By Raul Hernandez
It’s disappointing that the networks’ decided that baseless sound bites by politicians on both sides are more important than facts about immigration/border issues. Talking heads who parrot each other have become substitutes for facts. Sexy or provocative sound bites or political spats are packaged and peddled on the airwaves for profits and ratings.
The border is not and has never been a war zone or a place to erect a white supremacist monument to Trump and his bigots.
Nobody has ever asked why only the Brown Side of America’s border needs a wall if the bigots are so intent on protecting America from terrorists and criminals?
America needs secure borders and strong and just immigration laws to protect the nation. Some of this discussion should center around installing a large-scale guest worker program, similar to Canada’s, so people can work, be treated fairly and be able to return home to their families after the seasonal or temporary work is completed.
Here are some U.S State Department facts the networks seldom use on the airwaves:
U.S. relations with Mexico share a 2,000-mile border, and bilateral relations between the two have a direct impact on the lives and livelihoods of millions of Americans.
1.5 million U.S. citizens live in Mexico, and Mexico is the top foreign destination for U.S. travelers.
Mexico is the United States’ second-largest export market (after Canada) and third-largest trading partner (after Canada and China).
In 2017, two-way trade in goods and services totaled $623 billion.
Mexico’s exports rely heavily on supplying the U.S. market, but the country has also sought to diversify its export destinations.
About 82 percent of Mexico’s exports in 2017 went to the United States.
In 2017, Mexico was the fourth-largest supplier of foreign crude oil to the United States, as well as the largest export market for U.S. refined petroleum products and a growing market for U.S. natural gas.
Top U.S. exports to Mexico include electrical machinery, nuclear equipment, motor vehicle parts, mineral fuels and oils, and plastics. The stock of foreign direct investment by U.S. companies in Mexico stands at $87.6 billion.