driver, a Mexican illegal immigrant, left the truck and tried to escape. The man was eventually caught and police found 1,374 pounds of marijuana in the Ford pick-up truck.

The second arrest occurred when Border Patrol agents spotted a 2005 Dodge Ram in Sierra Vista. The driver of the Dodge fled from Border Patrol but was later caught with the help of a Customs and Border Protection helicopter (http://www.cbp.gov/). Agents were able to recover 1,099 pounds of marijuana, and the drugs were later turned over the Drug Enforcement Agency (http://www.dea.gov/).

Another incident occurred on February 8, when three drug smugglers attempted to transport their drug loads past Border Patrol agents. The unique part about this particular bust, is the fact that the smugglers were all on horseback. According to reports, around 5:45 a.m., 10 miles east of Nogales, a camera spotted three horses, strapped with what appeared to be luggage. The men on horseback fled back into Mexico, and therefore none of the riders were arrested. But, agents recovered 529 pounds of marijuana. Smuggling drugs on horseback isn't new to the Border Patrol.

Horses are often used because they are faster than humans, make less noise, and also have the ability to cross rough terrain, such a desert plain or a range of mountains. According to the Arizona Daily Star, "From Oct. 1 through Jan. 31, agents seized 299,154 pounds of marijuana, more than 2,400 pounds a day. The totals represent a 31 percent increase from the same period in fiscal year 2006, when the amount of marijuana seized shattered previous records."

All information taken from:

*http://www.azstarnet.com/

*http://www.sxc.hu/index.phtml

Health Risks

Health issues along the border are becoming a serious problem with the steady increase in population and lack of medical resources. The U.S./Mexico border desperately needs some leadership, especially in the field of health care. Authorities on the border are far more concerned with legalizing the situation, rather than helping the people in need. Our government must create and implement a disease prevention program in the border area. With a coordinated system, we could then use advanced technology to gather health-related data and consistently monitor health problems, or common patterns.

Authorities must properly research and identify the health risks fairly quickly, so we can stop the pattern as soon as possible. If we could monitor health problems on the border, we could save lives. Technology can be fairly expensive, but if public and private entities came together, a sufficient disease prevention plan could be a reality. The purpose of the system would clearly be resolving health problems, but the long-term goal would be preventing them altogether.

The lack of resources on the border is consistently a problem residents and immigrants must deal with. For example, there is barely enough drinkable water, which makes people more vulnerable to becoming sick. There is constantly a need for more health professionals that have the ability to monitor health activities along the border. In general, people feel unsafe at the border because of the overwhelming lack or resources and the brutal abuse by authorities.

Another health concern is diseases being carried and transmitted by people who are unaware they have the disease, and then crossing over to the United States. Now, the disease is not contained, and if airborne, thousands of people could potentially be in danger. It is imperative to keep the diseases contained, preventing the spread of deadly bacteria. With the inconsistent treatment along the border, the spread of disease remains a very serious issue. According to "America's Program" website, Hepatitis A, B, and C, measles, and mumps also occur more frequently along the border than in many other regions. We must act now and try to save life.

Links:

*Center for Disease Control and Prevention (http://www.cdc.gov/)

*Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (http://odphp.osophs.dhhs.gov/)

*Healthful Life Project (http://healthfullife.umdnj.edu/)