FRONTLINE/World | Mexico: Crimes at the Border | # 2 | PBS

http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/mexico704/ A former smuggler describes the different "packages" offered to those wanting to cross from Mexico into the United States. Watch FRONTLINE/World "Crimes at the Border" on air and online beginning May 27, 2008.

In a joint project with "The New York Times," FRONTLINE/World correspondent Lowell Bergman investigates the business of human smuggling across the busy ports of entry between Mexico and the United States. In Tijuana, masses of people attempt to cross illegally every day with the help of increasingly organized and expensive smugglers. Bergman explores the region to find that this illicit but lucrative business is expanding, and U.S. border agents are subject to an increased risk of corruption. He follows the dramatic story of one such corrupt U.S. border guard, the risky business he became involved in, and what the U.S. government is doing about the problem.

Watch "Crimes at the Border" beginning May 27 at 9 pm on PBS (check local listings) and online at http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/mexico704/, now in full screen format for users with the latest version of Flash.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• pbs
• frontline
• world
• mexico
• illegal
• immigration
• border
• customs
• lowell
• bergman
• documentary
• news

[PaisaZoy]

First of all, Mexico isn't responsible for all the crime in the US. The crime is caused by the government who isn't doing anything to help the homeless.

Second, Mexico isn't the only place that are smuggling drugs and people. What about the seaports?

The US. and Mexico need each other in order to function.

And stop blamming Mexico for the crime and terror. Its obvious that you, don't know were the crime started.

[juliocsr]

yeah, there are a few, a very few that do want more, but it doesnt mean that the other 99% are in the same situation.

[jpoker27]

hahahahahaha i live in northeast so i literally dont even have an opinion on immigration, but PaisaZoy's commenteven I know is a joke, was he implying that illegal smuggling is not related to Mexico?

[makeme708]

@jdiazmar Every country has a problem with drugs you idiot.

[thunder4555]

@PaisaZoy this is off the subject but,has anyone posted the documentary cabin 28 the keddie murders.

[sf135]

I like these videos. They are cool.

[LilAsianXGster203]

LMFao i have so much mexican in mys chooolmag stop coming here illegal!

[fthrcast]

I'm not saying that truckloads that were not documented cross the borders. I am saying that any truck driver can be used to pick up a trailer , steel container or otherwise , anywhere , with a simple barcode system used by brokers. And the result is that most of those truckloads are not even seen by a driver , because the driver just hooks up the trailers and drives with them. They don't see what is actually loaded on them , and never do sometimes. It's a nice drop and hook gov. program

[fthrcast]

It doesn't really take much thought to realize that the border agencies agreed to participate in the transfer of people across their borders , mostly as a result of the local people becoming involved in local businesses that used the borders frequently by truck. So , in effect most of the people who do cross the borders were paid by businesses who already used these borders for profit. Once you know that , you can see that the border is really just selling identifications to cross there.

[fthrcast]

So , what they have is a roadblock. All funded and paid for through businesses that send and receive goods , that's all they do , send and receive goods. If you consider what has really happened or evolved at the borders , you will notice that there are passenger car lanes. But that shouldn't fool you to think that it has always been that way. The grass roots businesses made people wait their turns years ago. Until it became apparent that trucks were in the way of passenger progess.

[fthrcast]

The smuggling of people in the trunk of a car is old hat. Nowadays , it is very much easier. The Canadian & US Border is chalk full of trucks crossing with goods that are basically required accordingly within the existing laws. There are in fact so many trucks crossing , that nobody else can get through by car or passenger vehicle. Trucks back up the border and the adjacent highways , and have for years to no event. The local people never had an issue according to government officials.

[happyguy2300]

The DEA admitted 3 years ago "80% of the drugs comming into America is comming across the Mexican border"...Wouldnt it make sense to allocate 80% of the DEA resources, budget, and personnel to the border patrl?...Seems like a no brainer, kill to birds with one stone kinda thing.