{UAH} ON BOARDER SECURITY DEMOCRATS CAN LEARN FROM MEXICO

When it comes to border security, Democrats can learn from Mexico

BY MADISON GESIOTTO, OPINION CONTRIBUTOR — 01/28/19 06:00 PM EST 3

 

 

 

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The Mexican government is currently doing more to combat illegal immigration into the United States than the entire Democratic Party put together. While the Democrats continue to pretend the crisis on our southern border is imaginary, Mexico is heavily investing in border security in anticipation of yet another massive caravan of migrants heading for the United States.

Hundreds of Honduran migrants began their journey this week, hoping to reach the southern border and seek asylum, a goal that proved elusive to the previous caravan. Instead of dismissing news of the new caravan as a “manufactured crisis” as the Democrats did after President Trump made his appeal for border security from the Oval Office, Mexican authorities sprang into action, announcing a broad list of new requirements and regulations designed to address the problem.

According to the latest news reports, the Mexican government is reinforcing the 12 entry points along its own southern border with additional immigration enforcement agents, and is stepping up surveillance of known illegal crossing points. Mexico also plans enforce strict immigration protocols, such as requiring migrants to undergo biometric scans and acquire immigration documents before entering the country.

Significantly, immigrants who are planning to traverse Mexico en route to America will be required to provide a U.S. visa — a move that will directly assist U.S. authorities. Most importantly, the Mexican government will reportedly deny passage and deport anyone who fails to comply with these strict conditions. While Mexico's decision to reinforce its own border clearly involves internal security concerns, the country has also been conscious of how its policies impact the illegal immigration crisis in America.

In an effort to support President Trump’s enforcement efforts, the Mexican government took pivotal steps to stop the previous migrant caravan, offering immigrants access to various social programs and benefits if they chose to live and work in Mexico rather than continue on to the United States. In October 2018, our southern neighbor even gave migrants an opportunity to apply for temporary work permits and obtain healthcare benefits if they remained in Mexico’s southern states.

"This plan is only for those who comply with Mexican laws, and it's a first step towards a permanent solution for those who are granted refugee status in Mexico," then-President Peña Nieto warned at the time. By discouraging the caravan from traveling to America, Mexico demonstrated its willingness to assist U.S. authorities and establish a working partnership with President Trump despite past disagreements.

Sadly, the same can’t be said about the Democrats, who have spent the last two years doing everything in their power to obstruct the President’s agenda, and are continuing to refuse to allocate adequate funds for a border wall to help end America’s border crisis. As a consequence of this diehard partisanship, we just experienced the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, during which many Democrats even refused to meet with President Trump.

Despite President Trump’s repeated efforts to compromise with the Democrats, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer consistently refused to hold productive negotiations, arguing instead that there is no immigration crisis to begin with. However, to the Democratic leadership's dismay, many Democrats are breaking ranks in an effort to come to the negotiation table on border security. But, will this be enough and will enough Congresspeople compromise on this issue and get the job done?

When it comes to border security, Mexico is putting the Democrats to shame with tough immigration policies that will do more to protect America’s borders than anything the Democrats have been willing to support since Donald Trump became President. If the Democrats took our safety and security as seriously as Mexico has recently, there really wouldn’t be a border crisis.

Madison Gesiotto is an attorney and commentator who serves with the advisory board of the Donald Trump campaign. She was an inauguration spokesperson and former Miss Ohio. She is on Twitter @MadisonGesiotto.

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