What's the Mexican Government Doing About It?

Some would ask what the Mexican government is doing to assist USA in border patrol matters.

I'm no expert on that, but I can point to a few key facts. (These facts are from the sources shown in the "Links" section on the right side of the blog home page).

• On more than one occasion, official Mexican government offices have published guides and handbooks that tell Mexicans how to get across the border (illegally, of course), how to avoid border patrol, and what to do after they get to America (one example, translated here).
  
• Other than perhaps oil itself, the #1 industry that pumps money into the Mexican economy is remittances. Remittances is when a Mexican citizen goes abroad and sends money home to their family/friends in Mexico.
• Mexico is the #10 largest economy in the world. You may wonder, "if that's true why are there so many poor people crossing the border?" Keep reading...
  
• Mexico does a pathetic job of collecting taxes (10-12% compared to about 25% in USA). With such a pathetic tax collection system, Mexico is not investing in the infrastructure needed to build a real economy for its citizens. (For example, schools frequently can't afford school books).
  
• Mexico has systemic corruption problems. Police aren't paid enough to survive. The poor masses reportedly lose 14% of their income to paying bribes.
  

With those facts and other observations in mind, I would state the following opinions:

• It doesn't take a lot of math to guess that Mexico's wealthy elite are paying bribes instead of taxes. (In 2004, $14.2B of money flowed to Mexican lawmakers; source)
  
• President Fox raised $750M in campaign funds from a dinner with wealthy Mexican businessmen. This is more than 5 times what President Bush raised in his own campaigns. Would Fox get this kind of cash from them if he's not looking out for their interests?
  
• By giving free education, health services, and welfare programs to Mexican migrants who cross our border, the American taxpayer is effectively doing what the Mexican government and its wealthy elite are not: we are subsidizing the neglected, impoverished Mexican masses.

With the situation being what it is, the Mexican government has no interest in giving anything more than lip service to aid our border patrol operations. In fact, the Mexican President has been asserting that all Mexicans in USA should be cared for and treated with great dignity (which is in stark contrast to how migrants are treated in Mexico).

The Mexican government should be dealt with for what it is: a major part of the problem. They should be pressured to solve their own problems instead of pushing them onto the American taxpayer. (If you are doubting that the Mexican government is contributing to our problems, read this article from DiversityAlliance.org).