To the Editor:
President Biden’s bold immigration plan seeks to offer a pathway to citizenship. It is a noble endeavor for our nation to take on. However, immigration reform is a holistic matter, and other salient issues need to be addressed as well. Many immigrants are fleeing the violence, and poverty that has metastasized across Mexico, and Central America. The drug cartels flourish, funded by America’s voracious, and insatiable appetite for illegal drugs. Our nation’s drug addicts are part of the nexus that keeps the brutality, and state corruption proliferating. According to a Harvard study 70% of Americans with illicit drug problems are employed. Costing an estimated $225 billion in lost production. Most of America’s opium comes from Mexico, with 6 cartels controlling the production. The majority of drugs are smuggled through the border’s points of entry. The justice department estimates $39 billion in profits are made from illegal drugs, that intern buys plenty of corruption, even ensnaring U.S. border guards who cannot resist the avarice opportunity.
The mayhem also is profoundly exacerbated by the arms that continue to head south across the border. It’s estimated by the Mexican military that 200,000 weapons a year flood into Mexico from the U.S. Eventually making their way to El Salvador, and also Honduras. Draconian gangs, such as MS-13, which originated in the U.S. are recipients of many of these weapons. Many of the cartels prefer the ubiquitous AR-15, the same weapon that was used at the Parkland school shooting, and that was also handed out to officers during the Vietnam war, according to author Mark Bowden. The bloody gun battles in Mexico leave a malevolent wake of misery, and death financed by America’s incognizant drug addicts. Many of the weapons recovered from crimes in Mexico can be traced back to guns stores in Arizona, Texas, and California where pernicious profit takes precedent over any sense of humanity. Along the U.S. southern border there are 700-gun dealers, some doing business out of homes. The profit from illegal guns crossing the border is estimated to be about $100 million according to a New Yorker article.
The interdiction of illegal drugs certainly must continue, but the demand side in the U.S. must be dealt with. More drug treatment centers are needed to combat our proliferating addiction rate. President Biden must declare a “war on addiction” and make treatment more easily accessible, and affordable. In the U.S. only 18% of addicts who needed treatment were able to access it. The state corruption in Mexico also contributes to immigration, and it’s imperative that Biden address the issue with President Obrador. The weapons flooding into the region must also be abated. The cartels take advantage of permissive US gun laws such as “straw purchases” that make weapons easily accessible. Unless the U.S. addresses this deadly synergy of guns, and addiction, the immigration crisis will continue to proliferate. Leaving a haunting, and shameful legacy for our nation.
Phillip R. Sanchez
Mason City
Phillip Sanchez of Mason City, is a writer, advocate for the undocumented immigrants and labor leader.
Sources
Alcohol consumption and workplace absenteeism: The moderating effect of social support (nih.gov)
The U.S. Opioid Epidemic | Council on Foreign Relations (cfr.org)
» Working on addiction in the workplace – Harvard Health Blog
https://time.com/5160267/gun-
Hue 1968: A Turning Point of the American War in Vietnam|Paperback
It seems we need to be more concerned about middle aged white guys with guns than 8 year old Mexicans.
I stand corrected. Wasn’t middle-aged, he was 21. Wasn’t a caucasian, was Indian. Doesn’t matter. Guns kill people when used by people who shouldn’t have access to them.
That’s the globalization plan take personal wealth from people then flood America with slave labor to take the only few jobs left, this enslave its own citizens further.
Where’s any money for the homeless veterans. This guy is the biggest disgrace to our country. I don’t give a shit how you felt about Trump.
Buying votes from illegal immigrants, who should not be allowed to vote. President Biden is allowing child trafficking and does not seem at all concerned about all of these unaccompanied minors allowed and encouraged to come in. Every evil committed against these children is on President Biden and those who help him. They will be judged accordingly!!!
Biden has already proven to be the worst president ever. A gigantic turd lives in the White House…
Biden might as well make a showing at the border. He created the crisis and doesn’t care about the illegals or the serious impact they have on America. Faux President Joe should be impeached!!!
WE KNOW THE. TRUTH … IT IS BIDEN’S FAULT……NOT PRESIDENT TRUMP’S! MAYORKAS IS A LIAR! BIDEN REFUSES TO FACE THIS CRISIS AT THE BORDER……Biden is breaking FEDERAL LAW.. JUST FOR FUTURE VOTERS…..DISGUSTING!!.!
