Immigration and Customs Enforcement is launching raids and detentions of illegal aliens , leading invaders to fear an “enforcement surge” [ Reports of raids have immigrants bracing for enforcement surge , by Nicholas Kulish, Caitlin Dickerson and Liz Robbins, New York Times, February 10, 2017]. ICE is downplaying it, calling it “targeted enforcement action,” no different than what was done during the Obama years. But it appears there is a real shift and illegals are right to be concerned.

And as Americans, we want illegal aliens to be concerned.

As CIS's Mark Krikorian noted in USA Today, all that is happening is a “return to normal enforcement practices” where those who have committed crimes other than illegal immigration are still the priority, but “ordinary lawbreakers are no longer exempt from enforcement”. [Trump immigration raids show greater focus on non-criminals, by Alan Gomez, USA Today, February 16, 2017].

Yet for some reason, the Main Stream Media is running sob stories portraying it as somehow wrong that illegal immigrants fear consequences for their crimes [Federal immigration raids net many without criminal records, sowing fear, by Arelis R. Hernandez, Wesley Lowery, and Abigail Hauslohner, Washington Post, February 16, 2017]. Thus, we get lurid tales of illegals being detained after leaving a church homeless shelter, locking themselves in their homes or not going to work or school.

One bit of unintentional comedy:

A government social worker for Durham County, N.C., said that the number of Hispanic residents seeking assistance had dropped off rapidly in recent days amid swirling rumors about an ICE checkpoint at a Durham intersection and ICE agents making arrests in a supermarket parking lot. “Today, I haven’t gotten one Hispanic client in the entire check-in today,” said the social worker, a longtime government employee who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly. “That never happens … They think that when they come here for assistance, that they’re going to be on some sort of invisible list.”

Wow, just wow. “Hispanic residents” so fear-stricken that they won’t even show up to collect welfare benefits! What is this country coming to?

But don’t worry. The vast Mexican consular network (50 consulates on American soil) is mobilizing to help an immigrant community gripped by “fear”. [Mexican Consulates Flooded With Fearful Immigrants, by Jennifer Medina, New York Times, February 17, 2017]

We’re told about long lines of Mexicans requesting help.

[They] come to renew passports that have been unused for more than a decade. They desperately ask lawyers if they can do anything to help them stay in the United States. They register their children for Mexican citizenship, just in case they are sent back and decide to move their whole family with them.

Obviously, these people are illegal aliens or have illegals in their families, else they wouldn’t be doing this. Notice how they are registering their anchor baby children for Mexican citizenship just in case they are deported.

According to Mexican law, all children born to Mexicans outside of Mexico are eligible for Mexican citizenship. It’s about time we reciprocate by holding Donald Trump accountable to his promise to eliminate the anchor baby loophole, which would also encourage out-migration. This is also a reminder Mexican illegals and anchor babies aren’t being cast into the cold, but simply back to their own country. As the Mexican government constantly declares its love for Mexicans in the United States, it should be willing to help them when they return.

Instead, its consulates are using attorneys to stop deportations and have already succeeded in it at least one case. The Mexican government appears to be doing what Jorge Castaneda suggested by encouraging detained illegals to jam the immigration court system. According to the Times, “nearly every employee” at the consulate is being trained in “basic legal services.”

The Grey Lady seems to want us to sympathize with the overworked Mexican diplomats who are facing “demanding times.” I imagine interfering with American law enforcement is hard work.

The Times also says the consulates “can provide legal guidance and resources for people and families dealing with immigration issues.” Translation: Meddling Mexican diplomats can help illegal aliens stay in the United States.

After all, in January, Mexican Presidente Enrique Pena Nieto appropriated $50 million for lawyers to help Mexican consulates fight deportation. And the aforementioned Times article says “consulates have been distributing fliers detailing what to do if someone is approached by deportation agents—advising them not to open their doors without proof of a warrant or speak to officers without a lawyer.”

When is our government going to take Mexican meddling seriously? With all the supposed concern about Russia, one would think Mexico would at least come up. Does Donald Trump even know about it? Shouldn’t somebody in his administration at least be keeping up with it?

Carlos Garcia de Alba, Mexico’s Consul General in Los Angeles, complains in the Times that people are “really scared” and “fearful.”

As Americans, we shouldn’t fear spreading “fear.” Fear is good. If ICE can keep the heat on and not apologize, many illegals will self-deport.

There are many advantages for them. They’re more likely to save their personal property and vehicles and can leave on their own terms. If they are detained and deported, all bets are off. Ideally, they will leave gradually, allowing Mexico to process returnees.

Carlos Garcia de Alba further whines that Mexicans in the United States “want to know what is going to happen and how to protect themselves.”

I have a suggestion. Why not protect themselves by moving back to Mexico?

American citizen Allan Wall (email him) moved back to the U.S.A. in 2008 after many years residing in Mexico. Allan's wife is Mexican, and their two sons are bilingual. In 2005, Allan served a tour of duty in Iraq with the Texas Army National Guard. His VDARE.COM articles are archived here; his Mexidata.info articles are archived here ; his News With Views columns are archived here; and his website is here.