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Opposing ViewpointsResourceCenter

The United States Should Militarize the U.S.-Mexico Border
Ben J. Seeley
Main conclusion:The U.S.should militarize the U.S. - Mexican border. S
Premises and paraphrases:
There is a tragic irony that even the suggestion of a more prominent role by our military to combat illegal immigration and smuggling activities sets off a seismic reaction within the confines of certain special interests and hidden-agenda organizations.
  1. Certain interests that oppose using the military are hidden agenda organizations, etc. H

fallacies -- poisoning the well ("hidden agenda")/ ad hominem circumstantial("special interests")
In tandem, these groups quickly move to mischaracterize the use of our military to protect our citizens and our borders as Draconian in nature.
2. These groups mischaracterize military use as Draconian. G
fallacy -- question-begging epithet -- "mischaracterize"
Nations that are a prime source of immigrants--for instance, Mexico--fire up every mode of their media to castigate the United States whenever it even considers such an act, yet Mexico has no problem placing troops on its southern borders to halt immigration from South and Central America.
3. Mexico, a main source of immigrants, castigates the U.S., but puts troops on its southern borders. C
fallacy -- tu quoque -- "puts troops on its borders"
Well-funded, self-serving immigration and civil liberty lawyers join hands with equally well-funded, migrant-rights groups to misstate the constitutional legality of utilizing U.S. troops to halt illegal immigration by falsely interpreting the terms in the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848) as their legal authority.
4.Self-serving lawyers misstate the legality of using our troops, by falsely interpreting the treaty. L
fallacies -- poisoning the well -- "falsely interpreting"
ad hominem circumstantial -- "self-serving lawyers"
Meanwhile, tax-supported and well-funded educational and charitable organizations jump on the bandwagon with opportunistic U.S. business interests who love lower U.S. wage rates, to capitalize on the plight of the uprooted migrant and the seemingly helpless U.S. taxpayers.
5. These organizations jump on bandwagon with opportunistic U.S. businesses to capitalize on the plight of immigrants and taxpayers. J
fallacy -- ad hominem circumstantial -- "opportunistic ... interests"

Protecting the Border

In 1988, when first exploring the border separating Tijuana from San Diego, I was astounded by the lack of a distinguishable border fence compounded by the badly maintained patrol-access roads and virtually no lighting. There was a very noticeable absence of law enforcement to combat the illegal carnage and violence in the border region.
6.In 1988 there was a lack of fence, poor roads, no law enforcement, etc.
~ F
With a newfound resolve, thanks to a public outcry, and with the assistance of our military, lights went up, roads were greatly improved and the heavy-duty steel fence was put in place.
7. With theassistance of our military, lights went up, roads were improved, and fence was built. A
These improvements have virtually ended the 300 or more dangerous cross-border, high-speed "drive-throughs" that occurred on a monthly basis.
8. These improvements have ended “drive throughs,…”
U.S. taxpayers are no longer forced to spend more than $200,000 per year just for replacing windshields on our patrol vehicles caused by the criminal rock throwers.
__...U.S. is saved $200, 000/yr for replacing windshields on patrol cars,
The dozens of robberies, rapes and murders of illegal aliens by the border bandits on a monthly basis also came to a halt.
__...Robberies, rapes and murders of illegal aliens have stopped,
The horrible and tragic deaths of illegal aliens that occurred when they dashed across our busy freeways have almost been eliminated and the drownings due to their trying to cross the swollen, rain-filled rivers is no longer a major problem in the San Diego sector.
__...Deaths of illegal aliens from dashing across freeways and in crossing rivers have ended. E
These improvements were accomplished by using our military smartly, and the military is continuing to provide more assistance with personnel and surveillance equipment on land, on sea and in the air.
9. These improvements were accomplished by using military smartly, and the military still helps with personnel and surveillance. U
10.If premises 8-9 are true then we should militarize the border. (E.U) S
The ports of entry have been complemented with military personnel, which is allowing the customs and the Immigration and Naturalization Service inspectors more time to perform their inspection tasks.
11. Using the military at ports of entry allows customs and INS to do their jobs. P
With the aid of military construction, the new triple fence and bollard barrier fence is well under way and, when finished, should help to free up INS and Border Patrol agents for badly needed interior enforcement.
12.The military helped build new fences which allows INS and Border Patrol to do their jobs. R
Without an effective interior illegal immigration enforcement program, the border and inland check points are sure to remain over-burdened, and employer sanctions enforcement of the Immigration Reform and Control Act will never be effective in cutting down the pull of the jobs magnet.
13.Without enforcement the border will remain overburdened and will not stop the draw to immigrants. W O . M)
If 11-13 are true then we should militarize the border. (P.R)S
 So we should militarize the border  S

