Immigrant deaths show need to act
The discovery of dead and dying migrants in a hot tractor-trailer in a Walmart parking lot in San Antonio early Sunday is a gruesome demonstration of the desperation that causes people to risk their lives to get to this country. But it also puts in stark perspective the need to enact the kind of comprehensive immigration reform that would make such risk-taking less prevalent. And it points also to the need for U.S. foreign policy in the southern hemisphere that attacks root causes.
Which is not to say that the authorities shouldn’t take every measure to dismantle the human trafficking operations that profit from such desperation. It’s unlikely that the driver in custody — James M. Bradley Jr., 60, of Florida — acted alone.
Alerted by a Walmart employee who had been approached by someone from the truck asking for water, authorities found eight dead immigrants. Two died later. More than two dozen others were taken to area hospitals for treatment for conditions related to prolonged exposure to extreme heat without water.
The truck’s air conditioning was not working. It’s unclear so far from which countries the immigrants came, but if past incidents are an indication, they will not all be from Mexico, though a spokesman said some are. Troubled countries in Central America, where lawlessness reigns, have been major contributors in recent years.
That’s why the United States and others should do more to help these countries more firmly establish the rule of law and economic stability. El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras all suffer from weak government institutions and rampaging gangs that forcibly recruit young men, while preying on all around them.
Now imagine if there were a functional — legal — mechanism for such immigrants to come here. There wouldn’t be the need to take such risks. Immigrants are drying not only in hot tractor-trailers and vans, but also when they attempt to cross U.S. southern deserts.
This is where comprehensive immigration reform comes in. The system is broken. It sets artificial quotas on how many immigrants will be welcomed and the laws, as currently enforced, set a premium on punishing the immigrants but leaving employers virtually alone. Meanwhile, industries are in need of workers because Americans won’t do some jobs.
Comprehensive reform could fix all this. Yet, Congress is more interested in punishment than fixes — the House recently passed a bill further criminalizing undocumented entry and imposing penalties on so-called sanctuary cities.
Human trafficking is a scourge that should be tackled with the full force of the law. But immigration law itself also deserves immediate attention.