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From the Other Side of the Edge…..
A Tale of Two
Policies, ….and Neither is Working
By Joe Facinoli
Illegal Immigrants? Or Refugees ??
Border Security Problem? Or Humanitarian
Nightmare ??
Should we let ‘em all in, to run free and to go everywhere, as they
please, …or shut ‘em all out, with shotguns, moats, and barrels of hot
oil, raining down on them from the top of the wall ?
Both. And
Neither. All of the Above, …but really,
…None of it.
To best understand any complex problem, but especially the current and
continual influx of “undocumented” young people, into the U.S. from
Central America, we need to (and we absolutely must) start at the
beginning.
Trying to put out a 4 alarm fire with two gallon buckets of water,
…just won’t work.
And it’s particularly difficult, when the two fire companies sent to do
the job, not only want to use conflicting methods to accomplish the
task, but most of the time, …don’t even speak to one
another.
The real key to all illegal immigration from El Salvador, Guatemala,
and Honduras, and to a similar extent from Mexico, are the violent,
dangerous, non-societal conditions there.
Central America is ruled by, what are essentially, …streets gangs on
steroids.
Think: Chicago in the ‘20s, without Elliott Ness (or Kevin
Costner) to ride in for the rescue.
Nearly all social, political, and financial conditions, …but more
importantly, …the safety and well-being of all the people in those far
too easily dismissed countries, who should be our welcomed and embraced
neighbors, …are controlled by these gangs.
They have infiltrated every level of the society, from the very lowest
mango farmers, to the highest Supreme Court Justices, and all the way
to the very top of the political heap, to the Presidents
themselves.
Especially in El Salvador. That sad nation is
governed, in reality, by street law. And is, for all
intents and purposes, an open
country.
MS-13, or Mara Salvatrucha, the most vicious of all the gangs, is a
take-no-prisoners group of extortionists, kidnappers, thugs, and
murderers, who stop at nothing to gain control over nearly anyone, and
everything, in their collective paths.
But they are not alone. Barrio 18 (or the 18th Street
Gang) is nearly as bad, and equally evil.
Again, with Salvadoran roots, …but Honduras and Guatemala get the
leftovers, as well.
Both “13” and “18” originated in Los Angeles, California, but after
massive deportation efforts in the ‘60s, they became much better
organized in their home countries, and better equipped for their
illegal (again) return to the U.S.
And both of these fine groups of upstanding citizens are well
connected, in many labyrinthine ways, to Los Zetas (or “Z”), Mexico’s
legendary and most terrible street gang, and to “La M”, better known as
the Mexican Mafia.
All of these maniacal criminals and killers make U.S. gangs, of any
era, look like recess time at your kid’s pre-school.
Why do I describe, in such detail, the cultural growth and habits of
such monsters?
To help explain why today, there is such an invasion of young people,
coming from this woe-be-gone region.
The failed immigration policies of the past 6 (or more) U.S.
Presidential administrations, and their co-partners of ineptitude, the
Congresses of those same time periods, are only the final symptoms of
the problem.
The origins run much deeper, and belie all those futile, non-sensical
attempts at turning off such an out of control firehose, …by trying to
use a rubber band.
These same young folks, especially those of elementary and middle
school ages, are the direct targets of these omnipresent
gangs. For many reasons.
Both the girls and the boys, some as young as 7 or 8, are kidnapped
indiscriminately, and are sold into prostitution, forced labor, slavery
for many purposes, drug running, people smuggling, and even contract
killing.
If they try to run away, they are hunted down, found, and are brutally
punished. Sometimes other family members, including their
mothers or fathers, are tortured or even killed, and right in front of
them, if the young ones are not cooperative.
Filling the membership of the insatiable gangs, …is quite easy using
these “tried and true” methods.
And it also works the other way. If the gangs want
something from an adult, they threaten their children, or a family
member’s children, to get them to do what they
want. And a murdered youngster, is not uncommon
to find down there.
As recently as two years ago, El Salvador (roughly the size of
Maryland, with half the population) was averaging 13 murders a day,
countrywide, and all year.
The kids are the key, ya see, …but where are the “policia”, or the
“federales”, to stop all of this rampant insanity, …you might
say?
Let me tell you a story.
