Burning Atlanta

Those of us who know jack about this issue have been screaming for enforcement for many years. Our government, finally, has started to show a little token enforcement and it's working. Yes, we've heard the worn out mantras about "You can't stop them no matter what you do. Show me a 10 ft. wall and I'll show you an 11 ft. ladder, " etc.. We know that stopping all illegal immigration would be impossible. But we also know that with some enforcement we can turn a tidal wave into a dribble. And enforcement is working.

Secure the Borders.

NOGALES, Mexico - Arrests of illegal migrants along the U.S.-Mexican border have dropped by more than a third since U.S. National Guard troops started helping with border security, suggesting that fewer people may be trying to cross.

U.S. Border Patrol agents arrested 149,238 fewer people from the start of July through November, down 34 percent from the same period last year, according to monthly figures provided Tuesday by U.S. Border Patrol spokesman Mario Martinez.

Arrests also had dropped by 9 percent for the same period from 2004 to 2005. If the downward trend continues, it would be the first sustained decrease in illegal immigrant arrests since shortly after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

National Guard troops started arriving along the border June 15, and 6,000 were in place by August.

The prices to smugglers are going up and the crossings are getting harder. IF this country will start enforcing the laws against those already here and those that aid, abet and hire these criminals then the tide will turn. I need to add this caveat. The numbers are always suspect because they come from our government and this is a huge political issue. But this is the only regular means by which they count the numbers. So, even though it's suspect, it's about all we've got.