How do you feel NOW, Mr Secretary?

I live just a few miles from the border here in San Diego. I used to see lots of Mexicans 1 day a year 10 years ago. that was on Halloween. I do see a few Mexicans each Halloween now but they always speak excellent English. I agree the open border assertion is a lie.

Full disclosure here, I like Mexicans. They are generally hard working and very friendly. My kids are half Mexican. I am especially fond of those Mexicans.

 

Is what she is saying correct?

 

If the intent of those videos is trying to argue that Mexicans are bad instead of good then I say it is about as valid of an argument saying that Italians are bad because a video of the mafia.

 

Yes, but you see, that's how MAGA propaganda works.

 

Yes, however, "open border" has a scaled range associated with it. You gave an example of a completely open border. The border between North Korea and South Korea is an example of a border on the other end of the scale. The current USA Mexican border is much closer to the Korean border than the Netherlands and Belgium border. When I was a kid (which is longer than your lifetime), we lived in El Paso a mile or two from the Rio Grande. On Halloween we would get many hundreds of Mexican kids, almost all from Mexico. So the border was probably much closer to an open border back then. Back then the only border marking was a shallow area of the Rio Grande. Still not nearly as open as the Netherlands and Belgium border though. Now at the end of that residential street is a big border wall and then the Rio Grande. It's much less open now. I would argue it's not an open border at all anymore.

 

The intent of the videos where fire is exchanged with bad guys, some would label as terrorists is not portraying Mexicans as bad , but the criminals, human traffickers as bad, there is a difference.
Many immigrants are happy when criminal gangsters are arrested and deported, makes their neighborhood safer. I wish there was a clear distinction between peaceful migrants who's only violation is illegal entry etc. and the violent gangs such as MS13 or Tren de Aragua, etc.

When discussing immigration, terms like "open borders" and "closed borders" are often relative—meaning different things to different people.
When GOP (Republican) supporters use the term "open borders," they typically mean that the U.S. government is not enforcing immigration laws strictly enough, allowing too many undocumented immigrants to enter the country without sufficient control.
While "open borders" in a literal sense would mean no immigration controls at all, most GOP supporters use the term to criticize policies they view as too permissive or failing to secure the border effectively.

Both major political parties take distinct approaches to illegal immigration. Regardless of who is in power—whether Obama, Biden, Trump, or Bush—administrations have enforced immigration laws, deported individuals and families, and implemented border control measures, this is a fact.

Democrats generally take a more lenient and humanitarian approach, while the current administration has adopted a particularly hardline stance on illegal immigration.
Immigration remains one of the most politically charged topics today.

 

While "open borders" in a literal sense would mean no immigration controls at all, most GOP supporters use the term to criticize policies they view as too permissive or failing to secure the border effectively.
A "closed border" generally refers to a strict or heavily restricted immigration policy, where a country severely limits or completely blocks entry, particularly for undocumented migrants. When people use this term in political discussions, they may mean different things depending on context:
Increased security measures, such as border walls, more patrol agents, and advanced surveillance technology to prevent illegal crossings.
Some GOP supporters may advocate for a "closed border" to emphasize stopping illegal immigration altogether.
Some Democrats might use the term critically, arguing that extreme border restrictions are unrealistic or inhumane.
In reality, no modern country has a completely "closed border"—even strict policies still allow some level of legal immigration, asylum, or temporary entry.

 

From Jan. 21 to Feb. 3, ICE arrested 194 members of the Tren de Aragua gang who were in the country illegally. They will be sent back to Venezuela.

 

You don't have to go back that far. The USBP accepted oral declarations of nationality as late as the Nineties. The Mexican side had no official checks at all unless you went looking for them. You were supposed to carry ID but no one balked about a driver's license. Certainly, I was never asked to produce even that much crossing in either direction. The Great State of Texas, of course, had its own check but that was only for liquor. Cars were stopped coming into the US for agricultural and customs purposes but that's about it. I was examined more closely coming in from Canada!

Where did you live, BH? Ft. Bliss?

 

Exactly! That is the point I was going to make. Here's how I was planning on stating it.

Open Borders is just what Trump calls it whenever a Democrat is President. Really just one of Trump's many lies.

 

From the age of 7 to 11 (1958 to 1962) I lived in El Paso at 130 Buena Vista St.. It's about two long blocks from the border.

 

Oh, in Chihuahuaita? Near the Chamizal?

 

Incidentally, if I were a German or a Belgian or whatever, I don't think I'd be a fan of the Schengen Area, not in this day and age. I don't think it's unreasonable to have some idea exactly who is entering your country.

Then again, I toured Western Europe in the 70s. Passports were a pointless PITA then, too, I guess.

 

You're obviously much more familiar with the area than I am. Looking at Google maps we were in an area east of Chihuahuaita, even a little bit further east of Chamizal. It's marked as Buena Vista. There's some parks and stuff around there called Clardy. Which was the name of the elementary school I went to.

 

Closed borders - N Korea - S Korea
Open Borrders - Nederlands- Germany

Here we have a Controlled Borders.
Depends on who in WH, some areas trend toward closed, some areas trend toward opened.
None are opened , or closed in comparison to the above.

 

Why the protesters waving Mexican flags, what are they saying?
That's LA is Mexico not USA?
I understand the reason for the protests, and all the fear of deportations etc., but why the Mexican flags? Why not wave the US flags?

 

Well for one, the US is actively trying to deport them.