I have been listening to the repeated sound bite of the President saying, “Mexico Doesn’t Send Us Its Best.”

Note: I understand that the immigrants arriving on our Southern Border are from Central and South American Countries, of which Mexico is one.  

I’m trying to process this statement logically, which the talking heads on both sides seemingly cannot do.  I have come to the firm conclusion that the President is wrong. Not due to the easy emotional reasons, but for logical reasons. Stick with me and I will explain.

First, I concede that there are criminals in the immigrant population, both legal and illegal. This is an irrefutable fact. However, in all fairness, the other side should concede that the crime rate in the immigrant population (legal and illegal) is lower than that of the citizenry. This disproves that belief that Mexico is emptying its jails and shuttling the prisoners to the border.  That was Fidel Castro, not Enrique Pena Nieto. Score one for the immigrants. Let’s move on.

Now if you consider “The Best” to be the rich and highly educated, then I would concede that there are not a lot of rich, highly educated illegal immigrants. But when did we start judging the quality of a man (or woman) by how rich he is and/or how many degrees he has? Because if that is the new standard, I can think of very few ideas that are more un-American.

But what if we looked at other characteristics of the illegal immigrant population.

What would we call the person who recognized the danger and misery of his/her current situation and then faced months of adversity and uncertainty to relocate just for a chance to make a better life and provide for his/her family?

What would we call the person who would risk everything to protect his/her child from crime, victimization and death?

What would we call the person who would take any job, no matter how menial, inconsistent and/or demeaning to provide for his /her family?

What would we call the person, working for less than minimum wage, living in poverty, who still sends a substantial part of his/her income back to his/her original home to support those left behind?

The person who does the things described above sound like a person consumed with the American spirit that we were taught to believe is part of our collective American DNA.

Looking at the issue from this angle, it would be easy to argue that the vast majority of people immigrating from Mexico are neither the “best” nor the “worst.”

Instead, these immigrants are Mexico’s… Americans.

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn…

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