Impeach/remove all DEMOcRATS on the left hand side of this picture, all the RINOS & the Squad from our government NOW & PERMANENTLY. They have been dividing/ruining our country & wasting American taxpayers $$$ for years….
Creepy Joe is as much an idiot as those who support him.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/biden-s-got-problems-is-chuck-schumer-one-of-them/ar-BB1eOPet?ocid=msedgdhp
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/photos-of-migrant-detention-highlight-biden-s-border-secrecy/ar-BB1eQFjf?ocid=msedgdhp
As a lifelong liberal and registered Democrat, it pains me to even try to make sense of this poorly written drivel.
First, if Mr. Chavez wants to call himself a writer, he should learn to properly spell “hordes”. He misspelled that term, as well as some other words in the body of his pseudo essay.
Second, by declaring himself as an “advocate for the undocumented immigrants”, admits that his career focus is to aid lawbreakers, at the expense of blue collar workers who are US citizens.
Third, while it’s nice to see someone try to rebut the far right wing-nut columns of Mr. Blodgett, at least Todd writes like a professional. Blodgett spews nonsense, no doubt there, but he does so in a manner that is entertaining, even if wrong, from a policy perspective.
Chavez is not only not entertaining, but this column indicates he should dust off his high school english textbooks before submitting for publication.
Fourth, Mr. Chavez should not give up his day job and really needs to stick to his labor relations work. At least he knows how to do that.
OUCH!!!!!
Hey there STUPID! If you are going to voice your Dumb Ass opinion on someone else’s article at least get his name right. It is “SANCHEZ” no Chavez.
Guess what, that is just what Sanchez wants.
This guy is not good, not good for America.
I know what the L in your name stands for.
Kind of like, L=assnonymous, right?
Wow. Go back to bed, your ignorance is showing.
i herd chavez smokes wackey tobackey.
Nicely written. The link between addiction and thefts and crime in general here in the US (and north Iowa) cannot be denied.
We’ve all known the Left wanted to confiscate guns, establish national databases to do so, and destroy the Second Amendment. The Liberal media is garbage.
If you want to fine “the shit out of” businesses who hire illegals, guess you should start with the Trump cartel. Most of the workers at their resorts are illegals.
got proof? maybe all the workers in packing plants are illegal
Maybe they are. Lets close all them too
Better close all the resorts in the South too. They rely on immigrants to do their work too including MaraLago which has had to restrict access to it because of Covid.
The corruption with Big Labor has been so rampant with union bosses taking high six-figure salaries, parties, and spending union dues on junkets to Hawaii and the Caribbean that workers have said they want out. Unions also donate tens of millions of dollars of worker dues to Democratic politicians. In many unions, as many as half of the rank-and-file workers on the line aren’t even in favor of the Democrats. They are Trump-voting Republicans. Union laws often prevent productive workers from getting more, just as teachers unions all but prevent poor-performing teachers from getting fired.
Let’s be clear: Protecting the Right to Organize Act that would force tens of millions to join a union. This bill doesn’t allow people to associate with a union. It forces them to join the union. In other words, it violates millions of workers’ First Amendment right not to associate with a union..
they are NOT taking jobs from us. they are doing jobs that need to be done but white people wont do them. dont say you will, want to sit out in the hot sun 10 yrs picking carrots, I dont think so.
He must have wore out 5 dictionaries getting all them big words for his article.
At least 5, maybe more. Oh well, a mex trying to impress people. I needed a good laugh today.
carrots are harvested by a machine, they are not picked by hand.
Send this guy all your Mexican pesos so he can continue his good work!
If all 50 states become forced union states, where will the jobs go next? Probably China and Mexico.
Just reading this makes me think, how about NIT have a online debate on this immigration between Sanchez, and Todd Blodget.
I sure would watch that, bet lot’s of people would.
You will never stop drugs from coming from mexico. It’s the kind of people the mexicans are. A skunk is born to stink, mexicans are born to break the law. Murder, rob, rape, supply drugs, and look how they kill. Whole families, beheadings, hanging people from bridges. Like the story of the scorpion and the frog. Scorpion asks frog for ride across stream. Frog says “no, you’ll bite me”. Scorpion says “No I won’t”. Frog lets scorpion jump on its back and they start across. Halfway across scorpion bites frog. Frog says “Why did you bite me when you said you wouldn’t?” Scorpion replies, “It’s what I am, it’s what I do.” Scorpion = mexicans. Simple.
