Thanks for the clarification.  Still, even if you cut all the numbers in half this indicates a HUGE problem.  Note that most figures are estimates, and with the "real" numbers, they only considers the "known".

I just can't believe how the country has just let this slide, and for so long.  My understanding is that money from the USA is the primary component of Mexico's GNP.  So we're propping a very corrupt neighbor government (which had to move in the Federales to Tiajuana to disarm the entire police force).  And what has Mexico done for us lately?  Ever?  During WWII, the USA was very fearful of attack on the West coast.  So much so that they entured all Japanese.  New bases and look-outs along the coast, huge camoflage blanketing defense complex (they looked like residential areas from above. To complete the picture, they actually hung clothes on suspended clothes lines on Mondays - customary wash day).   There was a sub attack on a refinery/docking facility just North of Santa Barbara (in Goleta, very near what is now the Sandpiper Golf Course).  We were scared and threatened.  We made an offer to our neighbors to the south: let us build a paved highway from San Diego to the tip of Baja, put up some look-outs along the coast, and the highway is yours.  No was the response. Gotta love 'em!  BTW, Canada had no problem with us building the AlCan highway (and they only got a gravel road!).

I moved from Santa Maria, CA a whole 30 miles to Santa Ynez, CA.  Why?  One reason was that crime was out of control.  Frequent drive-by shootings, robberies, home invasions.  And MORE THAN half the population did not speak English.  That was over 12 years ago!  The last time I served on a jury it was on a drive-by shooting in Santa Maria (where the Michael Jackson trial was conducted) at the DMV.  All involved were hespanic gang-bangers, blasting away as they drove through the parking lot of the very crowed DMV - and they did manage to wound their target (fortunately, though a lot of rounds were fired, no one else was hit). Height of stupidity.  Lots of people, idling through, like nobody's going to think of getting their license number - it was the friggin' DMV!  Ultimately, two of the three gangbangers in the car were blaming each other for the shotting, the third "KNEW nuttin'!" (LOL).  Thus, both ended up in deep doo-doo, one with the law, one with the gang.

And Congress is going through the motions, both sides positioning for hispanic votes (to heck with US!).  A new law.  Why?  Try ENFORCING the ones we've got in this regard.

Sorry all, this issue just fries me.  But we have ourselves to blame for alot of this.  When was the last time you saw a kid mowing the lawn?  Bussing tables?  Jobs I competed for when I was a kid, for below minimum wage.  Okay, now I sound like a crochity old man.  Crap, the shoe kits! LOL

SGE