Ryn Gargulinski

Creativity on Fire

arizona illegal aliens

Free airfaire for illegal aliens who volunteer to return to Mexico as part of Mexican Interior Repatriation Program

For illegal aliens, American hospitality just keeps coming.

Mexican citizens boarding this year's final flight at Tucson International Airport/submitted photo

A total of 23, 384 illegal aliens this year were flown home to Mexico’s interior – for free – rather than being unceremoniously and inhumanely deported to grungy border towns.

What a deal.

The free plane rides are part of the Mexican Interior Repatriation Program (MIRP), which made its finale flight from Tucson to Mexico City last week with 130 Mexican citizens on board, according to a news release from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

The release did not note if the passengers also received free blankets and peanuts.

The deal, a joint effort between the U.S. and Mexico started in 2004, is open to Mexican citizens who are nabbed crossing the Sonoran Arizona desert region or other areas of U.S. Border Patrol’s Yuma and Tucson Sectors.

Those apprehended go to the Department of Homeland Security facilities in the Arizona cities of Nogales and Yuma, where they have to be medically screened, meet with officials from the Mexican Consulate and, if they don’t have criminal backgrounds or other problems, offered the free ride home.

Program participants, of course, have to be volunteers. It would be atrocious to fly anyone home for free against his or her will.

One of the program’s goals is humanity.

“MIRP reflects our mutual commitment to strong and effective enforcement of both nations’ immigration laws, and this program is proof that we can do so in a humanitarian way,” the release quotes Katrina S. Kane, field office director for ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations in Arizona. “This program prioritizes the humane treatment of detainees throughout the removal process.”

Running from June to September, the program aims to save lives by discouraging repeat border crossing, at least during the sizzling summer, as well as “combat organized crime linked to the smuggling, trafficking and exploitation of persons.”

If taken far into the bowels of Mexico, former border crossers may be less likely to be sucked back into the coyotes’ webs of lies and deceit. They are also more likely to find jobs, or at least a better quality of life than in the sodden border towns, which is the fate of many deported against their will.

More people than ever are volunteering for this juicy deal, the Arizona Republic reports, with this year’s volunteers double that of last year and larger than any other year’s annual total.

Mexican citizens returned home in 2010 consisted of 85 percent men and 15 percent as well as 963 juveniles – accompanied by their parents to be eligible.

The Mexican Interior Repatriation Program, run by ICE, the Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Mexican Ministry of the Interior, sounds like quite a sweet deal – and it better be, based on its price tag.

ICE spokesman Vincent Picard told the Republic the cost of this year’s operation was nearly $15 million.

[tnipoll]

What do you think?

Is the Mexican Interior Repatriation Program a dandy program or a bunch of hooey?

Illegal alien living in cave and creative survival in Arizona’s Sawtooth Mountains

Move over Martha Stewart, when it comes to creative living even she could learn a thing or two from illegal aliens.

Random cave in desert area/Thinkstock

We won’t be getting any tips on crafty place settings or dried flower arrangements, but we certainly get a few examples of inventive ways to survive.

Like one savvy illegal found living in a cave.

Mexican native Hiram Rendon-Rios, 23, made a veritable home out of a cave in Silverbell’s Sawtooth Mountains, according to a news release from the Pinal County Sheriff’s Department.

Rios’ cave, nestled nicely near Wild Cat Peak, was not only stocked with food, but had a fine supply of clothing, communication equipment and binoculars.

No word on the cave’s decor or if it included any stick-figure paintings of buffalo or a bear skin rug.

Rios was first spotted by one of the area’s legal residents who was flying his private plane above the mountain range. Cave dwelling Rios was apprehended and sent back to Mexico in late July.

While deporting Rios may have cleared out the cave, at least temporarily, it did not clear out other illegals who seem to have mastered another creative art – burglary.

Thieves hit a gold mine when they targeted one area woman who lives alone near the base of the mountains.

She went to work as usual on Sept. 7 only to return home around 7 p.m. to find her home had been broken into and an array of valuable items gone.

Burglars took off with numerous rifles, pistols, a shotgun, batteries, night vision equipment, binoculars – and two mainstays of socks and food.

Lo and behold, they may have taken a cave tip from Rios, as evidence near the scene and surrounding area indicated several people hauled the stolen guns, equipment, food and socks into the Sawtooth Mountains – up near Wild Cat Peak.

Such creative survival, not surprisingly, does not sit too well with area residents. Some live in constant fear, Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu noted, afraid to leave their homes as spotters watch their every move.

The best way to deal with such innovative methods of illegal alien survival, of course, is to employ equally innovative methods of capture. This way they can perhaps get a tip or two from Martha on what it’s like to end up in jail.

Illegal alien cave dweller Rios/submitted photo

NOTE: The Sawtooth Mountain range is one of several that grace Ironwood Forest National Monument, which is also being plagued by some reckless target shooters. Volunteer to help clean up the place Saturday, Sept. 25.

[tnipoll]


What do you think?

Have you ever had to use creative methods to survive? What were they?