Wetback Nation: The Case for Opening the Mexican-American Border [Hardcover]

Peter Laufer (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 16, 2004

Peter Laufer's explosive proposals for the U.S.-Mexican border go far beyond President Bush's initiative to ease restrictions on immigration. Mr. Laufer argues that the border with Mexico should be completely open, with a free flow of people between the two countries. He offers a step-by-step blueprint for making it happen. Wetback Nation is also the background to understanding the Bush proposals: the story of how the border has become a fraud, resulting in nothing more than the criminalization of Mexican and other migrants, the bloating of the mismanaged Immigration and Naturalization Service, the deterioration of living standards along the frontier, and the enrichment of American employers. Placing the border in historical perspective, Mr. Laufer shows how circumstances have deteriorated to the present crisis, and why the region and the migration through it cannot be ignored. Over the last several years he has interviewed dozens of authorities as well as men and women in the street while reporting from Mexico, along the border, and in the United States. He demonstrates that the security of America's southern border is a fallacy; offers vivid examples to illustrate how the chain of misery and lawbreaking for migrants heading north is initiated by U.S. employers; traces many of the border problems to the Guatemalan-Mexican border; and explores the abuses of the Border Patrol and the growing presence of vigilantes on the American side. Wetback Nation is sure to provoke a lively debate over the future of Mexican immigration.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Laufer makes a powerful personal argument for opening the border. (Zavala County Sentinel, Crystal City, Tx )

Sure to ignite debate over immigration policy, and Laufer deserves credit for confronting the issue in terms both honest and human. (San Antonio Express-News )

A scathing critcism and systematic analysis of America's closed border policy with Mexico. (Foreword Magazine )

Laufer describes the realities of cross-border migration…citing the futility of current policies. (Los Angeles Times )

Probably [Laufer's] best book—a warm and humane treatment of a fascinating subject.…A pleasure to read. (Santa Rosa, Ca Press-Democrat )

One of the more unusual and important surveys of Mexican relations and immigration standards to appear in modern times. (Midwest Book Review )

A captivating, informative read infused with a deep and genuine empathy for those who suffer the most under current immigration policy. (San Francisco Chronicle )

Makes a strong case for simply opening the border....Fascinating. (Austin American-Statesman )

His book is not only informative but also engaging. He fills his pages with faces, not just facts. (Autumn Phillips The Steamboat Pilot, Steamboat, Springs, Co )

Mr. Laufer writes with great empathy...He does succeed in putting a human face on Mexicans who risk everything...in pursuit of better opportunity. (Robert Rivard New York Sun )

Laufer is willing to take a controversial stand and defend it. (Santiago Fittipaldi Latin Trade )

This is a fascinating book....This book doesn't hold back just to be politically correct. (Nola Theiss Sanibel Captiva Islander )

This book looks at the issue of immigration from Mexico from a startling perspective....a fascinating book...doesn't hold back. (Kliatt )

Laufer’s journalistic approach to this issue makes a very compelling case that immigration is not strictly a law enforcement issue. (Linda Yanez )

I love the book. Wetback Nation is an extraordinary journalistic contribution to the Mexican immigration debate. (Rosental Calmon Alves )

Peter Laufer understands this issue better than most and...offers some outrageously simple—and quite possibly workable—solutions to a very old problem. (Sanford J. Ungar )

Fearlessly, Peter Laufer steps into the middle of the debate and states his case...making points that will leave people shaking their heads....A primary text. (Luis Alberto Urrea )

About the Author

Peter Laufer has reported from Mexico and the Borderlands for more than twenty years, as an NBC News correspondent and as a freelance writer for a variety of publications. He has also served as chief researcher for an Internews investigation of Mexico funded by the Packard Foundation. Mr. Laufer's other books include Exodus to Berlin, Iron Curtain Rising, and Nightmare Abroad. He lives in Bodega Bay, California, near San Francisco.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 302 pages
• Publisher: Ivan R Dee (September 16, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1566635926
• ISBN-13: 978-1566635929
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.3 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 1.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,794,051 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Peter Laufer, Ph.D., is the author of more than a dozen books that deal with social and political issues, including "Mission Rejected: U.S. Soldiers Who Say No to Iraq," "Wetback Nation: The Case for Opening the Mexican-American Border," and "Iron Curtain Rising: A Personal Journey through the Changing Landscape of Eastern Eurpoe." He is the coanchor of "The Peter Laufer Show" on radio station Green 960 in San Francisco. More about his books, documentary films, broadcasts, which have won the George Polk, Robert F. Kennedy, Edward R. Murrow, and other awards, can be found at peterlaufer.com. He lives in Bodega Bay, California.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars Self-defeating Policies, April 26, 2011

By 

John Nava (Chula Vista, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Wetback Nation: The Case for Opening the Mexican-American Border (Paperback)

The title of my review not only refers to current U.S. policies on clandestine border crossings and immigration in general, but also to Amazon.com's review guidelines.

My original review, which I should have copied and saved on my desktop, was declared in violation of Amazon's review guidelines. Specifically, I cannot repeat the second word in the title--even in the context of the book's title! (Same thing happened on NPR's website.) I was simply repeating the word as part of the title and in no way was using it derrogatorily to describe clandestine border crossers. But that's not good enough for Moderator Kafka! So when I protested that another favorable review ALSO included the word in question and was still on the website, Amazon goes and deletes that too! The end result is that what is actually a good book which I recommend, now has NO favorable reviews for the shoppers to read! Bad policy.

