For decades, Arizona, California, New Mexico and Texas have had enormous problems on the border with Mexico. The Factor has reported on many of them.
Ninety-eight percent of the people arrested on border on Mexican nationals. Here in Arizona alone, close to one million people are arrested every year near the border. This costs the state of Arizona an estimated $150 million a year. It comes out of the taxpayers' pockets. That is money taken away from other things the state needs, and as we'll show you later on, Arizona has enormous problems in education and social welfare.
The question is why doesn't the federal government put the U.S. military on the border to stem the tide of illegal immigration and drug smuggling? Last year, the House passed a resolution that would have allowed that to happen, but the Senate killed it, and Arizona Governor Jane Hull opposes that resolution. Many politicians in the border states do not want to risk alienating Mexican-Americans by backing tougher border security.
The situation is so out of control that now the Mexican government itself is giving so-called survival packs to Mexicans who illegally cross the border. These packs include medicine, canned tuna, bandages, birth control, and information to prepare them for the trek. So the message is, "Hey, you want to go up North illegally? The Mexican government will help you out."
Come on. Even if you don't live down here, the intense drug smuggling affects you and your children, and something should be done about it. But our government does not have the will to fight this problem, and we are all suffering because of it.
And that's the memo.
— You can watch Bill O'Reilly's Talking Points weeknights at 8 p.m. ET. And send your comments to: oreilly@foxnews.com
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