To watch "The Talking Points Memo" in the Screening Room click here.
Hi, I'm Bill O'Reilly. Thank you for watching us tonight.
The tragic Jesica Santillan story. This is the subject of this evening's Talking Points Memo.
I'm going to put myself in the position of being Jesica's father to do this analysis.
First of all, I do try to get my 14-year-old daughter into the United States any way I can, knowing that she will probably die in Mexico.
Two, after paying a smuggler and arriving in North Carolina, where I had friends, I would have done everything possible to get my daughter on the organ donor list at Duke. In the USA, 5 percent of organ donations are set aside for non-citizens.
Three, before the operation on my daughter, I would have prepared myself for the worst, knowing that complicated transplants are extremely risky.
Four, after I found out human error had killed my daughter, I would have been distraught, angry and bitter, and I would have had headed to directly to church for spiritual counseling.
Five, after some reflection, I would have consented to have my daughter's organs donated so that another person might live.
Six, suing the medical people involved in the screw-up in the hospital would be out of the question. These people tried to save my daughter's life. They failed. Maybe they were incompetent, but trying to punish them further would be morally wrong in my opinion.
I brought my daughter to America illegally. I allowed Americans to pay for her medical treatment. The hospital did me a huge favor by performing the operation. No way I would turn around and hurt them.
Tragedy is a part of life. Millions of Americans have lost children. That doesn't mean they lose all sense of fair play.
America's chaotic border policy is leading to unforeseen tragedies all over the place. Aliens are dying in the deserts, border patrol agents being gunned down, crime and social disorder is out of control along the southern border, if the federal government continues to be paralyzed.
The solution is this: a guest worker program should be set up simultaneously in the USA and in Mexico. All illegal Mexican aliens here should be required to immediately register by mail. If they do not, they should be deported when found and never again allowed to come to the USA under threat of incarceration.
Each registration would then be examined. And if the person's record was clean, he or she would be issued working papers and a tax number. No blanket amnesty issued would be issued, but permanent status could be requested.
In addition, a humanitarian medical program would be set up inside Mexico that would allow people like Jesica to come here for treatment based on need.
These programs are doable. They are fair and would cost far less than the chaos we have now. So why are they not in place?
We'll have further debate on the Jesica situation coming up. And that's The Memo.
The Most Ridiculous Item of the Day
Time now for "The Most Ridiculous Item of the Day"...
Our competitor over at MSNBC, Phil Donahue, is out of a job. His program, which began last summer, has been canceled.
Mr. Donahue gave it a good try, and we respect his professionalism. He is not a phony like so many other broadcasters are.
The competition in primetime television is intense and ridiculous, but it's noble to try even if you fail. We wish Phil Donahue much happiness and good health.
--You can watch Bill O'Reilly's Talking Points Memo and "Most Ridiculous Item" weeknights at 8 & 11p.m. ET on the Fox News Channel. Send your comments to: oreilly@foxnews.com
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