That is true, for most Mexicans.
There are some good ones, most are not.
Sanchez use to tell my brother he worked with him, up to the plant, he didn’t have to do work, he was with the union. In the next election him and alot of the other members, they voted to get rid of Phil.
Do not listen to this fool, he is just like that scorpion.
You. can’t stop some people from being low-life, low intelligence, ignorant fools either. You make the trifecta.
Ok so Sanchez says he is an “advocate” for “undocumented immigrants”.
So another words, hes all for illegal aliens.
Shame shame shame like Gomer Pyle says.
Illegal is illegal is illegal is illegal. They do take jobs from us, that is just wrong.
Deport them scum, keep them out, they are illegals.
Shame on you Sanchez.
Realistically their is a proper/legal way to get into the USA…They need to try it
Sanchez don’t want that, he is for the illegal’s see for yourself.
Nearly 60 percent of Americans think the media willingly lies to us, leaving just 41 percent of the country trusting the media establishment. I’m betting that 41 percent live in urban areas and the coasts.
The low IQ Trump supporter comes through again.
Guns flowing across the border is a problem, especially with the help of the last administrations, Eric “the gun runner” Holder. Never forget!!!
Do you mean Operation Fast and Furious. From 2009-2011,nearly 2,000 firearms were illegally purchased for $1.5 million, according to a DOJ inspector General report. Hundreds of guns were later recovered in the United States and Mexico.
In 2010, two of the weapons linked to Fast and Furious turned up near the scene of the murder of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry in the Arizona desert.
Whistleblowing led to investigations by the Senate Judiciary Committee and the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. During the House investigation, Attorney General Eric Holder was cited for contempt.
June 20, 2012 – Republicans on the House Oversight Committee recommend that Holder be cited for contempt of Congress for failing to turn over documents relating to Fast and Furious. They make the recommendation after President Barack Obama asserts executive privilege over some documents sought by the committee.
Pay attention to the date. 4 years BEFORE TRUMP WAS ELECTED.
Yes, that is exactly what I meant. If that had been you or me, we would be in prison for life.
If ignorance was a crime, you would be in jail for life.
The problem is how easy it is for an illegal to get a job once in the USA. How many US citizens do you think build new homes these days. That is just one industry.
Do you think illegals are building new houses for themselves? Your post doesn’t make much sense.
The physical labor of building a house.
any business that hires illegals should have the shit fined out of them. no if’s an’s or but’s…
I agree with your position 100%, but stop using apostrophes for words that are simply plural. It confuses the reader and makes you look stupid…that blurs your message.
He is stupid so making himself look stupid is repetitive.
At least I’m consistent, besides I didn’t like English class. Everyone can’t be as articulate as some think they are.
Everyone could be very articulate if they weren’t so lazy.
AT: “Everyone could be very articulate if they weren’t so lazy.”
Then who would you make fun of???????
I am not making fun of them, I am just sorry that we Americans have so many people who care so little of themselves that they flaunt their ignorance like it is something to be proud of.
Great points, Mr Sanchez. The problems in this country with drug addictions is the main reason we have a problem at the border. Either we figure out a policy that legalizes the use of drugs or we stop all drug use in this country – somehow. The 2nd option is, of course, not an option but a pipe dream of those who think easy solutions are the only solutions (for example, Mrs Reagan’s Just Say No campaign). The cartels make too much money from illegal drug for us to expect they will quit importing them if we make it more difficult. They will just find other ways which could be more expensive. That would drive up the cost of those drugs which creates a two-fold problem – One, the addicts and users will still buy them but will need more money to do so leading to more crime in the US. The 2nd problem is the cartels will receive more cooperation from people on our side of the border because they will be much more active in searching out desperate people to assist them.
Wait minute, so it’s the US that is continuing the problem, since we when did or statue of liberty say we fix other countries. If do then ask for our help send out policing military force to Mexico end the cartels. I’m so tired of every country wanting help and money from America but then turning around and saying it’s our own fault when our government does not govern your country. Heard the phase-am airplane going down, put your oxygen mask on first. You can’t help someone else if you don’t help yourself first-.
Good grief…proofread before you post, or go to a site that speaks Klingon.