Peter Laufer's unmentionable (are we in the movie Z or what?) book is a good but flawed book which many times reads like a travel book and unnecessarily stretches from Tijuana, Mexico all the way to Cairo . . . Egypt! In my original review, I was critical of its failings but also recognized its strengths. For example, a sociologist and an economist (David Coffey of the University of Kentucy and James Smith of the RAND Corp.) point out studies they undertook which demolish the Nativist paranoia, but then the author fails to include where to find said studies--and that is crucial. Also included here are quotes from nativist militia types like Arizona's Simcox in all their absurdity and paranoia. The review also served as a rebuttal to the racist, emotional, fact-free, and pathetic "reviews" of Lloyd Eskildson of Phoenix and "US Infidel" of MD. It is often amazing to see the denial and hostility toward fact and the perpetration of falsehoods.

28 of 59 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Simplistic - Couldn't Disagree More!, December 28, 2005

By 

Loyd E. Eskildson "Pragmatist" (Phoenix, AZ.) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Wetback Nation: The Case for Opening the Mexican-American Border (Hardcover)

Peter Laufer wants to open the Mexican-American border because the U.S. economy "desperately needs the workers" and to stop the deaths incurred crossing the Arizona desert.

Former Governor Lamm, however, hit the nail on the head when he stated that the U.S. cannot absorb all the millions of poor peoples that want in.

America's decades-long laxity in deterring illegal Mexican aliens from entering our nation has created nine serious, and growing problems:

1)Substantial and disproportionate increase in violent and drug-related crimes - at least twice the rate of the general population, according to government statistics.


2)Substantially increased crowding, traffic, pollution, housing costs, and demands on already strained natural resources.

Census estimates show that at least half of U.S. population growth is due to recent immigrants and their very high birth-rates, and that immigrants (mostly Mexican illegals) and their children will account for about a 100 million population increase in the next 50 years, resulting in Hispanics (mostly illegals and their progeny) comprising about 25% of U.S. population.


3)Decreased wages and opportunities for law-abiding Americans, particularly those most vulnerable - the poor.

Examples: Far fewer Americans are now employed in housing than previously, even in relatively skilled areas such as carpentry, tile-setting, heavy machinery operation, etc. Other areas with substantial illegal inroads include manufacturing, transportation, hospitality, and food-service. A recent study by a leading economist in this area concluded that immigration costs U.S. men an average of $1,700/year.


4)Increased opportunity for terrorists to become absorbed within U.S. communities due to their physical similarity to many within the large and increasing numbers of illegal Mexicans, and ease of accompanying them across the U.S. border.


5)Increased government-funded healthcare costs - Hispanics in general are about twice as likely to be uninsured, and illegals undoubtedly much higher; their high rate of reproduction acerbates the topic.


6)Increased education problems and costs due to the large numbers of illegal Mexican alien children and the children of illegals - eg. millions of non-English speaking students and dropout rates about 2.5 that of the rest of the U.S. population. (Mexico's 9 - 10 million indigenous people, about one-tenth of the population and a large proportion of illegals, have the highest rates of illiteracy and disease in the country.)


7)Increased fragmentation of U.S. society due particularly to illegal Mexican aliens' general unwillingness to assimilate - learn English, accept historic American values (eg. families and legitimacy, importance of education), while also pursuing voting rights in Mexico. When combined with American's litigious nature, substantially increased claims of "racism" and divisiveness associated with efforts to increase their share of better jobs, housing, etc. will also be created.


8)An estimated $10- 30 billion in funds annually sent back to Mexico - deflating the American economy and adding to our "trade deficit." In addition, much of what is earned by these workers is not taxed - further adding to America's problems.


9)All of Mexico's most lucrative corporate sectors - oil, finance, media and telecommunications, heavy industry, luxury hotels, transportation - are controlled by a small, clubby, light-skinned market-dominant minority. America's tolerance of illegals fleeing Mexican discrimination only allows it to continue. (Per Amy Chua, author of "World on Fire.")


Bottom Line: The U.S. will degenerate into an overcrowded, poor, crime-ridden, "third-world, low-wage copy of Mexico unless U.S. border enforcement substantially improves. It is true that both Republicans and Democrats have played games with this issue. Nonetheless, illegals are a burden that the U.S. cannot afford.

19 of 51 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Multicultural garbage, June 20, 2006

By 

US_infidel (Rockville, MD USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wetback Nation: The Case for Opening the Mexican-American Border (Hardcover)

I put this vile book back on the shelf almost as soon as I picked it up. This is typical multicultural liberal garbage, and the author is nothing more than a mouthpiece for the open borders lobby, Wall Street Journal cheap labor profiteers, guilt-ridden brainwashed liberal moonbats, one world government utopians, and the huge fifth column of minority and ethnic agitators who loath the White Christian majority.

I'd like to see the author making his inane case to the HUNDREDS of thousands of victims (and their families) of rape and murder by the hands of illegal aliens. Let HIM pay health care costs of illegals in emergency rooms. Let HIS children sit in "bilingual" classrooms crammed with tens of Hispanic kids who don't know a word of English, who will drop out and join a gang at the age of 15. Let HIS house lose value as a result of illegals invading his neighborhood and sending property values plummeting.

Me, I'd rather pass these "blessings of diversity." Too bad 1 star is the lowest rating, because this garbage doesn't even deserve 1/10 of a star.