The immigration debate has recently been given a boost by the images of thousands of young children, some only infants in their mothers' arms, being stalled at the border in the blazing sun with no food, water or anything else. Their suffering is immeasurable and they are fleeing real violence and danger this time not just better economic opportunities. This actually makes them refugees in the eyes of many which means that the meaningless cruelty, racism and mistreatment directed at is even more egregious and senseless. The violence of the drug wars, which have taken countless lives in Mexico, is a major reason today for so much immigration from Mexico and other parts of Central America (such as Honduras where cities like San Pedro Sula have been called "the murder capital of the world." Honduras has an annual murder rate of more than 85 per 100,000 residents, the highest in the entire world!) as all of Central America seem to be engulfed in a vortex of drug and human trafficking and gang wars. Such violence has sent many millions fleeing for safety over the past few years, mostly to the US. But the real roots of the current immigration crisis are more economic than anything else.
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