Other Columns by Thomas D. Segel
Thomas D. Segel Bio

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The majority of Americans do not live along the border with Mexico. Because of their distance from the problem, they really have no idea of what takes place on a daily basis. Some claim the border is "porous" so it allows "some" illegal aliens to escape detection. Those of us who live about 15 miles from the Rio Grande think the United States has just opened the border gates and placed welcome mats at the entrances to the country.

Only a week ago Harlingen, Texas was featured on the evening television news across the country. Videos were shown of our border officials taking a vanload of illegal aliens to the Greyhound Bus Terminal. These aliens were caught after they had crossed into this country as what the politically correct crowd calls "undocumented immigrants". The gaggle of people were given a date to report for a deportation hearing and sent on their way. This was, and continues to be, done on a daily basis. Those apprehended are never placed in detention, even though our government knows more than 90% will not show up on their court dates. Instead, the aliens will vanish into the interior of the country, adding to the millions our government has never been able to find.

My home in Harlingen is about two miles from a new, high tech Border Patrol Headquarters, which is staffed by dozens upon dozens of officers. Still, while waiting at a crossing the other day, I counted more than 2 dozen aliens riding on empty box cars as a train from Mexico passed.

One day, not too long ago, I opened a large dumpster in the alley to deposit the trash. Sitting inside, out of the rain, was a very frightened looking alien.

My sister almost went into shock one night, when she went out to her enclosed back porch and found an alien sleeping among her stored items.

As you drive on Highway 77 in the direction of Corpus Christi, it is routine to see small groups of men walking at some distance from the road, often with backpacks and carrying plastic bottles of water.

A friend of mine who ranches in a remote region says young men in pairs or small groups are regularly stopping by his house to ask for water and food

I realize these comments are anecdotal, but they are written to report the kinds of things we, who live along the border, see every day.

Are they terrorists? No, the vast majority of those who illegally enter the United States are people seeking employment and a better life. However, there are also many criminals in this unidentifiable band of people. Prisons in the Lone Star State and across the country house thousands of alien inmates convicted of everything from theft to murder.

The Minuteman project along the Arizona border has shown everyone that with enough people in place, illegal immigration will come to a halt. Granted, those who want to enter this country will just try to cross at an area, which isn¹t being guarded, but with enough people in place, these types of crossings could be slowed to a trickle.

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