Drug-Fueled Immigration

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By Michael Cutler
March 4, 2009

While corruption has been a way of life in Mexico historically, the dominance of drug cartels there now amplifies the corruption, putting the beleaguered country at a dangerous tipping point. Not unlike terrorist organizations, the drug cartels use violence and the threat of it in conjunction with bribery to destabilize Mexico’s federal and local government.

Billions of American drug dollars have flowed to the cartels and given them their power. The tremendous wealth has bought the cartels influence, military-grade weapons, vehicles, counterfeit documents, safe houses, and government and military officials.

With more than 6,000 lives lost last year, Mexico is bearing the brunt of the brutal drug violence, which has included videotaped beheadings and hours-long firefights. Mexico is so fragile that it is on the same level as Pakistan for the potential of rapid and sudden collapse, according to a report on worldwide security threats issued by the U.S. Joint Forces Command. But the situation puts Mexico’s northern neighbor at great risk as well.

On an ongoing basis tens of thousands of illegal aliens push their way across the Mexican border into the United States. Some are seeking an illegal job and serve only briefly as pawns for drug dealers en route by carrying drugs, but others are criminal aliens involved full-time in gangs, such as the violent El Salvadorian MS-13 gang, and the drug trade. They come not just from Mexico and Latin America, but other “special interestâ€