Several of you have written me and claimed that we already let in everyone who wants to come. I’ve seen similar arguments circulating around the blogosphere.
This is simply untrue. Some illegals overstay their visas, but of course visas are hard to get in the first place, especially if you are from a poor country. Most illegals cross the Mexican border, whether or not they are Mexican. Crossing the border currently costs about $1500, plus it involves a dangerous four-day trek. The migrant has to carry his own food and water, plus there is a significant risk of banditry. You never know whether or not your “coyote” has set you up for robbery.
I have done fieldwork in rural Mexico and I know quite a few Mexicans who would like to come. They don’t come for two reasons. First, they don’t have the $1500 or even close to it. Second, they are terrified to cross. Women especially are afraid of the hardships and are afraid of rape. Crossing through Mexico is all the harder if you don’t speak Spanish or know Mexico well, which is the case for the non-Latin migrants who try to cross.
In sum, the current policy is not close to letting everyone come in. If we opened the border more formally, many more people would come.
Comments are closed.