I live pretty darn far from the Mexican border, so I may not be qualified to say much about it. But then again, we live in interconnected times; what goes on down in Nogales can affect northern New Jersey quite easily these days. So here’s my take on the situation down there — or lack of take, really. That’s because it’s a complex, confusing situation with very few absolute rights or wrongs.

A lot of people are illegally crossing into the US from Mexico; maybe a quarter million per year, maybe more. But that’s nothing new, really. Despite all our immigration laws, plenty of Mexicans (and others from Central and South America, maybe even other places) have come into our country via the South over the past 100 years. And life has gone on. Even Alan Greenspan had to admit that all of those illegals willing to work for what we consider pittance wages (they’re pretty lucrative to them) have done our economy much good. Mexicans have gotten used to the illegal entry option, and reportedly feel that it’s their right to cross the border to make some dolares. The American labor unions are angry because they say it takes jobs away from Americans. But hey, if Americans wanted the lousy, dangerous, low-paying jobs that the illegals take, there are more than enough to go around.

So, as a person with internationalist sentiments, I’m tempted to join in with those who decry the current trend toward militarizing and sealing off the border. But on the other side of the coin . . . . these are dangerous times. An open, uncontrolled border might lend itself to the designs of terrorists, might increase the danger of a nasty communicable disease (like SARS or bird flu) reaching our country before we’re ready, and certainly does allow a lot of illegal drugs and guns to get in. So I’m also feeling some sympathy with the “get tough” people.

Believe it or not, I agree (in theory) with the Bush Administration’s approach of hardening the border while allowing more Mexicans in if they do the paperwork (under an expanded guest worker program). Supposedly a Mexican has a choice of making around fifty cents an hour at home or $5 an hour across the Rio Grande. Such a huge wage differential is now causing such people to risk their lives treking through the desert (because the Border Patrol is tightening up the easy crossings zones in California and Arizona with fences, lights, infra-red monitors, ground radar, even remote control aircraft). If the incentive to get here is that great, however, perhaps they would also be willing to do some paperwork to come in legitimately (and avoid the desert). Of course, paperwork isn’t going to help the criminal element. But we have enough criminals here in the USA as it is, don’t need any more.

Of course, given American politics, there will be pressure to limit the guest worker program; the unions will certainly try to choke it off. And even though most Republicans don’t rely on union support, they might treat such a program as window dressing; something that lets but a handful of Mexicans seeking work opportunities in, so as to justify increased spending on a militarized border. (That’s where Republicans make their money, giving big orders to defense contractors for high-tech stuff.)

Unfortunately, though, I don’t think that we can go back to the good old days when an open border wasn’t that big a deal. The US is going to have to get control of those 1950 miles of badlands. The liberals will have to keep lobbying the powers in Washington to make good on the guest worker part of the deal.

All this would certainly tick the Mexican government off. However, maybe we can give them a cut of the action. Before we station troops out in the New Mexican desert, the US might offer an incentive system; if Mexico will take affirmative acts to stop the flow of illegal immigrants and cooperates with a legitimate guest worker program, we will provide aid for economic development projects that stimulate the Mexican economy and create better ways to make a living down there. We could do a whole lot more to provide grants and low-interest loans aimed at putting in roads, expanding schools, establishing water systems for agriculture, and — sorry if the conservatives don’t like this — encouraging population control. We could set it up as an incentive system. If they make the effort, we fork over the dough. If not, we send the troops in (not into Mexico, but up to the line anyway).

But I realize that there is no instant solution to this messy problem. If our government starts today and puts up some serious money and effort, then maybe in ten years things would get better. But if we do nothing (or do the wrong thing, more fences and no countervailing positive actions as Senator Sennsenbrenner would have us do), then it will just get worse. Worse for everyone, even us gringos way up in el norte.