The Colonias

An ominous situation has surfaced with regard to the buildup of large colonias [settlements] only a few yards from the border. For instance, El Nido Aguilas colonia, located less than a mile from the Otay Mesa port of entry, is now occupied by about 40,000 migrants.
14. The buildup ofcolonias at El Nido Aguilas and the Otay Mesa port of entry with 40,000 migrants is an ominous situation. B
Only a few hundred yards south of the border and just west of downtown Tijuana lies a more recent development called La Colonia Verde, which is an unplanned community squeezing in about 25,000 people.
15.Just west of Tijuana is a community of about 25,000 people. T
In both instances, these colonias have no planned infrastructure and, as a consequence, depend on Tijuana for delivery of their water by truck.
16. These colonies depend on Tijuana for water. D
An alarm was recently published in the Mexican news media cautioning that a severe water shortage is expected to hit the Tijuana area in just a few years.
17.A severe water shortage is expected in Tijuana in a few years. Y
This could be catastrophic and should be of major concern to the government administrations on both sides of the border.
18.This water shortage could be castastrophic and should be of concern to U.S. and Mexico. X
The large populations of dislocated migrants residing right on the border are more likely than not to cross over into the United States if water becomes a severe problem.
19.If there is such a water shortage these people would probably cross over into U.S. U
Therefore, the United States must expedite contingency planning with regard to deploying our military to inhibit a massive influx into the country and to provide humanitarian assistance whenever possible.
20.If so, the U.S. mustquickly plan for its military to inhibit influx and provide humanitarian help whenever possible. UQ
fallacy -- irrelevant thesis -- "must plan"
-->If 16-20 are so, we should militarize the border. [D.Y.X.U.(U Q)]  S
An undesirable situation exists along another part of the San Diego sector, and it would be a mistake not to focus some attention on the disruption and chaos illegal drug trafficking and immigration is creating for folks in the more rural eastern part of San DiegoCounty.
21.We should attend to the disruption, etc. caused by illegal drug trafficking for people in the rural San DiegoCounty. K
These rural areas are desperately short of minimal police protection as well as Border Patrol presence and are being overrun by criminal activities. The military options should be seriously considered if it cannot be brought under control.
22.These rural areas lack police and Border Patrol and are overrun by criminals. The military should be considered. V
fallacy -- hedging -- "seriously consider"
While it is clear that the U.S. Border Patrol is the most qualified and best trained to carry out border security and illegal alien-smuggling interdiction and enforcement, there is little doubt that it is understaffed, underfunded and undersupported by our national leaders.
23.The U.S. Border Patrol is best trained but is understaffed, etc. N
Time is not on our side. Until a commitment is made at the highest levels of our government to allow the INS to seriously deal with the illegal immigration and drug-smuggling problems, we should use our military wherever and whenever it can do the most good.
Until a commitment ismade to let INS do its job (fix understaffing, underfunding, etc.), we should use U.S. military wherever and whenever it can do the most good.
24. If the INS is not allowed to do its job, we should use the military. ~ IS
The INS is not being allowed to do its job. ~I
Fallacy: hasty generalization -- “military wherever and whenever …”
Therefore we should use the military, etc. S
Document Number: X3010227223
Remarks:
The writer, Ben Seeley, ignores the fact that soldiers are not trained to protect but to fight. His opening remarks have a paranoid ring. He wants to defeat the opposition in advance.
On the other hand, his arguments for using the military are persuasive, if we can believe his list of their good works.