The Invisible Aliens

Jawahara, this is a nicely written article on a very relevant topic - much more relevant to most of the crowds here than they would acknowledge.

Every ten to fifteen years or so, I see this cycle repeat itself - the undocumented aliens become the favorite whipping boys, and since they don`t have any political voice for obvious reasons, the debate seems to have few limitations imposed by propriety and common sense.

I am personally amazed at the demagoguery of most of these politicians, members of the media and the self-appointed amateur border guards!

All of them gang up on these individuals trying to elk out a living far away from their native lands. They all gang up - Republicans and Democrats - left and right, you name it. It is just ludicrous that on the one hand, we tout the virtues of hard work, the American vision, free market, freedom of the spirit and the like and at the same time, want these folks to just go away as if their going away will not cost us our sense of what makes an American - not to mention raise the cost of living for everyone of us.

It is very difficult to believe that a bit of xenophobia is not at the root of it! Many of the current anti-immigrant bodies, especially FAIR (Federation for American Immigration Reform) originated with certain white supremacist organization at one time.

My hope is that common sense will prevail at the end - if not, the realities of the market place will!

I disagree with the suggestion that Rove has anything to do with this rising frenzy - in my view, it is just a point in that eternal cycle of ``those bad immigrants`` that has been recurring for over two hundred years. In fact, I have every confidence that GWB is a good man at heart and if there is one politician in US who has the strength of character to rise to this difficult challenge and to hold out for what is the right thing to do - it is him!!

sanjay,

thanks for your support for poor people all over. But to reach the level of versey (who is really sensitive too), you will have to write an article.

A similar situation exists here in India. Agartala, the capital city of Tripura is right on the border with Bangla Desh. Hundreds, if not thousands, of Bangla Deshis cross over in the early mornining hours to Agartala. The US-Mexico Borders is fenced/under constant survellience, but there is hardly any border between BD and India at Agartala.

As usual, the BDs pull the rickshaws whole day and on an average may be making Rs.50/-per day. In the night, the park their rickshaws just on the Indian side of the border and cross over to BD. They are hated by the Tripuris but are welcome nevertheless, because of the cheap transport services they are offering to the locals.

The plight of BDs during the day is worse than those of animals. They are often beaten up mercilessly particularly by Tripuri auto-rickshaw owners right in front of police/ general public on slightest pretext like a minor accident. Nobody cares for them. You cant make out whether they are living persons with dead soul or dead persons with a living soul.

If you call this as something of a diaspora, or people-without-borders, well ,then my heartfelt sympathies for such unfortunate people.