Criminal aliens: The losers are Mexico and Mexicans

I have spoken harshly in this journal several times about Mexicans who enter the country illegally, work here illegally, and stay here illegally. They are criminals, as I have called them at every opportunity. I want them to go home. All of them. Now.

The irony is that I really like Mexicans and Mexico, what I know of them; Kelly Ripa's husband, Mark Consuelos, for instance. Nobody could be more personable or likable or enviable. The Mexicans I have met over the years as individual citizens seem easy-going, happy and non-threatening, and the culture of Mexico intrigues me.

Individual Mexicans, like individual Americans, can't be blamed because President Bush and the Mexican government have conspired to break our laws. Encouraging illegal immigrants to work here, enriching U.S. businesses who thus avoid paying standard U.S. wages wasn't planned by individual Mexicans anymore than by U.S. citizens. The plight of the average Mexican is deplorable - read Michael Reagan's essay about that subject.

Mexicans surely know as well as we do that this crazy system of cheap labor wasn't born because "Americans won't do this kind of work," as we've been tirelessly told by Washington. It's because Americans won't - can't afford to - work for less because of the costs of citizenship and permanent residency.

Illegal Mexicans ship their earnings back to Mexico, which is, without question, indirect foreign aid that directly subsidizes U.S. businesses. But being an illegal laborer in the U.S. isn't an easy skate. Chances are excellent that Mexicans would much prefer to accept our foreign aid as a gift, no labor involved, as do other nations around the globe.

Americans resent this on-going slap in the face because of what it is, who is benefitting from it, and most of all how it's being done and by whom. It is most unfair and unfortunate that the real losers here are Mexico and Mexicans. People who should be perceived as our friends - friends in need just now - are instead perceived as thieves, criminals, beggars, and usurpers of our economic and legal systems. All of it thanks to governments in both countries who think the law should not apply and that citizens can be duped forever.