The Southern Arizona border is smack dab in the center of the Sonoran Desert—the hottest geographic area in Mexico—and the least safe crossing for illegal immigrants. What it lacks in welcoming environs, it makes up with an under-staffed border patrol. Oh, and the self-proclaimed humanitarians who meddle with immigration laws that lure migrants with a promise of the most basic of necessities such as food, water, and a place to lay low from authorities.
When International Organization for Migration (IOM) released their August 2017 report titled Migrants Crossing US-Mexico Border Dying at Faster Rate in 2017, few people, regardless of their stance on the issue, were surprised. The report cites the research of Missing Migrants Projects, and sadly declares, "Some 239 migrant fatalities have been recorded in the first seven months of 2017, an increase of 17 percent compared with the 204 deaths recorded between January and July 2016." And those are just the cases that are reported.
Any loss of life is tragic; but to perish in the harshest of climates, from dehydration, is an exceptionally horrible way to die. And yet it’s completely avoidable. But immigrants seeking Sueño Americano – or for those not conversational in the language south of our border, American Dream – follow the path of breadcrumbs that people like immigrant activist Scott Warren cruelly leave scattered throughout the desert.
Border Patrol agents arrested Warren this week, having had enough of his blatant disregard for the law. The agents had the Barn (a well-know hideaway) under surveillance and found Warren harboring two illegal immigrants. His arrest has proponents of open borders once again at war with those who believe citizenship is a privilege, and not a right, for anyone who can cross the border alive.
The organization Warren now associates with, No More Deaths, is wreaking havoc in southern Arizona. They were quick, almost too quick, with cries of conspiracy, as Warren was detained in the small town of Ajo. It was as if it were all planned for the cameras.
And shed no tears for Mr. Warren; he possesses an impressive resume of being a catalyst for any liberal scheme that comes his way:
“Prior to co-founding GC, Scott Warren was a student activist working towards the end of genocide in Darfur. While receiving his degree in International Relations at Brown University, Scott successfully lobbied for the divestment of the University, city of Providence, and the state of Rhode Island from companies doing business with the Sudanese government. Scott served as the executive director of STAND, a national student anti-genocide coalition. During Scott’s tenure, STAND grew to include over 800 high school and college chapters, raised more than $200,000, helped pass a national divestment bill and recruited thousands of new activists.”
Yes, I am sure he is pleased with his press. All noble causes, mind you, are commendable in terms of doing the right thing, but he has moved on from those goals and is currently a faculty associate educating young minds with an online course through Arizona State University. However, ASU was quick to cover their butts with this statement: "Mr. Warren was not acting in his capacity as an ASU employee at the time of the alleged incident and we have no reason to believe it will impact his ability to fulfill his current duty with the university.”
So, what’s a recruiter to do in his spare time?
In short, Warren set himself up as the face of an open borders publicity campaign in the controversial political climate of the ongoing DACA debacle, and the media responded according to plan. Just days before, No More Deaths released a video of Border Patrol Agents kicking over jugs of water left for illegal immigrants crossing into Arizona. And the Border Patrol responded in kind with an arrest on “the Barn” in Ajo, scooping up two illegals and the Harborer in Chief, Warren. It was all going so well until the two border-crossers in question turned themselves in and dropped this tidbit of information: “they had researched, online how to best cross the border illegally, and had obtained the address of "the Barn" as a place to stop for food and water.”
Warren has retained a lawyer, Bill Walker, who released this ridiculous statement:
"We don't smuggle them, we don't do anything to help them enter the United States, we do nothing illegal," Walker said. "This place that they raided is not in the middle of the desert, it's not hidden anywhere. It's in the city of Ajo, and it's been used for a long time, not to help smuggle migrants, but to give medical care and food and water."
Have you ever been to Ajo, Bill? There are maybe 3500 residents, give or take the folks hanging out at the “Barn.” Technically, it can be considered hidden.
If you promise someone safe passage across dangerous terrain and then fail to deliver, are you not partly responsible for unintended outcomes? If you encourage people to make a perilous crossing, knowing full-well that people have died during, are you not reckless with life?
However misguided, Warren, his organization, and all others who tempt individuals and families into a false sense of ease in crossing the border are complicit in the deaths of those who succumb to the terrain and arduous trek. Unless we stop this nonsense, there will only be more unnecessary and tragic deaths, at the hands of humanitarians.
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