Pubdate: Wed, 20 Aug 2003 Source: Miami Herald (FL) Copyright: 2003 The Miami Herald Contact: http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/262 Author: Paul Crespo Note: Paul Crespo is a writer and public-policy consultant. Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?203 (Terrorism) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/traffic.htm (Traffic) ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION IS A THREAT Since the tragedies of 9/11, Americans have become increasingly aware that illegal immigration is not a victimless crime. While some try to paint those wanting tougher enforcement of immigration laws as anti- immigrant, xenophobic or worse, most Americans understand the difference between orderly, fair and legal immigration and the uncontrolled, illegal kind. Most Americans -- including many recent immigrants -- also appreciate the real benefits that immigrants provide our nation while understanding the grave dangers associated with lax immigration laws and porous borders. As the American-born son of legally admitted Cuban political refugees, I am extremely grateful that America welcomes those ''yearning to breathe free.'' We rely on the vitality, creativity and patriotism of our numerous new Americans. I thanked America by serving on three continents as an officer in the U.S. Marines. Others are equally grateful. One of the first Americans killed in the recent Iraq war was Marine Lance Cpl. Jose Gutierrez, a Guatemalan national who only posthumously became a U.S. citizen. Today, there are many more like him. Approximately 7,000 foreign nationals (non-citizens) serve in the U.S. Marines. More than 4,000 are Hispanic, and many are Mexican. Some may even have entered the country illegally. They are role models for all Americans. But not all immigrants are like them. Open immigration advocates lump legal and illegal immigration together and focus on the benefits that all immigrants bring, emphasizing that most come here only searching for a better life. Yet, while the media pays scant attention to the problem, we can't deny that a large number of foreigners come here to commit crimes. Even in this era of heightened security, somewhere between one and two million undocumented aliens enter the country annually. It is difficult to gauge how many of these are criminals or potential terrorists. According to U.S. Rep. Charlie Norwood, R-Ga., of the roughly 400,000 individuals who have been ordered deported, some 80,000 are criminals convicted of crimes here. Four of the five men involved had U.S. criminal records but had never been deported. John Malvo, one of the accused Beltway snipers, is another example. A Jamaican, he entered illegally in Miami and had been detained by Border Patrol agents in Washington state not too long before the shooting spree began. Sadly, the Immigration and Naturalization Service (now part of Homeland Security), following a disturbing pattern of ''catch and release,'' simply let him go rather than incur the costs associated with following the law and promptly deporting him. In response to these issues Rep. Norwood recently introduced a bill to assist federal agents assigned to enforce immigration laws. Norwood believes that local law enforcement needs to be encouraged to help. While more needs to be done to detain and deport those convicted of crimes, the problems start at the borders. The 2,000-mile Mexican border is the most important. That region has increasingly become the scene of serious cross-border violence, drugs, arms and alien smuggling. Some believe that these Mexican government forces are providing protection to drug and other criminal cartels operating on both sides of the frontier. In the Florida Straits, too, organized operations are smuggling human cargo into the country. In addition to better enforcing our immigration laws to deal with anyone who entered without inspection, we also need to do a better job of controlling our borders. Only then can we separate the good immigrants and legitimate refugees from the potential criminals and terrorists. Paul Crespo is a writer and public-policy consultant. - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin