Saturday, October 23, 2010 It is easy to see why there are those that support illegal immigration. Many of the people that enter the United States illegally are hard working individuals merely seeking a better life. Many of us would probably do the same to provide for our families. Those defending them will say that crossing the border without inspection is only a misdemeanor and is no more severe than a traffic violation.


This argument might have more weight if it were true. Crossing the border illegally is in fact a misdemeanor (8 United States Code 1325), but many if not most of these individuals use an alien smuggling organization to aid them across the border. Typically a smuggler will help them across the U.S. border, another smuggler (a guide) will help them around U.S. Border Patrol checkpoints; an additional smuggler will pick them up on the other side of these checkpoints and transport them to a stash location where they will sit until they are ready to be transported by additional smugglers to their final destination. This is rarely if ever charged, but by definition the alien has committed a crime by aiding this organization (Conspiracy to 8 United States Code 1324). This isn’t where the law violations end either. If the individual has been deported previously it is a felony punishable by 2 to 20 years in prison for returning (8 USC 1326).


Most employers, even the ones that knowingly are hiring illegal aliens, require the aliens have some form of identification to work. Shortly after entering this country a typical illegal alien will acquire fraudulent documentation to obtain employment and or some type of government service. Illegal document vendors can usually be found at flea markets and other locations and the will provide documents for typically between $50 - $150. Obtaining these documents is also a crime as is using the documents to obtain a government benefit or employment. (8 USC 1324, 18 USC 1028 and 18 USC 1546)


There are some that will still say these are victimless crimes, but alien smuggling is anything but a victimless crime. The life of an alien smuggler is just as violent if not more so than a drug dealers. Most smugglers are armed to protect themselves from “bajaderosâ€