What has our country become when uninvited guests who come across our borders are forced to wear ankle monitors? It's almost like saying that these people have committed a crime!

The Honduran woman and her 11-year-old son were just preparing to leave the detention center in remote Karnes City, Texas, and rejoin family in Chicago, when officials sprang a surprise on her. After spending two months at the facility, the woman faced a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent insisting she accept an electronic ankle monitor as a condition of her release. "No, this is unjust. I don't want you to put it on," said the 32-year-old woman, who asked to be identified only by her first name, Nely, due to her pending immigration case.

The woman, who doesn't want to give her last name because she's charged with a crime, says it's unjust to treat her like she's been charged with a crime. This blog piece just writes itself!

The official, she recalled, told her: "We give you free food, free clothing, a place to sleep. So you just need to deal with it."

Do you think it's fair for immigration officials to give all these free things and then expect something in return? What kind of society operates that way?

Officials say the monitors are a cheap and effective way to ensure that immigrants released from detention attend court hearings.

Have you ever heard of any problems with illegals not showing up for their hearings? I don't think it happens. Do you?

Immigrants, who call the monitors grilletes, or shackles, complain that they are uncomfortable, inconvenient and carry a stigma.

Do you think the stigma for illegal aliens is great enough to make them return to their own countries? And by the way, which do you like better, illegal aliens con grilletes, or illegal aliens con carne?

"They feel like a criminal," said Sister Norma Pimentel, who runs an immigrant aid center on the Texas border, in McAllen. Immigrants complain the devices have to be charged frequently with short cords that leave them tethered to outlets. According to ICE officials, the monitors take about two hours to charge.

Do you think Walmarts near the border are having a run on extra-long extension cords?

Victor Cruz, 41, a taxi driver from Usulutan, El Salvador, who crossed the border into Texas with his 12-year-old daughter illegally last month, has been released with an ankle monitor. "It bothers me — it hurts my skin and it's hot," he said during a stop at the church in McAllen, sheepishly lifting his right pant leg to show the bulky black device.

Do you think there is any danger that if we inconvenience Victor enough, he might get fed up and go home?

Instead of ankle monitors, advocates said immigrant families should be provided with legal and social services — that the government should shift from punishing to aiding asylum seekers, the way it assists refugees.

This makes the most sense. Our immigration policy should be about satisfying the needs of the self-selected individuals who come into the country, not about what is best for our own country. If we started placing the needs of our citizens above these fine self-selected guests, where would our country be today?

This article was produced by NewsMachete.com, the conservative news site.