BORDER CONTROL AIMS AT WRONG BAD GUYS

The latest news from the U.S.-Mexico border is not good. Violent
assaults against Border Patrol agents are up 108%, says Border Patrol
Chief David Aguilar.

Sheriff deputies haven't fared much better. After last month's clash
between Texas' Hudspeth County lawmen and armed drug smugglers
dressed in Mexican military-style uniforms, deputies were warned to
"stay off the river" or risk getting killed.

Journalists are not immune to the violence, either. There was the
brazen attack at the El Maana newspaper in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico,
across from Laredo, Texas, where a reporter was struck five times by
gunfire. The motive for the attack remains a mystery, though the drug
cartels are strongly suspected.

The increasing violence along our southern border demands more
congressional scrutiny and a better understanding of who really are
the bad guys. They belong to two groups: warring drug cartels and
"coyotes," who smuggle people across the border. These are the guys
operating criminal enterprises, not the illegal immigrants in search
of a job and a future.

Congress' attention to the border violence, however, appears more
like political posturing to steer public opinion to endorse
anti-illegal immigrant legislation. Rep. F. James Sensenbrenner,
R-Wis., for one, recently said, "A lot of the people coming across
the border are criminals and potentially terrorists."

No immigrant advocate is nave enough to think that all illegal
immigrants are angelic. According to the Federal Bureau of Prisons,
28% of federal inmates are non-U.S. citizens. But to date, no
Spanish-speaking illegal immigrant has been jailed for being a terrorist.

Though it is not clear whether critics believe that our porous border
allows "real" terrorists access to our country, what is clear is that
this vocal group is advancing a misguided approach that might best be
described as trying to kill two birds with one stone.

There's no denying our fear of terrorists. What's not clear is why we
should fear most illegal immigrants whose sole intent is to improve
their quality of life. A Pew Hispanic Center report issued last year
showed that most illegal immigrants exhibited characteristics that
everyone, from conservatives to liberals, can appreciate: a strong
work ethic and a deep commitment to their families. The report showed
that the median weekly wage of migrants is only $300. The bulk of
this income is often used to support their families.

Their deeds lead to the same conclusion: The majority of illegal
immigrants put others before themselves. That doesn't sound like
terrorism or a criminal threat. It sounds like an unselfish act. Are
these the kind of people who deserve to be called the bad guys?