A better article than most about the human element (from many sides) in the immigration issue — At Unforgiving Arizona-Mexico Border, Tide of Desperation Is Overwhelming. An excerpt:
Frank Ormsby, a rancher, and his brother, Lloyd, said that after living for more than a decade in the middle of the buildup of the Border Patrol and the growing waves of immigrants, they are just plain sick of all of it. There are more backpacks littering the desert than rocks, they said, and enough money is being spent on equipment for the Border Patrol to rebuild New Orleans.
To them, illegal immigration is a huge business managed by powerful interests to make money and political careers. Among the beneficiaries, Frank Ormsby said, were immigrant smugglers, whose fortunes increased every time a new law enforcement effort was announced, and the Border Patrol, whose budget has increased fivefold in 10 years.
“There are so many agents they could stand hand-in-hand across the border and stop illegal immigrants if they really wanted to,” said Mr. Ormsby from beneath a wide black cowboy hat. “The money we are spending on the Border Patrol, in gas, in equipment, in technology, what do we have to show for it?”
“I see so much waste,” he added. “Ray Charles could see it.”