A wonderful man, who now works with me, has an unbelievable tale of
recent history, which helps explain to us why nearly everyone wants out
of Central America, and why the U.S. is their country of choice, for
the best escape.
Carlos (not his real name, but that will do here) had been a Sergeant
in the Salvadoran military for several years, when he decided he’d like
to try police work, and maybe spend more time with his growing
family.
So, he honorably retired from his country’s service, and found several
takers in local police forces near his longtime home in central El
Salvador.
He chose one that would bring him in on a Sergeant’s level (much higher
up than a Sergeant in the U.S., …more like a Captain), owing to his
well-documented military experience and record.
He was given his own “crew”, and mostly a free hand, at chasing down
the local bad guys, and to do the best he could with these ever present
gangs, who touched nearly everything.
Carlos was, and still is, a very honest and straight up guy, and not
one who would ever succumb to, nor take lightly to, any attempts at
intimidation.
He did not like the gangs, not only because of their illegal and
threatening activities, but for what they did to his beloved
country.
One day, while he and his crew were out on patrol (they were given a
small sedan, into which 5 guys had to squeeze themselves), they
encountered a group of known MS-13 members, who did not appreciate, at
all, being watched by Carlos’ crew.
Not unusually, a gun battle ensued, and Carlos’ guys killed three of
the gang members, and wounded two others. None of his men
were even hurt.
A small victory, they thought, …but only for a short minute.
Turns out, that two of the dead bad guys were actually “lieutenants” to
the regional MS chieftain, who didn’t take very kindly to having any of
his “boys” taken out by the local policia.
Two days later, Carlos was “summoned” to a meeting with this “13”
bigshot. This meeting was very short, and quite
one-sided.
They didn’t kill Carlos, …no, even with their control over the town’s
and region’s police forces, killing a cop, even for them, was a bit too
far to go.
So, Carlos was merely told that he would not be harmed, but if he
wanted his family to survive, and/or not be tortured, maimed, sold into
prostitution, etc, etc, then he would have to move his entire family to
another region, and that he would have to leave the country, …right
now, …and forever.
Carlos is a prideful man, but he is also not stupid.
He knew a “good deal” when he heard one, so he complied,
…immediately.
He came to the U.S. several years ago now, with modest effort, and
little difficulty. A few thousand dollars
(probably his life savings, at the time), and he was
in. To the Land of hand-out milk, and Government
honey.
Did you know that the Rio Grande runs right through the middle of
Brownsville, Texas, which is on the U.S./Mexican
border? And that at this point, it is only about 100
feet wide, at most, and no more than waist deep, year
round?
Sort of like crossing 59th Street, in NYC, and suddenly you’re in
Central Park. It’s that
easy.
He couldn’t afford to bring his whole family then, so he came alone at
first. But slowly, one by one, he got them all out,
and they are all with him now.
He’s worked out all the legal issues, now that his family is
safe. But initially, he couldn’t even apply for
refugee status, because he would have to identify the ones in El
Salvador, who were causing him the problems.
And that would have been a death sentence, or worse, for some or many
of his innocent and unsuspecting family.
So, he handled it the best way he could.
Was it legal? Not in this country, nor within any
other “worldly” circles.
But did he have any options? Not a
one. And he couldn’t have cared less, either,
about what kind of “worldly” laws he might have been
breaking.
Life had dealt him an impossible hand, and he was not asking anyone for
help with it. He accepted it, played it out, and
lives were saved, for his efforts.
The United States seems to have no problem whatsoever, with blasting
our way, uninvited, into faraway countries like Iraq and Afghanistan,
where we have no chance of changing anything.
And all too similarly and sadly, into Vietnam, and even Korea, in
decades past.
Why don’t we stay closer to home, and help solve the “impossible”
situations in Central America, while solving our own ongoing
immigration challenges, from that region?? Too
simple, …I know.
But the problems there are systemic, …and not
symptomatic. And they’re not going away.
We need to address the core issues, and with everything we’ve
got. Not with some little antiseptic cream, and an
oversized band-aid.
The patient is hemorrhaging, and we’re fighting over who’s going to get
the credit, …for treating a blister.
I know it will be different for us, …but let’s be smarter, with this
one.
Joe Facinoli
--Joe can be reached at: joefacinoli@gmail.com
Intelligent Response Encouraged !!
© Copyright 2014, Joe Facinoli
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