One Illegal Immigrant Killed, Another Crippled in Immigration Sweep

Railroad line crossing the US-Mexican border. Photo by marcokalmann on Flickr.

While trying to elude immigration authorities, one man jumps from a moving train and loses his head (literally) while another falls on the tracks and loses his leg. Another tragic story in America? No, this was in Mexico at the hands of Mexican agents! The hypocrisy here is unbelievable.

Most Americans know that plenty of Mexicans enter the US illegally every year, many with full support from the Mexican government. What many don't know, is that Mexico vigorously patrols its own southern border to catch illegal aliens entering from Central or South America.

Some might think that they are doing the US a favor, since most of those migrants are certainly headed north for the United States. But this isn't out of any altruism on their part; Mexico seems to feel that that particular cash-cow to the North is for themselves only. They don't want even cheaper labor from the South filling up all those jobs, thereby cutting down the remittances sent back to Mexico. And they don't like foreigners hanging around using their services either. You see, unlike the US, Mexico does not allow illegal aliens to use their public school system. So while I understand their true motives, it stinks of the worst kind of hypocrisy, after claiming to be so concerned about the human rights of migrants, free trade agreements, and building more bridges across the Americas.

After all, this is the same nation that has been pushing hard for an amnesty for illegal immigrants in the US. They also said they wish to:

promote a humane treatment of all immigrants, regardless of their nationality or migratory status,

This is also the same nation that opposes the border fence plan. Former Mexican President Vicente Fox called it "shameful" and compared it to the Berlin Wall. At a meeting of the Organization of American States in 2006, Mexico lobbied 28 countries total to sign a statement blasting the fence that expressed in part:

deep concern regarding the decision adopted by the United States of America to build and extend a wall on its border with Mexico, considering it to be a unilateral measure that goes against the spirit of understanding

Finally, a Mexican congressional panel once called the US border policy

"racist, xenophobic, and profoundly violative of human rights."

So I wonder what words they would use to describe it when Mexican police were chasing the 133 migrants off the train and then deporting the ones they caught?

Don't get me wrong; Mexico has every right to set their own conditions for entry into their country. And while the death is tragic, these were adults knowing full well the risks they were taking. People who hop on trains to sneak into a country and then jump off them to avoid being caught, have to live with the consequences of their own actions. What is ludicrous is for Mexico to do the very thing they heavily criticize the United States for.

For another blatant example of Mexican hypocrisy, you might want to read this piece. After announcing publicly that "the doors of the Mexican embassy in Cuba are open to all the citizens of Cuba, just as México herself is", 130 Cubans did just that, entered the Mexican embassy hoping to claim asylum, but were rejected by Mexico, and the next day handed over to the Cuban police. I guarantee you the aftermath was not pleasant for them.

The irony would almost be funny if it weren't actual human lives being ruined in the process.